the excellence of their play would seem to merit is owing to this unfortunate habit. Nothing is so apt to breed bad decisions against a side as public knowledge that the members of it always refuse to abide peaceably by the fiat of the umpire. Men who are continually wrangling and disputing about the decisions of umpires, and who have earned the reputation of so doing, have in the long run more real cause to complain than their more peaceable confrères. Umpires are after all but mortal, and if they once realise that a man objects to being 'given out,' when it is palpable and plain that no other verdict can be rightly given, they get what is popularly called 'their backs up,' and are inclined to hesitate before giving that man the benefit of any doubt there may be. This feeling in the minds of umpires is brought about unconsciously, and would certainly be denied if the direct question were asked them, 'Do you treat a man with a wrangling, contentious disposition in exactly the same way as you treat another?' The Australians have always, and especially in the season of 1886, earned for themselves this unenviable notoriety; and if, as they allege, they have had to fight an uphill battle on English grounds against the bad decisions of our umpires, we firmly believe they have brought this unfortunate result upon their own heads. We wish to say nothing against our Colonial antagonists except in this respect; they have always proved keen and worthy opponents of our English cricketers. But if the future teams that may visit our shores from the Colonies will accept a hint, and make a firm resolve that the decisions of our umpires shall be accepted without murmurings and disputings, they may rest assured that they themselves will become more popular with our cricket-loving public, and their stay in England will be made more pleasant in every way.
What has been said with regard to the duty of batsmen to abide by umpires' decisions applies equally to bowlers. What can be worse form than a public exhibition of temper on the part of a bowler because an appeal is not answered in his favour? 'Wha-a-a-t?' shouts a bowler at the top of his voice,
