266
CAPTAINCY.
the opposing batting, and tiie general rate of scoring on the particular ground. Then he should give himself about a quarter of an hour inside the limit of time in which the runs can possibly be got, and he can pick his time with fair confidence. It is better to have a try to win the match in any case; but it is, of course, rather foolish to run unnecessary risks. Still, it is on general grounds better to have tried and lost than never to have tried at all. A captain who has often to exercise his judgment on this point is a very lucky one, and probably not the class of captain to make many mistakes.
