Page:Cricket, by WG Grace.djvu/271

 as much needed there as in any part of the field. Leghitting is very little resorted to now, for the reason that a first-class bowler rarely bowls one on that side; but the batsman tries hard to play away to leg everything bowled on the leg-stumps and pads, and the fieldsman has to be as nimble as a cat to save the run. He has also to go as close in as he can with safety, so as to get hold of a catch. Very often when it comes to him there is a fair amount of spin on it, and if he is not very careful he will miss it altogether.

Short-leg must keep his wits about him, for the ball is on him instantly; and should it pass, will most probably travel for two or three runs. He must be quick to detect the intention of the batsman, whether he means to play it fine, square, or more in the direction of mid-on; but he must be guided by the wish of the bowler as to where he should stand. He should stand slightly stooping, with his hands ready for the ball to drop into them; and be quick to save overthrows from cover-point and mid-off. Against a poky batsman, on a sticky wicket, he has often as many opportunities as point of bringing off a smart catch. He must keep his head under all circumstances, but especially when a sharp run is attempted: the slightest indecision then, and the run-out is lost. A bad thrower should never be placed there, or overthrows will be of common occurrence, and many a run out lost.

Owing to the accuracy of the bowling, very few balls are now hit to long-leg. Fast bowling without length in the old days was not uncommon, and one never was surprised to see a ball hit to leg as often as anywhere else; but I have seen many a long innings played in the last year or two with only a few hits to leg in it. To medium-pace bowling so accurate as we