Page:Cricket, by WG Grace.djvu/265

 knocks; and ought to accustom himself to all kinds of bowling.

As far as hard knocks go, wicket-keepers to-day have reason to be thankful for improved grounds; and perhaps that may, in a degree, account for the better form shown by them.

The best amateur wicket-keepers I have met were J. Round, E. F. S. Tylecote, J. A. Bush, G. A. B. Leatham, A. Lyttelton, H. Philipson, J. McC. Blackham, G. McGregor, and A. T. Kemble. The best professionals were Lockyer, Biddulph, Finder, Plumb, Pooley, Phillips, Pilling, and Sherwin. Some took slow bowling best, some fast. Blackham, McGregor, and Lyttelton might be placed as the best of the amateurs; while Pilling was, undoubtedly, the best of the professionals. With the exception of Blackham and McGregor no amateur has been up to the form of the professionals.

Long-stopping is fast becoming a thing of the past; owing to the improvement in grounds and in wicketkeeping, and bowling. A good man was wanted for that post to such fast bowlers as Sir Frederick Bathurst and Messrs. Mynn, Marcon and Fellowes, especially on rough, bumpy wickets, when most of the balls kept kicking and twisting; but to-day the bowling is straighter, and a ball rarely gets past both batsman and wicket-keeper. I am speaking of first-class cricket: in second-class matches the wicket-keeper is not always efficient and a long-stop may be necessary. He should stand rather deep, but close enough to save a bye; and he must be a quick and accurate thrower, and never get bustled or lose his head when a sharp run is attempted. He must be quick to decide at which wicket to throw. The Rev. C. H. Ridding, Mr. H.