The Book of Sports Part 6

If any person stop the ball with his bat, the ball is to be considered as DEAD, and the opposite party to add five notches to their score.

If the ball be struck up, the striker may guard his wicket with his bat or any part of his body except his _hand_.

If the striker hit the ball against his partner's wicket when he is off his ground, he is out, should it previously have touched the bowler or any of the fieldmen's hands, but not otherwise.

THE WICKET-KEEPER.

The wicket-keeper should not take the ball for the purpose of stumping, until it have pa.s.sed the wicket. He shall stand at a proper distance behind the wicket, and shall not move till the ball be out of the bowler's hand. He shall not by any noise, incommode the striker, and if any part of his person be over or before the wicket, although the ball hit it, he shall not be out.

THE UMPIRES.

The umpires are the sole judges of fair and unfair play, and all disputes are determined by them, each at his own wicket. They shall not stand more than six yards from the wicket. In case of a catch, which the umpire at the wicket cannot see sufficiently to decide upon, he may apply to the other umpire, whose opinion is conclusive.

The umpires shall pitch fair wickets, and the parties shall toss up for the choice of innings.

They shall allow two minutes for the striker to come in, and fifteen minutes between each innings. When the umpires shall call "play," the party who refuses shall lose the match.

They are not to order a player out unless a.s.sented to by the adversaries.

If the bowler's foot be not behind the bowling-crease and within the return crease when he delivers the ball, they must, unasked, call "no ball;" if the striker run a short run, the umpire must call "no run."

If in running either of the strikers shall fail to ground his bat, in hand, or some part of his person, over the popping crease, the umpire, for every such failure, shall deduct two runs from the number intended to have been run, because such striker, not having run in the first instance, cannot have started in the second from the proper goal.

No umpire is allowed to bet.

No umpire to be changed during a match, unless with the consent of both parties, except in case of a violation of the last law, then either party may dismiss the transgressor.

After the delivery of four b.a.l.l.s, the umpire should call "over," but not until the ball shall be lodged and definitely settled in the wicket-keeper's or bowler's hand; the ball shall then be considered dead. Nevertheless, if an idea be entertained that either of the strikers is out, a question may be put previously to, but not after the delivery of the next ball.

The umpire must take especial care to call "no ball" instantly upon delivery, and "wide ball," as soon as ever it shall pa.s.s the striker.

LAWS FOR SINGLE WICKET.

1. When there shall be less than four players on a side, bounds shall be placed, twenty-two yards each, in a line from the off and leg stump.

2. The ball must be hit before the bounds to ent.i.tle the striker to a run, which run cannot be obtained unless he touch the bowling-stump or crease, in a line with it, with his bat or person, or go beyond them, returning to the popping-crease, as in double wicket, according to the law.

3. When the striker shall hit the ball, one of his feet must be on the ground behind the popping-crease, otherwise the umpire shall call "no hit."

4. When there shall be less than five players of a side, neither byes nor overthrows shall be allowed, nor shall the striker be caught out behind the wicket, nor stumped out.

5. The fieldsman must return the ball so that it shall cross the s.p.a.ce between the wicket and the bowling stump, or between the bowling stumps and the bounds; the striker may run till the ball be so returned.

6. After the striker has made one run, he must touch the bowling stump, and run before the ball shall cross the play, to ent.i.tle him to another.

7. The striker shall be ent.i.tled to three runs for lost ball, and the same number for ball stopped with bat.

8. When there shall be more than four players to a side, there shall be no bounds; all _hits_, _byes_, and _overthrows_, will then be allowed.

9. The bowler is subject to the same laws as at double wicket.

10. No more than one minute shall be allowed between each ball.

BETS.

1. No bet is payable in any match unless it be played out or given up.

2. If the runs of one player be betted against those of another, the bet depends on the first innings, unless otherwise specified.

3. If the bet be made upon both innings, and one party beats the other in one innings, the runs in the first innings shall determine it.

4. If the other party go in a second time, then the bet must be determined by the number in the second.

OBSERVATIONS.

Cricket is played by twenty-two persons, eleven on each side, and two umpires, with two persons to score and count the innings. Thirteen players play at one time, viz., two strikers, one bowler, one wicket-keeper, long-stop, short-stop, point, cover, middle-wicket, long-field, off-side, on-side, and leg; of these the two strikers are the inside, or have their innings. The object of the game is to get the greatest number of runs, and this is to be done by the strikers. Each side having been in once and out once, the first innings is concluded, and, we might say, a complete game has been played, but in most matches another innings is played. The scorers keep the account of runs to each striker separately for each innings. The side that has obtained the greatest number of runs, wins the game. The arrangement of the players in the field is as follows:--

+--------------------------------------+ | 6 | | * 8 | | * | | 9 | | * | | 7 10 | | 5 * * | | * | | 4 3 1 1 2 | | * * * * * | | | | | | | | | | 12 11 | | * * | +--------------------------------------+

ORDER OF THE PLAYERS.

1. Striker.

2. Bowler.

3. Wicket-keeper.

4. Long-stop.

5. Short-stop.

6. Long-slip.

7. Point.

8. Cover.

9. Middle-wicket.

10. Long-field, off-side.

11. Long-field, on-side.

12. Leg.

PART VI.

SWIMMING.

[Ill.u.s.tration]