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82 taking things coolly—an easy enough task when things are going well, but very difficult when, for instance, a Jessop is making runs at the rate of two a minute, mis-hits going everywhere except to hand; and place the field how you will, luck is all in favour of the hitter, and you know your best bowler is obeying his fallen nature, and is unmistakably losing his pluck;—under these circumstances the ideal captain has to wear a calm face. All the while a serpent is preying on his vitals, and he is conscious of critics in the pavilion and round the ground, a few of whom understand the game, whilst many do not—no wonder there are many men who play to enjoy the game, and are happy when not captain. I wish the learned critics could be got to understand that the captain in the field looks at the game from a closer point of view than they do; that it is probable that no two real judges would often agree as to the particular change of bowling that is desirable; that, therefore, in many cases the captain may be as right as they are in the