Waverley Academy 1 of 5

1. The Art of Batting


To become a Waverley player it is important to learn the Waverley game. This guide will teach you how to survive an LBW shout, and most importantly how to survive Moggy when in the dressing room upon his early return.

Walking out to the wicket and facing your first ball;

  1. Walk out confidently (ignoring the curses as Mog stalks past heading for the pavilion)
  2. Take a guard. This is done only so you look professional as after the first ball you won't know where it was anyway.
  3. Look around the field. This is done so you can spot the fielder who just caught the last man.
  4. As the bowler runs in think of all the ways he is going to get you out.
  5. Upon hitting the ball (or, more likely in a Waverley innings, getting a streaky edge through the slips) check who is up the other end before calling a quick single. This is done so you do not inadvertently run them out (see How to Call for a Single in the Art of Fielding).

How to survive an LBW shout;
Upon the ball hitting you on the pad in front of the wicket the bowler will appeal for LBW, do not be fazed by this. You have a number of options:
  1. Look back at the stumps thus suggesting that you were a long way down.
  2. Look at the bowler in disgust.
  3. Look at the Umpire with a smile as if to remind him who the Club Captain is (nb. this will not work against Hoagy as he couldn't play even if he wanted to).

How to behave once back in the pavilion (from the Adrian Day manual);
  1. Ignore all sarcastic remarks from your fellow team-mates.
  2. Rip off your gloves when about 10 yards from the dressing room and hurl them at the wall.
  3. Remove your pads and then beat them repeatedly against the wall and/or table.

How to survive Moggy;
  1. Leave immediately.
  2. If the above is not possible then do not laugh under any circumstances, as you may become the target of a stray pad hurled across the dressing room.
  3. Move further away as he will beat his pads against anything near him (MC still has the bruises from Wonersh).