178 THE COMPLETE SPORTSMAN 



The downfall of the batsman's wicket whom 

 he is destined to follow is the signal for him to 

 hurry out of the refreshment tent, where he has 

 been artificially stimulating his courage, and 

 help his predecessor to doff his pad. This he 

 should transfer to his own left leg wdth as little 



1% 



loss of time as possible, buckling it as he walks 

 to the wicket — always a difficult task — or 

 perhaps soliciting the assistance of the umpire. 

 As soon as he has been given " guard " (as ex- 

 plained above) he must proceed to excavate a 

 trench about six inches deep, a foot in rear of the 

 popping-crease, and when these digging opera- 



