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OUT-DOOR GAMES

if you bend the arm you must lose some swing, and if notwithstanding this you can bowl a fast ball, you must make up the deficiency in swing by something—and that a throw. On this, however, there is a very great difference of opinion.

To sum up the whole controversy, I venture to lay down the following propositions: (1) To define a throw is impossible. (2) Nobody can tell whether a large proportion of doubtfully delivered balls are or are not throws, except the bowler himself. (3) The umpires are the only authorities who ought to adjudicate, as they are put in that position for the purpose, and have as good opportunities of judging as anybody except the bowler himself, the wicket-keeper, and batsman, all of whom are precluded from giving a decision. (4) It is impossible to throw unless the arm is bent; and if, therefore, the authorities want finally to disestablish throwing, let the rule be altered so as to make it obligatory to bowl every ball with a straight arm. The question then being very doubtful, except in a few very obvious cases of throwing, it ought, in my