He is almost an "unknown" in American cricket, but if we do not err, Vint of the Irish team, gave some free lessons in the art which will prove most advantageous. In Lockyer's era the backstop was a factor which modern cricket has abandoned. He was the support of the wicket keeper, whose hands he saved from many hard blows, unnecessarily dealt him by cannon ball bowlers. He it was who performed the drudgery of a match.
The advent of the fast bowler has been the chief means of changing the wicket keeper into a back fielder, he has at the same time given the opportunity to the aggressive batsman. The chief object of the fast bowler has been to frighten the timid batsman, and drive him to the tent. If he has been the Simon Pure article, he has fulfilled his mission, and even the crack batter has failed to score heavily. But has he not oftener through bumpy ground and wrong pitch, for the faster the bowling, the less control the bowler has over the ball, given the other side the victory? Let not this be considered a plea for the back stop, for he belongs to an almost forgotten age, but it is rather to put a brake upon the "demon" bowler. It is asking too much of a wicket keeper to stop every wild attempt of the machine bowler, or be abused by his side. Speedy bowling, under wise control and supported by prompt and efficient fielding, has distinct advantages, but with slow fielding it is a menace to its own eleven, and has been the means of increasing the score of the adversary, who need not display even good batting to accomplish the result.
The most serious question which confronts the American captain of to-day, is a "stumper.". But we believe so thoroughly in the progressive spirit American
