No. 8—PREPARED TO DRIVE “ON.”
The Cricket Field says with truth: “You won’t win by a hitting game if there is no hit in you,” and adds in somewhat different language, “the game to carry you through is the game you play best.”
No. 13, illustrates the position of the batter while making the square cut. This hit is made from a ball rising to the off but falling somewhat farther from the line of the wicket than that from which the forward cut is made. Were the batter to stand firm in his position it would be an impossibility for him to strike this ball, for it must be remembered that it is advancing obliquely towards point, and that it will have moved a considerable distance in that direction by the time it arrives opposite the batsman. But it is his business to move towards the ball, so that he can at least try to hit it. Mahomet must go to the mountain, for it is quite evident that the mountain is rapidly moving away from Mahomet. Having elevated his bat as in No. 11, the batsman takes a long stride with his right foot along the line of the popping crease, then suddenly and forcibly bringing down his bat carried at an angle of 70°, he “cuts” the ball towards point.
The late or back cut is beautiful as well as the safest and most graceful hit in the repertoire of the batsman. But he must posess experience of no mean order to guide the bat to strike the ball, which is moving by him at a double acute angle and usually at a rapid rate; for instead of facing the ball and meeting it with his bat as in the forward and square off cut, he turns his person two-thirds around towards the wicket keeper using his left foot for a pivot. Then he takes a long stride with his right towards short slip, which moves him in the direction of the motion of the ball. While these movements are in progress the batter has elevated his weapon with which he strikes the ball a blow, oblique with its course after it has passed the line of the wicket in the direction of the slips. If the bat is held at an angle of about 50° when it strikes, the ball will rebound from the turf and elude the nimble fielder. The force of the late cut is tremendous, as it combines the power of the shoulder hit with the speed of the ball. The cut is such an effective play that the snick has largely encroached upon it. We do not desire to condemn the tip or snick, for it is a frequent counter, but only desire to warn beginners, not to flatter themselves into the belief that snicks are cuts.
The off bowler has come to stay, and if batters want scores they must cut. Batters are justly proud of their ability to cut, though but comparatively few make a clean hard hit of it. The tap is more usual, while for certain bowling safe and effective. The tap is from the wrist, while the cut is a combination of arm, wrist and shoulder.For clean hard cuts the Scotts of Belmont, Lord Hawke and George Patterson may be cited as exponents. The power behind their cuts is phenominal. The cutting of any of these is a study for experts.
No. 9—Playing a Well-Pitched Straight Ball on Leg Stump.
John Wisden says on page 25 of his Cricket and How to Play It: “A thoroughly good, active, lively and fearless wicket keeper does more to win matches than almost any man on the field.” We wish he had made his remarks more emphatic by omitting the word “almost.” We think, if Wisden had spent the last few years in America, and had seen the disastrous effects of reducing that all important position to the rank of an out-fielder, he would have used language quite as emphatic as that found in these pages.