Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-01

and the West Indies. other members Of the
visiting party are G. Brann OF Sussex. c
l.. Townsend OF Gloucestershlre V. Barton
the crack Hampshire professional; h. T. j.
Bosauquet. who was here with Warmers
team last fall; w. Llewellyn Of oxford, and
]. Robertson Walker Of Middlesox
A. c. MacLaren is one Of the best batsmen
in England. He won his reputation as a
frst-class batsman before he left Harrow.
The form he showed at school was so fine as
| to Justify the remark that he played like
a man among boys. Since these days he has
never looked back, and now he stands at the
head of English batsmen. He holds the
| record for the highest score in hrst-class
cricket-424 against Somersetshire. He has
always played with brilliant and consistent
| success in England for Lancashire and in
! representative matches also, but his per-
formances In Australia have been even more
! notable. His style in batting is an example
| Of perfect adaptation of means TO ends.
He IL not a batsman with striking pecuiari-
ties or distinguishing strokes he is too good
| Tor that; he can play every stroke there is
in cricket and that is what is for him the
most natural, simple and effective manner
Prince Kumar shrio Ranjisnhji first came
into prominence as a member of the Cam
bridge eleven In 1898.
He represented England in 1896, and was
member of MIR. Stoidart's Australian eleven
in 1S97-9S He has played for Sussex since
/ 1895. His great fame as a batsman is due
not only to his success as measured in runs,
but also, and in chief to the originality and
| peculiar charm of style. Nothing is as ef
fective as striking result produced with
out any apparent effort. There are many
batsmen who make some one stroke with
such wonderful ease and effect that all their
other strokes receive in comparison but
scant appreciation
In Ranjitsinhjrs case every turn OF his
bat has the appearance of extreme facility;
, to such O degree, indeed, that his style
seems almost casual and careless. The dis
! tinctive trait of his cricket is an electric
quickness both in the conception and exc
cution OF his strokes. Thereby is he able to
do such things that a. slower eye and wrist
dare not attempt In making the ordinary
strokes he differs from the run OF batsmen
in that he judges the flight OF the ball about
half as soon again, and can therefore shape
for his stroke more readily and with more
certainty. AT the same time he need not
owing to his marvellous rapidity OF move
ment allow himself as much margin for
error as others find necessary, and it is
this quickness that enables him to take,
even upon the fastest wickets, the most
unheard of liberties without fatal results.
Who, for instance, but Ranji can hit across
a fast straight ball without either being
bowled or making an appalling mis-hit? ?
Yet Ranji finds not the slightest difficulty
in doing So This hook is perhaps his most
notable stroke He has a miraculous knact
CT timing the ball accurately from the pitch,
and licks 1t round to the on-sde with sup
pie yet terrific power. He meets the
.I | clipht1y nitphp1 leliypry with n similar
hit, reaching right out so as to clip the
ball before 1t pitches. There never has been
a greater master of cutting and leg-play.
In cutting his faculty for quick and accu-
rate timing gives him the power of varying
and placing his stroke as well as OF making
it with force and precision.
His leg strokes are sometimes called
"glances,' but they are really wrist
strokes, as the ball does not merely hit the
bat, but 1t is turned aside with like fore
fng movement. His forward play is some
what unorthodox, as he walks out to the
ball as he hits, but 1t is none the less
strong and safe. He can drive finely in all
directions when in the mood; indeed, at his
best, he can use every stroke in the game.
He is a beautiful fielder in any position.
He excels at point or in the slips, where
there is scope for his quickness, but as he
can pick UP a ball very clean, catch any
lHlHS luTOW Well, Is eQudlly
as good as extra cover or in the long field.
His bowling is somewhat underrated. He
rarely goes on without getting a wicket or
having catch missed off him. He bowls
medium pace keeps a good length makes
the ball break from the off and has plenty
OF resource He is the keenest Of cricketers
very observant, and is also a first rate judge
of the game.
The prince strengthened his side in bowl
ing at the last moment, and now is quite
we'll off in this department, Jessop, Bosan-
quet, Woods and Townsend being remark
ably strong quartette, while Stoddart, Mac
Laren, Robson and Ranji himself can all
bowl fairly we'll in case OF necessity 1t is
in batting, however, the visiting team is SO
much stronger than any OF it's predecessors
Ranjitsinhji, MacLaren, Townsend. Brann
Robson, Woods, Stoddart and Jessop are
all the very cream Of English amateur bats
men, and Barton is one OF the most con-
sistent scorers among the professionals.