VILLAGE CRICKET 



169 



post of umpire is as unquestioned as that of his 

 colleague Mr. Turmats, head-gardener at the 

 Vicarage, who is fulfilling a similar office at the 

 other end of the pitch. 



The Reverend Alfred Pertwee, than whom no 

 more robust Christian ever intoned the Atha- 

 nasian Creed, is busy 

 arranging the " fields." 

 Jasper Marling, the black- 

 smith, moistens the ball 

 in the most natural 

 manner possible, prepara- 

 tory to delivering a series 

 of those deadly " daisy- 

 cutters " which have 

 made his bowling famous 

 throughout the country- 

 side, from Chipping Win- 

 ston to Goudbury — aye, 

 and as far afield as 

 Rollington and Murk 

 End ! The two sturdy 

 batsmen who are to open 

 the match for the Mins- 



hurst eleven advance from the little white 

 scorer's tent, where the landlord of the "Bull 

 and Kingfisher" sits with moist pencil poised 

 to record the first incident of the day's play. 

 In another moment ]Mr. Bunting will give the 



