Page:Out-door Games Cricket and Golf (1901).djvu/152

stump or else raising by one or two inches the height of the existing wickets, or diminishing the size of the bat. To take the enlargement of the wicket first, at present the wickets are 8 inches in breadth and 27 inches high. Mr. Dixon, of Notts County, proposes no change in the law except the simple method of adding a fourth stump; this would give all but 21/2 inches greater width. Other reformers suggest raising the wickets 1 inch or 11/2 inch higher, making them 28 or 281/2 inches above ground instead of 27. Of course, there can be no doubt that it must be an easier task to defend a wicket of three stumps than one of four, a wicket of 27 inches than one of 281/2; and if it were impossible to bring about a diminution of scoring by any other means, I should certainly suggest adding this fourth stump, or raising the height of the three. What would, however, be the effect of this on batting, considered either on its scientific or attractive side? One of the curses of the present day is the stick who, by restraining every impulse to hit, cannot be got out on these perfect modern wickets. If the Scotton, Noble, and Quaife cannot be persuaded to hit when they are defending wickets