Page:The Crisis in Cricket and the Leg Before Rule (1928).djvu/56

48 dangerous to cover up with the legs, and an improvement in the style of hitting because batsmen, seeing the danger of covering up, will learn to keep their legs clear of the bowler's territory; bowlers will not be driven to crowd the slips and short leg with fieldsmen, and we shall see less of hammering away on the off side and at the legs for catches, and much valuable time will be saved because batsmen will not leave so many balls alone. There need not be any fear of batting being made too difficult by an amended l.b.w. rule; it has not been too difficult for many years on fast wickets, the modern pitches are too easy ever to make batting too difficult unless the weather plays pranks, and when this is the case cricket is dull whatever happens. The point to be kept in view is by proper legislation to keep run-getting within reasonable bounds so as to diminish drawn games in fine weather to a vanishing point.