BATTING IT is not my intention to ,cal with the elementary practice of the art of batting this branch of cricket is supposed to be familiar to the reader, whom I may also consider as having acquired some slight skill in execution. But if the fruits of my study and practice of batsmanship, as set forth here-a practice which includes all conditions and many climes-helps the young cricketer towards a better and more effective style of dealing with all sorts of bowling, I shall have achieved my purpose. Have we, or shall we ever have, achieved the perfect batsman I doubt it. I myself am always learning something, and I believe this can be said of most cricketers, no matter how eminent. No sooner is one defect remedied than another develops--perhaps it might be more correct to say that the second defect was there all the time, but that it was not so obtnisive as the first. Just when our best cricketers have reached the stage when they think perfection is attainable, they develop defects which no study or practice can remedy-the defects that accompany advancing age the vision less keen, the diminishin wrist power, the refusal of both to work harmoniously...............