Page:The Crisis in Cricket and the Leg Before Rule (1928).djvu/92

Rh always that in all cases the bowlers should be given the benefit of the doubt, and hitting the ball should not, ipso facto, make the batsman immune from l.b.w. But this modified form of rule will, in my opinion, be found inadequate and only an instalment.

By all means go cautiously, but as a beginning an alteration in the l.b.w. rule which would establish the principle that the bat alone is the weapon to be used to prevent the ball hitting the wicket, would not only help the bowler in cases where the ball is pitched outside the wicket, but would improve the hitting and make scoring smaller, drawn matches few er and the batting more attractive to look at. Also let a strong Committee be appointed to see if something can be done to prevent the provision of wickets which at present are prepared to all appearance as if they were meant to make drawn matches probable and definite results only a possibility.

Finally let those who are against these two proposals suggest something to diminish the number of drawn matches, and not merely rail at the bowlers and ask them to do what is beyond their power.

The position is critical and unless something is done the great game will fall as far as first-class cricket is concerned.