Chapter II: Preface

A few lines only are necessary to explain the object with which these volumes are put forth. There is no modern encyclopædia to which the inexperienced man, who seeks guidance in the practice of the various British Sports and Pastimes, can turn for information. Some books there are on Hunting, some on Racing, some on Lawn Tennis, some on Fishing, and so on; but one Library, or succession of volumes, which treats of the Sports and Pastimes indulged in by Englishmen--and women--is wanting. The Badminton Library is offered to supply the want. Of the imperfections which must be found in the execution of such a design we are conscious. Experts often differ. But this we may say, that those who are seeking for knowledge on any of the subjects dealt with will find the results of many years’ experience written by men who are in every case adepts at the Sport or Pastime of which they write. It is to point the way to success to those who are ignorant of the sciences they aspire to master, and who have no friend to help or coach them, that these volumes are written.

To those who have worked hard to place simply and clearly before the reader that which he will find within, the best thanks of the Editor are due. That it has been no slight labour to supervise all that has been written he must acknowledge; but it has been a labour of love, and very much lightened by the courtesy of the Publisher, by the unflinching, indefatigable assistance of the Sub-Editor, and by the intelligent and able arrangement of each subject by the various writers, who are so thoroughly masters of the subjects of which they treat. The reward we all hope to reap is that our work may prove useful to this and future generations.

THE EDITOR.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE HISTORY OF CRICKET 1
_By Andrew Lang._

II. BATTING 34
_By the Hon. R. H. Lyttelton._

III. BOWLING 94
_By A. G. Steel._

IV. CAPTAINCY 187
_By A. G. Steel._

V. UMPIRES 217
_By A. G. Steel._

VI. FIELDING 245
_By the Hon. R. H. Lyttelton._

VII. COUNTRY CRICKET 280
_By F. Gale._

VIII. BORDER CRICKET 292
_By Andrew Lang._

IX. HOW TO SCORE 299
_By W. G. Grace._

X. THE AUSTRALIANS 313
_By A. G. Steel._

XI. THE UNIVERSITY CRICKET MATCH 328
_By the Hon. R. H. Lyttelton._

XII. GENTLEMEN AND PLAYERS 356
_By the Hon. R. H. Lyttelton._

XIII. THE ART OF TRAINING YOUNG CRICKETERS 375
_By R. A. H. Mitchell._

XIV. SINGLE WICKET 386
_By the Hon. R. H. Lyttelton._

INDEX 395

_ILLUSTRATIONS._

(ENGRAVED BY J. D. COOPER AND R. B. LODGE, AFTER DRAWINGS BY LUCIEN
DAVIS, AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY G. MITCHELL, MARTIN & TYLER, AND
MEDRINGTON & CO.)

FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS.

ARTIST

CAUGHT AND BOWLED _Lucien Davis_ _Frontispiece_

{_From a picture ascribed_ }
A YOUNG CRICKETER { _to Gainsborough,_ } _To face p._ 1
{ _belonging to the M.C.C._}

CRICKET {_After Hayman’s picture,_ } ″ 12
{ _belonging to M.C.C._ }
ROYAL ACADEMY CLUB IN }
MARYLEBONE FIELDS } ″ ″ ″ 28

CAUGHT AT THE WICKET _Lucien Davis_ ″ 68 RUN OUT ″ ″ 198

A. E. STODDART _From a photograph_ ″ 212

COUNTRY CRICKET _Lucien Davis_ ″ 280
(_Mitcham_)

M.C.C. AND GROUND _v._ }
AUSTRALIANS, LORD’S, } ″ ″ 308
MAY 22, 1884 }

THE CRITICS ″ ″ 324

THE INTERVAL ″ ″ 348

KENNINGTON OVAL, 1854 ″ 366

OUR NATIONAL GAME _Lucien Davis_ ″ 376

ILLUSTRATIONS IN TEXT.

ARTIST PAGE
_Vignette on Title-page_ _Lucien Davis_

‘MISS WICKET’ { _From an old print,_ } 7
{ _1770_ }

THE CHAMPION _Lucien Davis_ 34

W. G. GRACE READY TO RECEIVE THE } ″ 44
BALL }

FORWARD PLAY _From a photograph_ 50

‘HALF-COCK,’ OR OVER THE CREASE PLAY ″ 52

‘BACK-PLAY’ TO A BUMPING BALL ″ 55

GUNN CUTTING ″ 59

SHREWSBURY CUTTING ″ 60

OLD-FASHIONED SWEEP TO LEG (GUNN) ″ 62

SQUARE-LEG HIT (W. G. GRACE) ″ 64

‘THE GLIDE’ (W. G. GRACE) ″ 66

FORCING STROKE OFF THE LEGS ″ 68

OFF DRIVE ″ 70

RUNNING OUT TO DRIVE (SHREWSBURY) ″ 77

GUNN PLAYING FORWARD ″ 93

‘THE DEMON BOWLER’ _Lucien Davis_ 94

THE LEG-BREAK DIAGRAM 110

POSITION OF FIELD IF BOWLING ON LEG } 111
SIDE }

THE LEG-BREAK _From a photograph_ 113

LIKELY BALLS; AND WHAT MAY BECOME } 114
OF THEM IF NOT CORRECTLY PLAYED }

THE OFF BREAK _From a photograph_ 116

‘OFF BREAKS’ 117

SLOW BALL 123

FAST BALL 123

A HOT RETURN _From a photograph_ 127

A POKEY BATSMAN DEALING WITH A } _From a photograph_ 139
HIGH-DROPPING FULL-PITCH }

LOW DELIVERY ″ 167

DOUBTFUL DELIVERY ″ 174

THE FIELD FOR A FAST RIGHT-ARM } 176 BOWLER }

THE FIELD FOR A FAST LEFT-ARM BOWLER 177

GOING IN _Lucien Davis_ 187

ETON _v._ HARROW ″ 208

AT WICKET AFTER BOWLING _From a photograph_ 214

‘GUARD, PLEASE, UMPIRE’ _Lucien Davis_ 217

A CLEAR CASE _From a photograph_ 224

‘YOU MUST GO, JACK’ ″ 229

STUMPED _Lucien Davis_ 243

‘SAVING THE FOUR’ ″ 245

BACKING UP ″ 247

‘OVERTAKING AND PICKING UP’ _From a photograph_ 249

THE RIGHT WAY TO CATCH ″ 250

THE WRONG WAY TO CATCH ″ 251

WICKET-KEEPER--SHERWIN IN POSITION ″ 252

WICKET-KEEPER--ANOTHER POSITION ″ 254

HIT TO SQUARE-LEG _Lucien Davis_ 256

POINT _From a photograph_ 261

SHORT-SLIP ″ 264

THE WRONG POSITION FOR STOPPING THE } ″ 273
BALL }

AN ANXIOUS MOMENT _Lucien Davis_ 279

A SIX-YEAR OLD _From a photograph_ 375

DRAWING AWAY FROM THE WICKET _Lucien Davis_ 379

(_From a Picture ascribed to Gainsborough belonging to the M.C.C._)]

CRICKET.