Page:Cricket, by WG Grace.djvu/270

 back than my brother. Mr. Walker was the quickest of the five, and was very good at finding out in an over or so the batsman's strength and weakness.

Cover-point affords plenty of opportunities for a brilliant fieldsman to distinguish himself. He gets plenty of work; for if he is unable to get to the ball when it is hit anywhere near to him, he has to go after it at his best pace, in the hope of stopping it before it reaches the boundary. Pick-up and return must be one action, or the batsman will steal a sharp run; and he must be quick and accurate in his return, or overthrows will occur pretty often. To fast bowling he may stand rather deep and wait for the ball, but to medium pace and slow he must dart in if he wants to save the run. He has to gauge to a yard the exact position to stand, and he must be constantly on the look-out; for, as a rule, he gets twice as much work as any two other fieldsmen. He must be prepared for an occasional curly one breaking away from him, which he will do well to stop. If, when dashing in to save the run, he cannot get into position to throw in his usual way, an underhand return can be utilised.

Messrs. Halifax Wyatt, G. Strachan, W. W. Read, Rev. Vernon Royle, and John Smith, of Cambridge, were brilliant in that position, and worked untiringly. Messrs. Gregory and J. Shuter, Briggs, and Peel, are just as good to-day. Mr. Gregory's fine exhibition was one of the features of the fielding of the 1890 Australian team.

It is not so very many years ago that the weakest fieldsman in the eleven was invariably placed at short-leg. A complete change has taken place with respect to that position, and a quick eye and a safe pair of hands are now