INTRODUCTION
Of all the English athletic games, none, perhaps, presents so fine a scope for bringing into full and constant play the qualities both of the mind and body as that of Cricket. A man who is essentially stupid will not make a fine cricketer; neither will he who is not essentially active. He must be active in all his faculties—he must be active in mind to prepare for every advantage, and active in eye and limb, to avail himself of those advantages. He must be cool-tempered, and, in the best sense of the term, Manly; for he must be able to endure fatigue, and to make light of pain; since, like all athletic sports, Cricket is not unattended with danger, resulting from inattention or inexperience; the accidents most commonly attendant upon the players at cricket arising from unwatchfulness, or slowness of eye. A short-sighted person is as unfit to become a cricketer, as one deaf would be to discriminate the most delicate gradations and varieties in tones; added to which, he must be in constant jeopardy of serious injury.
It is hoped that the present little work will be found a useful as well as entertaining companion to the young practitioner in this graceful and very exciting game. The name of Nyren was for many years held in high estimation in the cricketing world; he was the father and general of the famous old
