FIELD OF SPORT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 77, 11 January 1928, Page 3

FIELD OF SPORT.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. <By "Onlooker.") Athletes in Ashburton will regret to hear that Frank David, the popular' runner, is in hospital at the present time. He contracted a chill which has affected his face, which has swollen badly. However, he hopes to be soon about again and on the track once more. The 1927 Australian and New Zealand track and field championships, held at Athletic Park, Wellington, will go down in history as a memorable conclusion to these particular games (writes "Sprinter " in last Saturday's Wellington "Post.") On this, the last occasion on which the Australian States and New Zealand will compete under the Amateur Athletic Union of Australia and New Zealand-, the standard of performance generally was exceptionally good, and in many sterling contests there vyere thrilling incidents, the like of which are rare indeed. The only matter for regret was that these competitors who had to battle against the strong wind, which prevailed throughout the meeting, were not favoured with calm weather to make their performances even more notable than they were. The Otago Cricket Association has certainly had exasperating luck with regard to its coach, L. C. Eastman. The Englishman injured himself in the First Test Match between New Zealand and The Rest, at Wellington, and he is at present disobeying the doc-tor's orders by playing cricket at all. As soon as he returns to Dunedin he will undergo an operation, and this will mean the end of his cricket for the season. Although Eastman accepted but a one year's engagement with Otago, it is more than likely he will return to the Southern province next year. A good story is told of a sporting parson at Morrinsville. A keen cricket enthusiast, he takes his place regularly in the Morrinsville eleven, and recently he was within an ace of the double triumph of compiling a half-century and increasing his congregation the following day by ten, states the Auckland "Star." Wickets were felling fast, and when the parson fastened on his pads to face the bowlers he was given the assurance by the other members of the team that if he made* 50 runs they would -all go to church in the morning and put a shilling in. the plate. It was thought by the players that the score would not exceed 20 runs. Settling down to the bowling however, the parson smote hard and often. The score crept up to 40, and speculation became rife among the spectators. Most of the players were by no means resigned to paying the penalty, but when 48 "the parson made a nervous stroke and was bowled. It is said that the team all went to church, to the parson's delight.

From an exchange I clip the following paragraph, .says a writer in the "N.Z. Free Lance"—One, of the most enviable positions of the whole realm of sport is that of umpire, in a cricket match, and both players and spectators owe an enormous debt of gratitude to those enthusiasts whoi voluntarily endured the ordeal of standing for the whole of a hot afternoon, week by week, in a grilling sun, or a cutting wind. Nothing is more wearying thaai being compelled to stand still for a prolonged period, and at the same time re main alert and watchful for any appeal and ready to give a prompt decision which may decide the fate of the game."

This is reprinted with the hope that players in general will apreciate the force of the statements made and players could make the umpire's task a little easier if they refrained from indulging in unnecessary appeals. The one that frazzles the umpire more than any other is the "L.8.W." appeal, and many of these appeals can only be made either through lack of knowledge of the rule on the part of the players, or with the intention of bluffing the umpire. A batsman cannot be given, out "lbw," if the ball does not pitch in a straight line between wicket and wicket, and unless it does, an appeal for leg-before wicket only tends to worry the umpire.

When the famous English, professional was coaching in Auckland, he gave two senior teams and others' interested a working demonstration of the "1.b.w." rule, by running a white tape round the stumps at each end, and so making out the eight-inch strip which constitutes wicket and wicket. Keif then showed how impossible it was for anyone bowling round the wicket to break back sufficiently to accomplish this. Although Relf could finger-spin the ball a lot, he considered that he could not rely on the ronnd-the-wieket trick once in an over, and that was why an English professional umpire would shake his head, instead of hoisting his finger in answer to an appeal.

It has l>een said that the flayers were called upon, to play too many matches in one day, and that they were not given sufficient rest between

matches (says a Wellington writer re the tennis championships). The tournament was set down to be concluded in five days, which should be ample time for such a meeting; in fact, even though a start was not made until 3 p.m. on the fourth day, there was plenty of time. The real reason why some played and their friends—the latter being the main cause of most of the trouble that arose—saw fit to demand more rest between contests was that the tennis friends were over-anx-icus for their favourites to win, and those players, except in a very few eases, had not given proper attention to their training for the national events. Once a player goes into court he or she is under the control of the umpire, and no one has any right to advise the players in any way while the match is in progress. If the referee or manager of the tournament sees fit to send the players into court, then the matter should end there, and the player or players can default or carry on as occasion warrants. There is no rule to enforce a player carrying on if he or she desires to retire, and that applies to all sports; but naturally the player or players who battle it out to the bitter end are the favourites of the public. Are the players called upon to do too much ? Perhaps they are, when one considers that but a very few are properly trained. Compared with players of or before the War period, it would almost appear that many of those who enter for the championships are not m fit condition to stand a closely-contest-ed match running to its full limit.

Johnny O'Bullivan has been notified that he will have a try-out against a professional in order that his ability may be further tested for inclusion in Olympic team. No mention has been made as to whether he will have to travel to Wellington or whether the try-out will take place in Auckland. The following are the present Australian boxing titleholders: — Paperweight champion, weight limit 7st 71b, Vic White. Flyweight champion, Bs.t, Teddie Bantamweight champion, Bst 61b, Billy McAlister. Featherweight champion, 9st, lommy Barber. Light-weight champion, 9st 91b. "Bluey" Jones. Welterweight champion, lOst 71b, Al. Bourke. , Middleweight champion, list bin, Billy Edwards. . Mid-heavyweight champion, 12st 71b, George Thompson. Heavy-weight, any weight, ' Tiger Payne. '