A "Bawl" for American Cricket

by Jones Wister

No. 6—THE LATE BLOCK.

Courage, energy and decision, mark the successful cricketer.

A good excuse is more easily made than a good play.

“A straight bat” is the technical term for an upright bat, as distinguished from a “cross bat.” It should also be explained to all aspirants that the regulation wicket was not constructed for beginners but for expert batsmen. But let us not digress from the blunt “straight bat question,” which staggers the “man out,” as did the straight ball his wicket. Why can a batsman who wields a “straight bat” make a long stand, and why does the bowler delight in the man who plays a “cross bat?” The answer is simple. A “cross bat” must of necessity be an imperfect defense for a perpendicular wicket.The minds of many boys seem to be constructed upon the “cross bat” plan, but when they play the upright game of cricket with an upright bat, an upright boy is the likely father of an upright man.

Every beginner aspires for the results of batting which are recorded by the scorer, conveniently ignoring the hard work of those who by many patient efforts have reached comparative perfection. But the repeated loss of his wicket will force him to reason out why a straight bat thwarts the bowler’s efforts, and why when playing a “cross bat” he has been unconciously reducing his defense in a ratio of four to one. To help this reasoning process let us demonstrate by stating that the batsman’s wicket without the bails presents to the bowler a surface of 216 square inches. The batsman who wields a straight bat covers about 120 square inches of the wicket, hands and gloves increasing it to about 130 inches. The “cross bat” presents a defense of only 34 square inches, or one-fourth that of a “straight bat,” the hands and gloves ceasing to the part of the defense for a “cross bat.” When the legs and pads of the batter are added to the defense, the bowler would seem to have an almost impossible task to “out” the wielder of the “straight bat.” Yet the “man out” seldom understands it, for he has not profited by the tremendous mathematical advantage of a “straight bat” over a “cross bat.” When this difference is appreciated and acted upon, the lesson of “blocking” has been learned and the batsman may expect scores: for he is ready to hit intelligently.

Each ball is a lesson to the eye of the batsman who has learned to play a “straight bat.” The forward block as shown in illustration, must obtain for well pitched balls rising to the bails. The bat must be forwarded to the ball with left shoulder well over it, the bat carried at an angle of about 70°, the eye of the batsman being intently fixed upon it in order to insure against personal accidents. Such action, if prompt, forces the ball forwards towards the bowler. If the ball is met by the bat it strikes the ground at the angle of least resistance, bounds quickly into the field, and a run may result. Having given at length the necessity for the “block” as well as the scientific reasons for the play, we will refer the reader to illustrations Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6, which show the “forward block,” the “half forward block,” the “half back block” and the “late block.” If the young cricketer will study the attitudes taken by Mr. George Bromhead when making the four characteristic blocks, he will see that each ball must be blocked in a manner appropriate to itself.

Thus far only the defensive use of the bat has been considered. But it is a weapon as well as a shield. The tendency of beginners is to ignore the shield and use the weapon. One of the objects of these pages is to emphasize the shield, thereby perfecting the wield of the weapon, and multiplying the opportunities for its use. Let us close this portion of the chapter on batting with the remark that the defense of the wicket is an absolute necessity. It must be cultivated by beginners and practiced by experts. After it is thoroughly learned, like swimming, it is never forgotten. The batter must also resemble the swimmer in another important point, for the swimmer must continue swimming while in the water, and the batter must continue “blocking” during the rest of his career.

The hit is the evidence of successful batting. An opportunity taken. The result hoped for by the batter. As in blocking, well defined principles govern the successful hit, which depends:

1st—Upon its true conception by the batsman.