SECRETS OF
THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 12, 1938.
CRICKET SUCCESS
THE "FEEL" OF THE BAT IS
MOST IMPORTANT
MAN-SIZED BAT MUST NOT BE USED BY A BOY
FORWARD PLAY ON FAST WICKETS
(By "J. C. DAVIS")
Sydney, November 11.
his driving, his glancing and his pulling. You could not detect the glimmer of a flaw in footwork, wrist work, control of the bat or in the completed stroke. The slow mo- tion was also turned on to add to one's delight.
imagine him
You could almost going through his strokes to the accompaniment of some chord in music vibrating within him: I have
often wondered what became of
those pictures which, one under- stood, were taken not to be shown, in Australia but in other coun-
He tries.
George Garnsey throws the
IN successful batting it is supremely important to obtain a bat that suits. There is something about the "feel" of the bat that makes all the dif- ference-it puts one at ease and induces confidence. There are exceptions to this rule, of course. One of the eminent few was Victor Trumper, could pick up any sort of old bat, any weight, and go to the wickets to make action photographs of great players all his wonderful strokes with the wonderful grace that enchanted us. But on to the screen at his quarters in Trumper was a law unto himself, and in that direction no exemplar to fol- the Cricket Association building in Sydney. These include Spofforth, low closely. It needed a man of his own enlightening genius to do as he rrumper, Turner, Ranji, Hill and did in many directions.
Palaret. interest
Don Bradman, however, is just as particular as he should be in the choice of his bat. He uses bowlers. a short-handled bat. And how does he use it! Now Stan McCabe also uses a short-handled bat. tures. These two Australians appeal to me as the two foremost batsmen among the active living. That which they find so good may be found to be of similar assistance by others.
The moral is that every man should get a bat to suit himself, his grip, his "feel," and his strength and height:
All great players I have ever
heard express an opinion on the
matter, were unanimous that a quoted for the benefit of the boy should never use a man's of to-day.
..
boys
They are of exceptional to young batsmen and But they are "still" pic-
SHOULD BE SHOWN
If the Bradman film, so vibrant
it makes it difficult for the player in action, to which I have referred, could be shown in every city and to bring the bat into the desired
town in Australia it would carry spot at the desired moment. It home its illuminating lessons to causes the fault of playing too thousands of Young Players.
tate.
I recall having been asked by the "A long innings means a continu-host, after the screening what I ous physical strain; so the less thought of the film.
...
"It is perfect from the art of batting. Just perfect." I said. "But there is one mistake. The introduc- tory text tells us that Don was born at Bowral. That honour be longs to Cootamundra!”
labour it is to wield the bat the full-sized bat. He should use one] “With regard to size, boys are better. Two or three ounces more suited to his strength and his strongly advised to use undersized or less do not make much difference height.
bats. No one should ever use a bat in the driving qualities of a bat, As a youngster, I once heard W. which he cannot wield quite com- but they do make a difference to the G. Grace express himself to that fortably. The balance of a bat, ease and comfort with which it effect. Ranjitsinhji, the brilliant too, is a very important point. A may be wielded. The use of heavy Indian, was not alone a juggler in bat varies in balance according to Bats usually
My impression was. that the cricket, but a student of it, and of the distribution of wood in the timing but leads not only to miss trivial yet true observation was strokes, a not welcome. One could understand everything appertaining to it. On blade. By holding a bat by the feeble style, and small scores.” that. The film was a classic. That this subject of the bat he was em-handle with two hands, and lifting phatic. He told me that he it up and down just as when actual- IT IS A PITY MOVING PICTURES thought the batsman should be in such close touch with his bat that it became so much a part of him- self, that, in using it, his attention was never drawn to it and from the bowler and the ball.
cricket.
ly playing, anyone can feel for him- self whether it comes well or badly. The difference the feel between a well and a badly balanced bat is most distinct. Cric- to acquire the
habit of testing
CRAMP HIS STYLE
A study of them would give tons of
the
such a blemish in it could be no- ticed was annoying.
MOVIES WERE MISSING
WERE NOT POSSIBLE IN THE BEST
ON NOW DECREASE YEARS OF W, G. GRACE, ARTHUR
In Australian first-class cricket SHREWSBURY, VICTOR TRUMPER JOHNNY TYLDESLEY, RANJIT on good wickets, forward play once SINHJI, A. C. MACLAREN AND was indulged in much more than it [CLEM HILL.
is now. If we except the few cham- pions, batting at some periode was also better than it is now. Tremend- ous scores were piled up by New a healthy inclination to crack
South Wales batsmen at a fast rate- ball.
against South Australian, Vic- Five or six years ago moving pic-torian, and overseas teams that em- tures of Don Bradman making his braced fair to good bowling. In club strokes were taken in Sydney. Ifirst-grade in Sydney this
private screening at the Prince Ed-forward play and solid driving ward Theatre. The pictures were that once helped batsmen to pile up amazingly good, They revealed a totals in one afternoon ranging Bradman not seen through the eyes from 300 to 400 and 500 or more of some Englishman but as the per- runs. fect bateman. They illustrated why Bradman is the wonder man.
keters would bee balance of a young players literally RANJI THE WIZARD Ranji and C. B. Fry seemed to bat. Familiarity with the feel of a cricketing gems, and inspire in all have analysed everything in good bat helps them to make a
Nothing seems to have suitable choice. been too minute to escape them. They knew the why and the where- "A player's style is sure to be fore of anything that might happen affected by using unsuitable bats. at the wickets. told me last summer at one of the bat is very likely to cramp his play Tests that on the way out from or fall into ungainly positions, such England aboard the big Orient as materially handicap attempts at liner, Orion, Fry was extraordinari- good strokes.
Jack O'Connor A small man who uses a full-sized was, privileged to be present at a there is a growing tendency ease
ly interesting in his talks, and con- "The use of a bat too heavy for vincing in his dissections on the one's strength fe also injurious. A Fame. He would instantly demonbat of this kind tires a player out strate by shadow-batting any point much sooner than one that suits in the art he was elucidating.
EVERY MOVE SEEN
my
him and it also prevents good Here we saw every minute move One had the privilege subsequen- timing of the ball that is to say, ment co-ordinating in his cutting tly of listening to the famous old cricketer in similar episodes. He made one realise more than ever that golf and kindred ball games have nothing on cricket in the scientific angles underlying every- thing that counts in the higher achievements of a player.
Well, it was almost the same with Ranji (occasionally) when he toured Australia in 1897-8 with A. E. Stoddart's team, though he was not quite so analytical and apt in the demonstration.
BAT FOR THE BOY At a later period Ranji published: "The Jubilee Book of Cricket."
it he epitomised and enlarged upon the views on the bat he had-ex- pressed in his talks.. These are BO much to the point and so intimate in the details that they are here
WE ARE OFFERING WON- DERFUL BARGAINS IN OUR CHINA AND GLASS DEPART- MENT. EXCLUSIVE TO WHITEAWAYS! 111-PIECE COMBINATION SERVICE OF SEMI-PORCELAIN. FINEST
THE SERVICE INCLUDES ALL YOU NEED FOR TWELVE PERSONS, FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCHEON AND DINNER.
Sale Price $60.00 Set.
ALL PYREX OVE
GLASSWARE REDUCED BY 15%
Nevertheless, far too many bats- men are playing back and trying to take the ball round to the on- side instead of getting forward to it, and clipping it with the full bat- face on the drives, Some of the re putedly best batsmen have dropped into the rut. It is, therefore, always a treat to watch Stan McCabe...
TWICE AS FAST-
HE DRIVES THE BALL WITH THE PELTING EXULTATION OF THE TRUMPER DUFF EPISODES. HE SCORES TWICE AS FAST AS THE AVERAGE GRADE BATSMAN, AND BY CRICKET THAT IS MORE THAN TWICE AS DELIGHTFUL WATCH
W. G. Grace
has given us tabloid worthy of study-meta
"On a fast, dry, true wicket,. never hesitate to play (förward””” said the Leviathan "The Bowler can get little or no work on the ball, and, what is more, the further
*t
WHITEAWAY LAIDLAW & CO., LTD. is pitched up, and the Taster it
comes along, the easier it is to play (Continued on Page #3):
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.