FIELD OF SPORT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 117, 27 February 1935, Page 3

FIELD OF SPORT.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By "Onlooker.") Weather conditions during the last week have brought,thoughts of wmtei Sorts.' A frosty tang in the air savours more of football, hockey, . and golf , weather than that for cricket, tennis, bowls, and croquet. l.he nights are rapidly drawing w, and time for games after working hours is becoming less day by day. Competitions arranged by most sum mer sports organisations are approaching their conclusion, ; and there will then be onlv annual inter-club fixtures to be decided before activities cease and devotees turn their attention to the annual meetings of winter clubs. The weather has been favourable tor extensive play this season, ana there have been few Saturday, afternoons when conditions were unfit for matches. Many of the Ashburton County clubs have experienced one of they: most successful seasons. Swimmers have been a little unfortunate in that cold nights have several times been experienced when evening carnivals have been scheduled. On the whole, however, the season has been thoroughly enjoyed, and anticipations are for an equally satisfactory winter season. ("Onlooker sincerely hopes this will be the case.

Seventeen centuries have now been scored in the Ashburton Cricket Association's competitions tins season. Three were compiled by R- Drennan in the senior grade, and the remainder in iunior grade play. ' B T Clothier, batting throughout Kia' Ora's innings on Saturday, scored 116, not out, out of a total, of 222 runs for nine wickets, declared. This is his third century, ihe previous score heing 116 retired against Coldstream. . , , . . . Yet another bat trick had to be recorded being the twelfth this season. E Dunphy had a net average of live for four, and took wickets with three consecutive balls on Saturday. The numbers of hat centuries registered in competition play this season must create something of a record for the Ashburton Association. Two hat tricks on the second day ot play by the same bowler JS almost unprecedented. ■ „-n„„ W O'Gradv (94) and I. M. Hamilton (57) were the only two senior batsmen to exceed half centuries on Saturday! afternoon. In the junior grade, M. Baird.6l and R. H. B-igga* 5, are worthy of mention. Good bowling performances were those of G. and V. Willis, the former taking five for'23 and the latter three for 8. In the junior. H. Baird two for 7 and three for 16, P. Willis two for 12, and two for IS, and H. Adams three for 17 were prominent. # Clothier's century sends him right out ahead in the aggregate ot runs scored for the season, his total being 799 Second place is filled by K. W • Biggar 689. and third bv R, Drennan 641 J. Dillon 534. S. WUlis 489, and R Wear 411, are the only other bats with more than 400 runs to their credit. , . , , The race to secure 100 wickets is now very exciting. H. Adama. leads with 68." R, W. Biggarbas 67 to his credit, P. Willis 59, H. Lennon 65,

and W. o'Grady 52. These , are the only players with over 50 wickets in hand.

The Ashburton Amateur Swimming Club was unfortunate in the weather conditions for its carnival on Saturday evening. The programme was a good one, but seratchings, mainly due to the cold night, detracted considerably from the success of the various events and the celebration of the club's twenty-fifth anniversary was not as attractive as it might have been in consequence. Several of the events provided close finishes, but the 50 yards Ashburton Centre Women's Championship was won easily by Miss D. Smith, from four competitors. She did well to clip one second off the record time for this distance for the baths. The record previously stood in the name of Miss L. Coppl'estone, who has had a prominent swimming career abroad since leaving Ashburton some years ago.

While several golf clubs in and around Christchurch find that it is becoming increasingly! hard to matte ends meet, the committee m charge of tne municipal links at New Brighton is able to report a very profitable year. The statement of accounts up to February I, iy3s, shows that receipts were £919 and that expenditure totalled £605, leaving a credit balance of £314. Green fees alone brought in £360, and subscriptions from players paying on a yearly basis £461. The municipal links have been in splendid order all through the summer, and it is proposed shortly to instal an up-to-uate watering system. ,

Quite a number of men in the smaller weights in boxing have suffered from seriously damaged eyesight. One of them is Pete Herman, former bantamweight champion of the world and one of the greatest little men who ever entered the ring. Hlerman has been blind for nearly 12 years. Now comes the news that an operation just performed may restore the sight in his left eye. Herman's appearance in his one fight in England will long be remembered. He fought and beat Jimmy Wilde at the Royal Albert Hall after a weight controversy that threatened to prevent the two boxers appearing at all. Only the presence of the Prince of Wales made Jimmy! Wilde consent to meet Herman at a weight difference that meant overwhelming odds.

Although there was opposition in some quarters to the appointment of Mr H. L. Towers, of Auckland, as manager of the New Zealand athletic team which recently visited Melbourne, there is no question that he was thoroughly successful in the position. He was very popular with the members of the team, all of whom appreciated the fact that, he did everything possible for them, both on and off the field. A letter has been received from an Australian athletic official in which very eulogistic reference, is made to Mr Towers, who, it evident, created a most favourable impression with all with whom he came into contact. While all due recognition is being given the performances of the team, it should not be overlooked that the manager was a particularly important unit in the success of the tour.