Text: Edgar Allan Poe (rejected), “A Chapter on Field Sports and Manly Pastimes [Part 11],” Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine (Philadelphia, PA), Vol. V, no. 2, August 1839, pp. 5:106-111

[page 324:]

1. THE BALL must not weigh less than five ounces and a half, nor more than five ounces and three-quarters. At the beginning of each innings, either party may call for a new ball.

2. THE BAT must not exceed four inches and one-quarter in the widest part.

3. THE STUMPS must be twenty-seven inches out of the ground; the bails eight inches in length; the stumps of sufficient thickness to prevent the ball from passing through.

4. THE BOWLING CREASE must be in a line with the stumps, six feet eight inches in length; the stump in the centre, with a return crease at each end, towards the bowler at right angles.

5. THE POPPING CREASE must be four feet from the wicket, and parallel to it.

6. THE WICKETS must be pitched opposite to each other by the umpires, at the distance of twenty-two yards.

7. It shall not be lawful for either party during a match, without the current of the other, to alter the ground, by rolling, watering, covering, mowing, or beating. This rule is not meant to prevent the striker from beating the ground with his bat, near where he stands, during the innings, nor to. prevent the bowler from filling up holes with sawdust, etc., when the ground shall be wet.

8. After rain, the wickets may be changed with the consent of both parties.

9. THE BOWLER shall deliver the ball with one foot behind the bowling crease, and within the return crease; and shall bowl four balls before he change wickets, which he shall be permitted to do but once in the same innings.

10. The ball shall be bowled. If it be thrown or jerked, or if any put of the hand or arm be

above the elbow at the time of the delivery, the umpire shall call, “no ball.”

11. He may order the striker at his wicket to stand on which side of it he pleases.

12. If the bowler toss the ball over the striker’s head, or bowl it so wide that it shall be out of distance to be played at, the umpire (even although he attempt to hit it) shall adjudge one run to the partied’ receiving the innings, either with or without an appeal from them; which shall be put down to the score of wide balls, and such balls shall not be reckoned as any of the four balls.

13. If the bowler bowl a “no boll,” the striker may play at it, and be allowed all the runs he can get; and shall not be put out, except by running out. In the event of no run being obtained by any other means, then one run shall be scored.

14. In the event of a change of bowling, no more than two balls shall be allowed in practice.

15. The bowler who takes the two balls shall be obliged to bowl four balls.

16. THE STRIKER IS OUT if the bail be bowled off, or the stump bowled out of the ground.

17. Or, if the ball, from a stroke of the bat, or hand, but not wrist, be held before it touch the ground, although it be hugged to the body of the catcher.

19. Or, if in striking, or at any other time while the ball shall be in play, both his feet be over the popping crease, and his wicket put down, except his bat be grounded within it.

19. Or, if in striking et the bell, he hit down his wicket. [page 325:]

20. Or, if, under pretence of running or otherwise, either of the gimlets prevent a ball front being caught, the striker of the ball is out.

21. Or, if the ball be struck, and he wilfully strike it again.

22. Or, if, in running, the wicket be struck down by a throw, or by the hand or arm, (with ball in band,) before his foot, hand, or bat be grounded over the popping crease. But, if th bail be oft the stump must be struck out of the ground.

23. Or, if any part of the striker’s dress knock down the wicket.

24. Or, if the striker touch, or take up the ball while in play, unless at the request of the other party.

25. Or, if, with any part of his person, he stop the ball, which, in the opinion of the umpire at the bowler’s wicket, shall have been delivered in a straight line to the striker’s wicket, and would have bit it.

26. If the players have crossed each other, he that runs for the wicket which is put down is out.

27. When a ball shall be caught, no run shall be reckoned.

28. When a striker shall be inn out, the run which they were attempting shell not be reckoned.

29. If a lost ball shall be called, the striker shall be allowed six runs; but, if more than six shall have been run before lost ball shall have been called, then the striker shall have all which have been run.

30. When the ball has been in the bowler’s or wicker-keeper’ hands, it is considered as no longer in play: and the strikers need not keep within their ground till the umpire has called “play:” but, if the player go out of his ground with the intent to run before the hall be delivered, the bowler may put him out.

31. If the striker be hurt, he may retire from his wicket, and return to it at any dine in that inning.

32. If a striker be hurt, some other person may be allowed to stand out for him, but net to go in.

33. No substitute in the field shall be allowed to bowl, keep wicket, stand at the point, or middle wicket, or stop behind to a fast bowler, unless with the consent of the adverse party. The umpires shall enforce this law.

34. If any person stop the ball with his hat, the ball shall be considered dead, and the opposite party shall add five runs to their score; if any be run, they shall have five in all.

35. If the bell be struck, the striker may guard his wicket either with his hat or his body.

36. THE WICKET KEEPER shall stand at a reasonable distance behind the wicket, and shall not move till the ball be out of the bowler’s hand, end shall not by any noise incommode the striker; and if any part of his person be over or before the wicket, although the ball hit it, the striker shall not be out.

37. THE UMPIRES are sole judges of fair and unfair play; and all disputes shall be determined by them, each at his own wicket; but, in cases of a catch, which the umpire at the wicket bowled from cannot see sufficiently to decide upon, he rosy apply to the other umpire, whose opinion in conclusive.

36. The umpires in all matches shall pitch fair wickets, and the parties shall toss for the choice of innings.

39. They shall allow two minutes for each man to come in, and fifteen minutes between each innings. When the umpires shall call “play,” the party refusing to play shall lose the match.

40. They are not to order a player out, unless appealed to by the adversaries.

41. But, if the bowler’s foot be not behind the bowling crease, within the return cease, when he shall deliver the ball, they must, unasked, call “no ball.”

42. If the striker run a short run, the umpire must call “one short.”

43. No umpire shall be allowed to bet.

44. The umpires are not to be changed during the match, but by the consent of both parties.

45. After the delivery of four bells, the umpire must call “over,” but not until the ball shall be finally settled in the wicket keeper’s or bowler’s hand; the ball shall then be considered dead; nevertheless, if an idea be entertained that a striker is out, a question may be put previously to, but not after the delivery of, the next ball.

46. The umpire must take especial care to call “no ball,” instantly upon delivery; — “wide ball,” as soon as ever it shall pass the striker.

47. The players who go in second shall follow their innings, if they shall have obtained one hundred runs less than their antagonists.

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LAWS FOR SINGLE WICKET.

1. When there shall be lees than five players on a side, bounds shall be placed twenty-two yards each in a line from the off and leg stump.

2.The ball must be hit before the bounds to entitle the striker to a run; which run cannot be [page 326:] obtained, unless he touch the bowling stump or crease in a line with it with his bat, or some part of his person; or go beyond them; returning to the popping crease, as at double wicket, according to the twenty-second law.

3. When the striker shell hit the ball, one of his feet must be on the ground, and behind the popping crease, otherwise the umpire shall call “no hit.”

4. When there shall be less than five players on a aide, neither byes nor overthrows shall be allowed; nor shall the striker be caught out behind the wicket, nor stumped out.

5. The field’s man must return the ball so that it shall cross the play between the wicket and the bowling stump, or between the bowling stump and the bounds; the striker may run till the ball shall so be returned.

6. After the striker shall have made one run, if he start again, he must touch the bowling stump, turn before the ball shall cross the play, to entitle him to another.

7. The striker shall be entitled to three runs for lost ball, and the same number for ball stopped with hat; with reference to the twenty-ninth and thirty-fourth laws of double wicket.

8. When there shall be more than four players on a side, times shall be no bounds. All bits, byes, and overthrows, shall then be allowed.

9. Tho bowler is subject to the same laws as at double wicket.

10. Not more than one minute shall be allowed between each ball.

BETS.

No bet upon any match is payable unless it be played out or given up.

If the runs of one player be laid against those of another, the bets depend on the first innings, unless otherwise specified.

If the bets be made upon both innings, and one party beat the other is innings, the run is the first innings shall determine the bet.

But if the other party go in a second time, then the bet must be determined by the number on the score.