Mr. Robert Lyttelton's little book, published this sumrner' by Messrs.
Longman, suggesting changes in the laws of cricket, has borne fruit. The M.C.C. have issued a circular to the county committees on the question of slightly altering the balance in favour of the . bowler against the now predominant batsman. His defence of the wicket with his legs or other parts of his person has become less painful to him than to the old cricketers who would haVe him " out " if he fails to defend his wicket with his bat, except from leg-breaks. Also the perfection of pitches by marling or other arts of the groundsman seems excessive. There is much to be said for amendment as Mr. Lyttelton shows, and against it it may be urged that the umpire's task needs simplifying rather than being made more delicate and difficult, as it might be in at least one direction : that the present superiority of the batsman is only evident in first-class cricket on first-class grounds ; even first-class pitelics can be broken up badly by the third day in onr weather, and the pitches on village greens are none tOo good on any afternoon. If there' should be any clash between the interests of test matches and village cricket, we shall be on the side of the villages..
Previous page
