"CRICKET FUNK."

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 210, 16 November 1897, Page 1 (Supplement)

"CRICKET FUNK."

Mr Gilbert L. Jessop contributes-. _ to the National Review an interesiDing article on " Run-getting." The feature of the past cricket season was Mt Jessop's brilliant hitting, a fact which lends additional value to tho conclusions which he has set forth. Mr Jessop is of opinion that the modern batsman "is getting a greater mastery over his ancient enemy the bowler, and in his lighter moments he may dream of it time when ' spectacles ' shall be no more, and centuries be had for the On the interesting question of " cricket funk " or nervousness, Mr Jessop, while admitting that the matter is a very intricate one, says : "It may effect, according to the common opinion, whole teams as well as individuals. For my own part, I believe that its effects are exaggerated, and that the many accusations' levelled igainst a side which has collapsed for a small score are frequently misplaced. It ÜBed to be said that the English team which went down before Spofforth at the Oval in the famous match of 1882 were the victims of that malady. But that team was largely made up of experienced players ; And the defeat is, surely, more generously explained by the fact that the men had to face the greatest bowler in the world on a practically unplayable wicket. This nervousness, or failure to do oneself justice, more often, I think, is the result of inexperience. The tried cricketer, when he finds himself or his side in a tight place, probably reflects that this is not the first time that he has had to face a like crisis, and consequently the situation has fewer terrors for him. This truth is usually proved to demonstration in the 'Varsity match. It is almost an axiom of these contests that, given two sides whose trial matches prove them to be fairly equal, the team which contains the greater number of men who have faced before the ordeal of Lord's possesses the better chance of winning." ________^__