Page:The Cricket Field (1854).djvu/51

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GENERAL CHARACTER OF CRICKET.
27

good honest James Dean; his "patient merit" never "goes Out sighing" nor In, either—never in a mumbling, though a "melting mood." Perspiration may roll off him, like bubbles from a duck's back, but it's all down to the day's work. He looks, as every cricketer should look, like a man out for a holiday, shut up in "measureless content." It is delightful to see such a man make a score.

Add to all this, perseverance and self-denial, and a soul above vain-glory and the applause of the vulgar. Aye, perseverance in well-doing—perseverance in a straightforward, upright, and consistent course of action.—See that player practising apart from the rest. What an unpretending style of play—a hundred pounds appear to depend on every ball—not a hit for these five minutes—see, he has a shilling on his stumps, and Hillyer is doing his best to knock it off. A question asked after every ball, the bowler being constantly invited to remind him of the least inaccuracy in hitting or danger in defence. The other players are hitting all over the field, making every one (but a good judge) marvel. Our friend's reward is that in the first good match, when some supposed brilliant Mr. Dashwood has been stumped from leg ball—(he cannot make his fine hits in his ground)—bowled by a shooter or caught by that sharpest of all Points Ἄναξ ἄνδρων,