Page:The Hambledon Men (1907).djvu/218

 mind you, all straight-arm Bowlers don't deliver alike. Some sink their body in delivery and turn their elbows in close to the side, which makes the ball more like an underhand one, and causes it to come straight from the hand so that it is plain, as you can see it all the way, and by placing the bat full at it you will rarely make a mistake. Such a ball has no deception; as it is delivered from the hand, so will it rise from the bound. It is no use putting it further up, as there is nothing to deceive the batter, he will drive it forward. This is the part I said I would refer you to. Well, such a bowler is seldom any use on level or soft grounds. There is no fire in the ball. It won't get up, and being pitched rather short to keep it from being hit forward, can't do any execution. But on hard, uneven or glibby ground such bowling often tells well, but I question if under like circumstances a better style would not tell better.

Though I recommend you to get the style of delivery that is easy to yourself, I don't say that you should be careless or lazy; on the contrary, you must put all your body and mind in a determination to get your man out, and be guarded above all things not to lose your temper. At times it's enough to make you bite your thumbs to see your best balls pulled and sky-rocketed about—all luck—but you must console yourself with, 'Ah, that won't last long.'

Now as for the place for delivering the ball—the bowling crease is three feet on each side of the stumps. You will find most men deliver with the foot placed half-way betwixt the end of the crease and the wicket, some nearer the wicket. I think this is an error; they ought to deliver at the very end of the crease, for the ball then has to go more across the wicket and is more deceptive to the batter. It is a plan I generally adopt, and if it is advantageous to me that is only half round, how much more it must be to a straight-arm bowler.

Now a word as to the variation in delivery, such as raising the hand higher and lower (I am now speaking of Bowling according to the rules), variation of speed