their right-hand court. This rule only applies to the first service
in every game, and for this reason: It is a considerable advantage to
serve first, as skilful players serve in such a manner as to render
it difficult for the opponent to take the service. Also the side
serving cannot lose an ace until their hand is out, and the opponents
have the serve. If, as before remarked, the servee’s side fail to
take a good service, or to return the ball clean over the net at any
subsequent stroke by hitting it once only, they lose an ace. The
original server then serves again, but this time from the left-hand
court, and so on alternately, and his side scores an ace each time
the opponents fail to return a good service clean over the net, and
so that it falls into one of the opposite courts. After the first
service in each game, the side which serves has “two hands in,” i.e.
as soon as the server’s hand is out, his partner serves as before. He
commences to serve from the right or left hand court as the case may
be, following the rule of changing courts after every service. Thus,
A served last from the right court; A’s hand is now out; B (A’s
partner) now serves from the left court into the opposite left court,
and so on alternately until B’s hand is out, when both hands being
out, the right of serving goes to the opponents, who commence serving
from the right-hand court of their side; the player who originally
stood in that court serving first to the player who originally stood
in the diagonally opposite court. Once in the game the players
may change courts for the purpose of taking serves; thus A (right
court) serves to C (opposite right court). A’s hand is put out,
and presently A’s side are hand in again. When this happens A must
commence the round of his side by serving from his right court to C
in the opposite right court, but once in the game C and D (partners)
may change courts to take the service, when A would serve to D
instead of to C. The game proceeds thus until one side gains 15 aces,
when the game is won by that side. If the game arrives at 13-all it
may be “set” to 5-all, or at 14-all it may be set to 3-all. After a
set, the game continues until one side scores 5 or 3, as the case may
be. After a game, the sides change courts. A match or rubber is the
best of 3 games.
_Cricket._ Forming a Ground.--The field should be as near level
as possible; a fall of 1 in. to the yd. is not an insurmountable
objection; 240 yd. each way is a nice size. In the centre of this
there must be at least 42 yd. square of drained or naturally dry
land, laid nearly level, and, if possible, of poor, tough, and
wiry grass and sod. This piece should be highest in the centre,
and with a fall of ½ in. in the yd. all round, that the ground may
dry quicker after rain. With a dry subsoil, you can at once make
a cricket ground, without the expense of any drainage. If an open
loose subsoil, sand, gravel, peat, and wet, it must be made dry;
in subsoils of this kind one deep and large drain will frequently
effectually cure a large field. Until the subsoil is dry you cannot
put soil and sod on it that will be good and safe to play cricket
upon. As to clay subsoil, there is no other way to dry this kind of
ground except by drainage. Drains must be near together, and deep
enough to take away the water sufficiently low down to prevent the
earth from sucking it up to the surface: 3 ft. 6 in. to 4 ft. deep,
and 4-5 yd. apart, 3 in. tiles, and a fall of not less than ½ in.
to the yd., will make this subsoil dry enough to put on a cricket
surface. These drains should be filled with broken stone, coarse
gravel, or rough cinders to within 12-18 in. of the surface of the
ground. The tiles of main drain should be larger than the 3 in. pipes
of which branch drains are made, and larger in proportion to the
number of branches it has to receive. The opposite ends of branch
drains to the main drain should be connected by an air drain, one
end of which should be open to the air; for in dry weather, when
drains are making no water, a draught of air through and under the
ground may cause the seams in the ground to open and crack, and so
prepare it for more effectual and quick drainage when wet weather
comes. The first thing to be done is to take up the sod: 1½ in. is
about the thickness. Wheel them to one side of the piece you intend
to take up, and stack them 5 or 6 cartloads together; this presses
them, and causes the old rough coarse grass to rot off. When the sods
are off is the best time to drain. If chalk is handy, it is the best
possible foundation. Not more than 1½-2 in. of mould is required
between the turf and the chalk; or dig out some 6-7 in. of the soil,
and replace with cinder-ashes procured from a furnace, if chalk
cannot be obtained. Pass the ashes through a coarse riddle, and put
the rough at the bottom, the fine at the top, ramming it well down;
return the sod, and make firm by rolling with the heaviest roller at
command--daily rolling for an hour or two; mow when necessary, and
that by a machine.
Renovating a Ground.--Before applying any stimulant to encourage
growth, first of all get the bare patches filled up with plants of
the finest kinds of grass. For 70 yd. by 40, 1 bush. fine lawn grass
mixture, obtained from some trustworthy seed establishment, should
be sown at once and covered with finely sifted soil of a gritty
character, such as road scrapings; when dry enough, run a light
roller over it, and repeat the rolling frequently. As soon as the
young seedling grasses appear, a dressing of soot and lime should be
given to keep slugs in check, and also to act as a stimulant. When
the young grass gets any way long, it should be cut with a scythe;
the mowing machine should not be used until it has become well
established, and sheep be kept off during periods of drought. After
many years’ wear and tear it would be advisable to relay the ground
with fresh turf, for when once it begins to get patchy and worn,
any other remedial measures are seldom entirely satisfactory. Guano
sown during showery weather, about 2 lb. mixed with wood ashes, and
sprinkled evenly over the surface, will impart verdure to the grass
and otherwise help it, for where it is kept closely mown, the soil
soon gets exhausted.
Playing on Coconut Matting.--The matting must be well stretched and
pegged down lightly; spikes will be found to damage the matting and
trip up the wearer. The thing to see to is that the ground (whatever
it be) below the matting is quite smooth, as, if there are any
inequalities in it, the ball will bump off the matting just as it
would off an ordinary pitch. In India they remove what grass there
is, so as to have a perfectly smooth surface; this is watered and
rolled and kept hard, and on it the mat is pegged down. The result is
a very good and fast pitch.
_Football._ Association.--The following memoranda have been drawn up
by the committee of the Football Association for guidance.
(1) Calling attention to two points in Law 2 of the game--First, that
the kick-off must be in the direction of the opposite goal line, and,
therefore, all back kicking is illegal; and, secondly, that the other
side shall not approach within 10 yd. of the ball until it is kicked
off.
(2) Law 4 enacts that “a goal shall be won when the ball has passed
between the goal posts.” A goal, therefore, cannot be scored until
the whole ball has passed over the goal line. The ball is also in
play until the whole ball has passed over the touch line.
(3) Law 6 commences thus:--“When a player kicks the ball, or it is
thrown out of touch, any one of the same side who at such moment of
kicking or throwing is nearer to the opponents’ goal line is out of
play.” This is plain enough. All players of the same side as the
player kicking the ball are off-side if they are in front of but not
if they are behind the ball. If players would always remember that
when they are behind the ball, at the moment of kicking or throwing,
they cannot be off-side, but when they are in front of the ball they
are always liable to be off-side, it would simplify the reading of
this Rule very much.
Briefly then, (1) A player is always off-side if he is in front of
the ball at the time of kicking unless there are 3 or more of his
opponents nearer the goal line than himself. (2) A player is never
off-side if there are 3 or more of his opponents nearer their goal
line than himself at the moment the ball was last played. (3) A
player cannot be off-side if the ball was last played (i.e. touched,
kicked, or thrown) by one of his opponents or by one of his own side
who at the time of kicking is nearer his opponents’ goal than himself.
Law 6 further enacts that a player being off-side shall not in any
way whatever interfere with any other player.
(4) By Law 8 a goal-keeper “is allowed to use his hands in defence
of his goal.” The committee do not consider a goal-keeper to be in
defence of his own goal when he is in his opponents’ half of the
ground.
(5) Rule 11, which reads as follows, should be strictly carried out
by the umpires and referees in all matches. “No player shall wear any
nails, excepting such as have their heads driven in flush with the
leather, or iron plates, or gutta-percha on the soles or heels of his
boots or on his shin guards. Any player discovered infringing this
Rule shall be prohibited from taking further part in the game.”
The attention of referees is particularly called to the following new
Challenge Cup Rule, which should be rigidly enforced in all matches
in the competition. “If bars or studs on the soles of the boots are
used they shall not project more than ½ in., and shall have all
their fastenings driven in flush with the leather, and in no case
shall they be conical or pointed. Any infringement of this Rule shall
lead to the disqualification of the player, and the referee shall
prohibit him from taking any part in the game.” It is not necessary
for a referee to have an appeal made to him before putting this Rule
in force.
(6) Rule 13, “In the event of an appeal for any supposed infringement
of the Rules, the ball shall be in play until a decision has been
given.” Umpires should remember how very important it is for the
proper working of this Rule that their decisions should be given as
quickly as possible, and if a claim is made and one umpire allows
it, the referee, if he agrees with him, should instantly sound his
whistle, without waiting to ascertain the opinion of the other
umpire, it being understood that the umpires should allow an appeal
by holding up a stick, and the referee by sounding a whistle.
(7) A ball touching an umpire or referee is not dead.
(8) It is the duty of the referee to see that all free kicks,
kicks off from goal, and corner kicks are properly taken, and it
is not necessary for him to wait for an appeal in the event of any
infringement of the Rules referring to those points. In the case,
though, of a throw-in from touch, where a penalty is attached, an
appeal is necessary before he can give a decision.
(9) Umpires should bear in mind that it is entirely against the
spirit of the Rules to give any advice to or make any claim on behalf
of either side, and should be careful to ascertain that a claim is
made by one of the players and not by a spectator. Also that they are
bound to give a decision one way or the other when appealed to. In
cases where an umpire is so placed as to be doubtful about a claim,
he should decide in favour of the side appealed against.
Rugby.--The referee must not interfere except on an appeal to the
umpires otherwise than in the following cases, and then only on a
claim by the opposite side:--
(_a_) At “kick off,” when it shall be his duty to see that the
players on the side which has the “kick off” are not in front of the
ball when it is kicked off.
(_b_) At “kick out,” when it shall be his duty to see that the
kicker’s side are behind the ball when kicked out.
(_c_) In the case of a “fair catch,” when it shall be his duty to see
that the kicker’s side are behind the ball when it is kicked. In the
event of players (in his opinion) breaking the law on any of these
points, he shall, on a claim by the opposite side, order a scrummage
to be formed in the case of “kick off” in the centre of the ground,
and in case of “kick out” at a spot 23 yd. from the kicker’s goal
line, and equidistant from both the touch lines, and in the case of a
“fair catch” at the spot where the “fair catch” was made.
(_d_) In the case of a try at goal, if any of the defending side
charge before the ball touches the ground, he may, provided the
kicker has not taken his kick, on a claim by the opposite side,
disallow the charge.
When a player is down in a scrummage, and the referee considers it
dangerous for the game to proceed, it shall be his duty to order the
game to stop until he thinks the danger is over.
The ball is dead whenever it touches an umpire or referee, and a
scrummage shall be formed forthwith at the spot where the touching
occurs.
In the case of an appeal to an umpire play shall not cease pending a
decision.
A player who is off-side may, nevertheless, run until an opponent
actually has the ball, but must stop directly he has it.
[Illustration: 159. Hockey Field.]
_Hockey._--Fig. 159 shows the ground properly marked out. The lines
must be marked with white, as in lawn tennis, and not cut, as it
has been proved that the ball mis-bounds as it is dribbled past the
striking circle if the line has been cut in the turf.
The cricket ball must be painted white with ordinary oil paint.
A player is off-side unless there are 3 of his opponents nearer their
own goal line, and when off-side he must not prevent his opponent
in any way whatever from playing the ball. If, where a player is
off-side, the ball is hit by one of his own side, he is still
off-side, unless the players have moved sufficiently to place 3 of
his opponents between him and their goal line.
The ball must be played from right to left, but a player, by twisting
his stick so as to present the playing side of it to the ball, may
poke or hit the ball in any direction, except that when hitting
behind him it must pass to his left-hand side. If the ball passes
between his legs, and the right foot is on the ground, it is a fair
stroke.
_Lacrosse._--The following notes are taken from a couple of letters
which appeared in the _Field_ some time since.
Where the checking is patient and sure, the man who holds the ball,
instead of passing it on, merely delays the game for just so long
as he detains the ball; his chance of scoring is nil. When the ball
is thus held it is usually done by a player who is being kept by
a defence player some 30 yd. or more from the goal. Carrying his
crosse on the far side of him, he is endeavouring, by running in wide
circles and suddenly doubling back, &c., to get on the inside of the
checker, or to induce another opponent to molest him, and so leave
another of his side uncovered. This manœuvre in good matches is pure
waste of time. The checker simply moves with his man, keeping his eye
steadily on his body, and no more regarding the ball than if it were
not there. As the checker is inside the attacker, he is moving in
smaller circles, and so finds it very easy to keep between the latter
and the goal, whilst nothing is more remote than the possibility of
a second checker, who is looking after another home man, leaving
that man so long as the holder of the ball is taken care of. In the
end the ball is merely lobbed on the goal, as it might have been in
first instance, when a far greater chance would have existed of the
defenders being out of position. In lacrosse, all movements should be
as rapid and as unexpected as possible. Given the defenders all in
position, scoring becomes exceedingly difficult, and the defence show
their knowledge of this fact by their extreme reluctance to leave
their posts to follow roving opponents. The evil worked by the man
who holds the ball is in the fact that he gives the opposing defence
ample opportunity for quietly arranging themselves in position, and
when the ball does come it finds them prepared and cool, instead of
flustered by the rapidity of its arrival.
One cause of this phase of weak play is the want of confidence in
homes of their throwing power. In Canada, a home devotes himself
assiduously to the art of throwing the ball at express speed at goal
the instant it touches his crosse. If he be only 30 yd. from goal
he is able to put in a shot which will take some stopping. We are
not saying that, as they throw now, English homes should throw 25-30
yd., but that they should practise assiduously until they make their
shots dangerous at that distance. Any one desirous of perfecting his
throwing at goal can do so by the simple aid of a wall. Upon the wall
mark out a goal, and then, standing 25 yd. away, commence peppering,
the ball always being thrown as soon as possible after it is received
upon the crosse. Nothing could be more simple or satisfactory, as
the ball is always returned to the thrower by the rebound. It is
better to have 2 men throwing at once, as one can toss the ball
to the other, and so more nearly approach the conditions met with
in the field; whilst, of course, the instant the practice can be
obtained against a goal-keeper, the wall should be discarded. In thus
practising the thrower should be careful to make the ball pitch some
6 ft. in front of the goal. A ground shot, which touches only once,
and that a few feet only in front of the goal keeper, is the most
deadly.
The attack player’s task is far harder, since his object is not
attained unless he directs the ball at a space only 6 ft. square, and
that in such a manner as to elude the vigilance of a person stationed
there for the special purpose of guarding it. Of the defence men
pure and simple, i.e. the 3 men out from goal, point, cover-point,
and third man, it is only demanded that they shall throw the ball as
hard as they can to the other end of the field, so soon as they come
into possession of it. The more directly they can throw towards their
opponents’ goal the better undoubtedly; but, as a matter of fact, the
whole breadth of the field is open to them; and, if they throw wide,
they are not throwing a chance away, as is a man shooting at goal
and missing it, although they undoubtedly give the homes a lot of
unnecessary work.
Yet, simple as this feat of getting rid of the ball to some kind
of advantage is, it is astonishing how extremely difficult some
contrive to make it for themselves. A powerful defence man, capable
of throwing the ball 120 yd. with ease, shall have the missile upon
his crosse, with nothing to do but to cast it from him into the air,
and yet unable to do so because a small but nimble antagonist watches
every movement, and meets it with a counter one. The reason for all
this trouble is that defence men learn to throw in one way only,
and that way generally a very bad one. The long throw, which is the
easiest to check, is the one made low down past the side, with the
face turned nearly full towards the direction in which the ball is
thrown; and yet this is the throw which the majority of players who
do not throw overhand are adopting. When this throw is employed, it
is impossible to keep the bend, from whence the ball invariably quits
the crosse, out of range of the crosse of the checking opponent, who
can either actually arrest the ball itself before it has travelled
a yard through the air, or, what is both easier and safer, he can
always interfere with the throwing crosse sufficiently to spoil the
throw. The low underhand throw is bad, for two reasons. First, it
is more easily checked than any other; and, secondly, the greatest
distance for the power expended is not attained, whilst the ball
travels with a large amount of spin upon it, which renders it
extremely difficult of capture by those for whom it is intended at
the other end of the field of play. In this throw the ball, whilst
upon the crosse, is made to descend from a height, to a lower one,
from whence it again rises, to quit the crosse. Hence the spin put
upon the ball, and the loss of power sustained.
Players do not seem to grasp the fact that, to make the ball travel
smoothly, i.e. without spin, and with the least expenditure of force,
the crosse must travel, as it were, on even keel. Between the points
at which the throw is commenced and finished, the crosse must not
describe the least curve, but move in a perfectly straight line. When
this is done the ball can be transmitted to a considerable distance
at the expenditure of a surprisingly small amount of power. But it is
impossible of accomplishment if the thrower place himself so as to
almost face the direction in which the ball is thrown, as then the
crosse, in order to attain directness, must be brought close past the
body of the thrower, with the bend describing a segment of a circle,
and nearly, if not actually, as is often the case, striking the
ground at its lowest point. All this would be avoided if the thrower
were to turn away from the object aimed at, so as to almost turn his
back upon it, and throw, more round than past himself, over the left
shoulder. It is a good plan to commence by throwing the ball straight
backwards over the head, and then by degrees bring the crosse lower
towards the left shoulder, with succceding throws. The first gain is
that the ball travels evenly, and the second that, owing to the high
point at which the ball leaves the crosse, it is very difficult to
check it. It may be taken as a standard rule that the closer one
is checked the more perpendicularly should the throw be made, so
as to keep the bend as high out of reach as possible. But there is
another very important advantage gained in assuming this recommended
attitude. It is that the thrower is enabled to change his throw
instantly from the underhand one over the left shoulder, backwards,
to the overhand throw from the left shoulder, whilst facing the
direction thrown to. If a player be facing his opponent’s goal, and
about to make the underhand forward scoop, and he is checked on
his throwing side, his only tactic is to suspend the operation of
throwing, turn round so as to bring his crosse out of the checker’s
reach, and run and dodge until he succeeds in getting the latter on
the wrong side of him. If the checker is good, as in good matches
he would be, he will take care always to keep on the throwing
side, and the trouble he thereby causes may be imagined. Now, if
the thrower would only learn the left shoulder shot as well as the
underhand throw over the left shoulder, and would condescend to take
a wrinkle and stand as above directed, he would find matters greatly
simplified. Standing almost with his back towards the foe, with his
left leg well to the rear, all he has to do on being checked on the
throwing side is to lower the crosse (keeping it nearly horizontal),
turn the left hand under with the knuckles up, in preparation for the
shoulder shot, and bring the left leg a yard or so further round to
the right. All this can be done in one movement, and in an instant,
and the ball is propelled on the side of the player opposite to that
intended. The cause of all the trouble introductorily alluded to is
this want of ability to throw from corresponding sides. There are
plenty of men who throw from the right shoulder overhand and pass
the left side underhand, and vice versâ, but there is no assistance
derivable from these accomplishments, since the check which
frustrates a right-hand shoulder throw is equally successful in the
case of an underhand throw past the left.
The crowning fault of all English players is, that they trust so much
more to their legs than to dexterity with the “stick.” The beauty of
the game lies in the ability with which the crosse is handled.
_Lawn Bowls._--The players arrange themselves in sides, usually of 4
each, and each player is provided with 2 bowls. These bowls, instead
of being the large lignum-vitæ bowls of 6-8 in. in diameter, are but
little bigger than a tennis ball, easily held in the hand, and are
enamelled with ornamental colours and various designs, looking bright
and pretty on the green turf. A white ball is first thrown to one
end of the lawn, and the aim of the players, who stand at the other
end, is so to send their bowls that they may lie as near as possible
to the white ball. The side whose bowls are nearest the white ball
reckon one point for each bowl so placed--7, 14, 21, or 31 make game,
according to mutual arrangement beforehand. It requires a little
practice to send the bowls straight. The game also has the advantage
of not taking up much room, and may be played in some quiet corner
of the garden, provided the ground be level, and the grass short and
well mown.