Further to this post, an occasional series exploring the relevance and application of Carl von Clausewitz’s On War to the game of cricket.
In Chapter Nine of Book Six the great theorist examines some of the problems faced by a side mounting a rearguard effort on a turning wicket:
On the battlefield… it must be acknowledged that a turning movement is [often*] the more effective form. This is not due to the form of envelopment as such; rather it holds true only where the envelopment can be pushed to an extreme, when it can severely restrict the enemy’s chances of retreat while the battle is still in progress. This is the very situation that the defender’s positive counter-attack is designed to prevent. In many cases where a counter-attack is not enough to win a victory, it may still suffice to provide protection in that extremity.
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