Cat-trap Bat And Ball[l]
With the form of the trap our readers are, doubtless, acquainted; it
will only be necessary for us to give the laws of the game. Two
boundaries are equally placed at some distance from the trap, between
which it is necessary for the ball to pass when struck by the batsman;
if it fall outside either of them he loses his innings. Innings are
drawn for, and the player who wins places the ball in the spoon of the
trap, tou
hes the trigger with the bat, and, as the ball ascends from
the trap, strikes it as far as he can. One of the other players (who may
be from two to half-a-dozen) endeavours to catch it. If he do so before
it reaches the ground, or hops more than once, or if the striker miss
the ball when he aims at it, or hits the trigger more than once without
striking the ball, he loses his innings, and the next in order, which
must previously be agreed on, takes his place. Should the ball be fairly
struck, and not caught, as we have stated, the out-player, into whose
hand it comes, bowls it from the place where he picks it up, at the
trap, which if he hit, the striker is out; if he miss it the striker
counts one towards the game, which may be any number decided on. There
is also a practice in some places, when the bowler has sent in the ball,
of the striker's guessing the number of bats' lengths it is from the
trap; if he guess within the real number he reckons that number toward
his game, but if he guess more than there really are he loses his
innings. It is not necessary to make the game in one innings.