Wet Wickets.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 41, 15 December 1911, Page 16

Wet Wickets.

SHOULD THEY BE PROTECTED? ,

Where Comrnonsense does not Prevail.

No one "has ever been able to satisfctorily explain why the rules of cricket preclude the protection of the wicket when not in use (says "Sydney Sun")- To most people it seems to he a common sense thing to do. Rain over night has often completely spoiled a match. Why, ask people who don't understand the working of the British conservative mind, should nob the side that knocked off at 6 p.m. be given a chance of resuming under similar conditions at noon next day if the mere act of spreading a tarpaulin over the wicket and the immediate surroundings is going to assure as near an approach as possible to those conditions? Cricket is most attractive when it depends upon the skill of the opposing teams, when it is not affected by the caprices of the weather. Yet, because a group of Englishmen who used to play in chimneypot hats and side whiskers decided somewhere about a century ago that it would be sacrilege or heresy or lese majesty to cover the pitch, the stupid objection holds good to this day. This rule might have been all right in an age when they buried suicides at the cross-roads at midnight with a stake through their hearts,, but it.is an obvkms absurdity at a time when people pay to see the bright, attractive cricket that is possible only on d wickets. The much-debated question has been raised again by the delay that has been caused in the present match between the M.C.C team and New South Wales. One or two opinions were sought afc the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday, while players and public were wearily waiting for the pitch to dry. The Englishmen generally were disinclined to talk upon the subject, although one of them said that he had always held the opinion that it would 00 a good plan to adopt. "I don't want you to use my name," he said, "because "we had a lot- of trouble over the question in England, and 1 am afraid I rather got myself into hot water over the opinions I expressed. I think that the ground man, whenever rain looks to be practically certain, should immediately cover the pitch and its immediate surroundings by a tarpaulin or tarpaulins that would cover an area of at least 30 square yards. It is no use covering the wicketalone, because, with heavy rain, the Boakage would run unevenly on to the playing area proper, and it would be playing all sorts of funny tricks." Victor Trumper was asked his views on.the subject. "What, cover it all over?" he queried. "Yes," replied the "Sun" man. "No," was the New South Wales captain's answer. "Emphatically no. On no account would I have any wicket protected at any time. You might just as well protect it from the sun. Whilst cricket is an outdoor game, let it be an outdoor game." Mr. Ernie Hume, an old cricketer, and an enthusiastic follower of the sport, to-day said that he could see no objection in covering the wicket in wet weather. "I believe they used to do it in Adelaide some years ago, but the practice was discontinued." "You see, it all depends upon how much of the ground you are going to cover. It depends altogether on the lay of the ground. In Melbourne, for instance, I understand there is a drop of eight inches from wicket to wicket, and then it would mean that if heavy rain fell and the wicket was covered, the soakage at one end would bo heavy, while the other end would be dry. It all depends upon circumstances. "There is one thing, though, that I think should be attended to, and that is the matter of deciding a little more boldly to play on wickets that happen to be a little bit wet. There was none of this sort of thing in the old days like that which we have had for the last couple of days. I could see no reason why play should not have started yesterday at the advertised time, and why to-day it should not have commenced at 2.15. There was not so much namby-pambyism in our day. And if this had been a club match you would have found the men playing all the time." A bronzed, stalwart man of about 50 /ears of age appeared in Collins street, Melbourne, on a recent afternoon, clad jnly in a bathing-dress that reached from neck.to knee. He attracted considerable attention as he strolled unconcernedly along the Block. When questioned as to his reason for setting aside convention, he said that his costume-" allowed sunlight and air to act in the skin, and was therefore tho Healthiest style of dress. Ho declared Jiat he was'not a crank, but a man who had the courage of hie convictions.