dashing in to meet it. There are many admirable cover-points, but for many years the Australian has been quite in a class by himself in that position.[1]
The duties of "third man" are of the same description as those of "cover," for the position calls for equal activity and dash. Short runs are invariably attempted if the "third man" is at all likely to be flurried, so that the fieldsman selected for the position must essentially be cool and collected. The pace of the wicket and the bowling should determine the exact position in which he should stand, and he should cultivate a stooping attitude, as the balls come to him as a rule very low. He will not get many catches, but when he does, it is extremely likely that they will be very difficult, on account of the "cut" that the ball will possess from being hit in that direction. When a short run is attempted, it is better to return the ball to the bowler, as the batsman who is backing up has less ground to cover than the striker. Any ball that goes to the left hand of "point" he has to attend to, and he must also back up the wicket-keeper when the ball is returned from the on side. One of the long fields is generally deputed to fill the position, often solely in order to save him from having to walk too far in order to fill some other position. Naturally it is a wise precaution to avoid tiring your fieldsmen, but unless the long field shows a marked aptitude for the position, he should not be placed there. Third men that one
- ↑ [Note.—It is perhaps only the writer's personal modesty that precludes him from giving the Australian an English companion in this special class.—Ed.]
