Page:Jubilee Book of Cricket (Second edition, 1897).djvu/23



implies a certain amount of physical capacity, and cricket-matches are a pretty good test of physique. In order to make the body fit to undergo a severe season's work, men and boys alike must cultivate health and strength. With regard to boys, the discipline in vogue at all schools in England puts excess of almost every kind out of the question. A good night's rest and a perfect digestion are two of the chief foundations of success in cricket. In the words of the greatest of all cricketers: "Temperance in food and drink, regular sleep and exercise, I have laid down as a golden rule. From my earliest cricketing days I have carefully adhered to this rule, and to it I attribute in a great degree the measure of health and strength I still enjoy."

To play cricket at school, and afterwards to retain one's physical attributes at their best, it is necessary to keep in training all the year round. Luckily, cricket does not demand that severe course of training which is required by such athletic pursuits as football or running. The ordinary pleasures of life,