Playground Cricket

City of Oxford High School Magazine, Vol. II, No. 2, July 1904

Playground cricket has no handbook, so I think that some hints to youngsters who aspire to gain honours in this subject will be acceptable. The game runs on slightly the same ground as Playground Football, so that there must be some likeness between their respective implements. A playground is again indispensable, but a cap will not do for the ball. It can however be a stone, or a piece of wood: I have even seen a potato used with success. One man bats, another forty or so bowl. There are generally two balls, which are committed to the safe keeping of the Captain during school hours. The forty boys scrimmage for the balls, and a game of Rugby football is played, till one gets hold of it and bowls at the stumps. The stumps deserve mention. A wooden wall was improvised for wicket-keeper, and 3 stumps were chalked upon it, in white and blue. These having slightly faded a second pair in white was applied to the first, coinciding in width but not in height; consequently six inches of blue overtop the white bails. The profound wisdom which dictated this may not appear at first sight, but the fact is that when big boys are bowling the blue is counted as the top; when big boys are batting the stumps do not extend beyond the white. That shows our wisdom. Unfortunately some facetious individual (we would duck him if we could find him) has added four more white stumps, and four more bails, which slightly disconcert the batsmen, but greatly improve the chances of the bowler.

The block is the next matter of importance. It can be located anywhere within the four mile radius, but on this occasion is about three feet away from the stumps, and bears about 45° E. of N. from a straight line drawn at right angles to the stumps. The block itself is an irregular shaped opening resembling the Isle of Wight, 26.3 centimetres in length, and from 8 to 5 centimetres in width, in depth about 10 centimetres. The bat is indescribable. A mass of willow, slightly rotten in places, and resembling a mop at the bottom. The handle is said to be cane, but one player who has had a most extensive and varied acquaintance with canes, both at home and abroad, declares that no cane ever stung like this bat, so it must be of some foreign substance. The balls go, some into the side windows of the school, some through those of the factory, others again attach themselves to the windows opposite.

Lawrence ii.