Page:Jubilee Book of Cricket (Second edition, 1897).djvu/184

162 no part of the legs or feet is actually in front of the wicket, even whilst standing to receive the ball. Umpires are naturally more inclined to give decisions against batsmen who cover the stumps before the ball is bowled. Nearly every authority advises beginners to stand just clear of the stumps. As for taking block, it really does not matter whether you take middle, middle-and-leg, or leg-stump. In this detail every one should consult his own comfort.

Just before the ball is bowled the bat should be raised and lifted slightly backwards, so as to be ready to swing forward or move in any direction whatever. But any kind of flourish is useless to the last degree. It certainly does not look well. All coaches should eradicate from their pupils as far as possible all preliminary flourishes. Such twirls of the bat are bad enough when they come naturally to a player; when affected they are execrable. Anything in a stroke that is not essential to its effectiveness cannot possibly be good. Besides, if a batsman is thinking of how he is flourishing his bat, he cannot possibly be concentrating all his attention upon playing the ball. It is absolutely essential to concentrate the attention upon the ball and upon the playing of it.

The impulse of every beginner is to draw back when the ball is coming at him—that is to say, his instinct is to remove his body well out of the probable course of the ball. This he does by moving his right leg backwards in the direction of short-leg. Such a movement is fatal to good play. The young player should be impressed with the necessity of keeping his right foot firmly fixed in its original position. When it is moved backwards to facilitate back-play, it is moved in the direction of the wicket, which is quite a different thing from running away. A cricket-ball is hard enough, in all conscience; but any one who wishes to make a player must make up his mind to stand his ground, trusting to his bat to defend his body. It is wonderful what a useful shield that narrow strip of willow can be if properly manipulated. Remember, it is fatal to run away. Until he has mastered this point no one can begin to make much progress. If the right leg is moved backwards towards square-leg it is impossible to play with a straight bat. If a young player either will not or cannot keep his right foot still, the only thing to do is