SPORTS AND PASTIMES

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4419, 12 July 1884, Page 4

SPORTS AND PASTIMES

[By our London Corrksi'O.nijent.]

Mr W. G. George, tho celebrated amateur runner, who defeated Myers, the American champion, in a series of contests last I autumn, is in splendid form just now, and has been adding to his laurels by some more rocord-broaking. Only a few weeks ago ho gave us a new amateur record for two miles, and on Saturday, the 17th May, he succeeded in running four miles in the magnificent timo of l'Jmins. 39 4-sths eeca. Tho previous amateur record for this distance, 19mins. 49 3-sths sees, was made by George on March 25th, ISS2. The present occasion was the Four Miles Opon Handicap of the London Athletic Club, in which a field of 25 started, with George aa scratch man. When three miles had been completed tho champion had passed all his men except Carter, of tho Mosely Harriers, who had specially ontored for tho race to make up.the pace for George. Although George spurted continuously all through tho last mile, Carter was too far ahead and the latter eventually won the race by soventy yards. Notwithstanding that George lost the raco, he achieved his _ great objoct, and succeeded in beating all amateur records from 2.J miles to 4. His timo for tho full distance, lOminß. 394-sths sees., is only .'i 1-Osecs behind tho best pro fessional record, lOinins. Msec*., made by Jack White, tho Gateshead Clipper, on May 11, 18(53. Thoro is no doubt that George is at his best now, and it is to bo hoped that ho will succoed in boating many moro records while ho is in full possession of all his powers. At tlio same meeting of the London Athletic Club a splendid race for tho 100 yards Handicap ensued, tho final heat resulting in a dead heat between 11. Scale, 4yds. start, and F. B, Howard, s'yds. start. lii tho deciding heat Healo beat Howard by 2 feet in the fast time of lOsccs.

Tho billiard season—the longest Uriel busiest wo have had for soino time—is dying hard. What with tho numerous tournaments and entertainment matches that have been held at tho Westminster Aquarium and other places, it would not have been unreasonable to Kuppt.se that admirers of the game had bad enough and to spare of their favourite pastime. To judge, however, from the largo numbers of gf people who visited the Aquarium on the afternoons and evenings of May 12th, 13th, Hlh.when a match for a prize of £50, given by tho management, was played by Roberts and Poall, this is not exactly tho case. The contest was (5,(J00 up, spot-Htroke barred, I'eall receiving a start of 1,800 points. The game was divided.into six stages, one being played each afternoon and evening. I'eall played very pluekily after being caught, and finally won, after an exciting finish, by 41 points. Several good breaks were made by both players, the best being 204 by Roberta. A match has been arranged between tho snmo players for tho Derby week, when I'eull will receive 2,000 in a game of 10,<)00. This match, which is said to bo longer than any yet attempted, will extend over eovou days.and the spot-stroke will not be buried.

Two billiard'matfiies between I'eall and Mitchell, each ofl, 000 points up, with 100 conceded to i'oall, had a somewhat sensational termination, Mitchell being defeated both times by extraordinary odds. In tho first match L'eull scored, game, while Mitchell only made id. I'eall's three breaks were 23.'>, 289, and 274 unfinished. In the second match I'eall had a break of 421, and won by ''72.

At Brighton, a week or ro ago, Cook gave Bennett 100 out of 1,000 up, and succeeded in defeating him with great case by u'Jd. In a swimming race of a quarter of a mile, which took place latoly at Sheffield, between Jones ami Fi.'inoy, two professional swimmers, tho former won easily. A dose contest was anticipated, but Jones, who came- up first from the dive, immediately drew away and won with the greatest case in Gmins. Safleci".

The London cyclists intend to havo a great fete at Whitsuntide. They have mndo arrangements fora cyclists'camp to be held in the grounds of tho Alexandra t'ldaeo from May 30th to June ."ird. A large number of wheehr.cn will sleep under canvas every night, and in the daytimo there will bo bicycle and tricycle race", and lawntennis tournaments. If the weather is fine the experiment is almost suro to turn out a success, and if it does so this, year, wo may look for an annual cyclista' camp every Whitsuntide

The six days go-as-yciu-please race which finished last week in New York seems to llttVO been a great success in its way. The winner, Fitzgerald, covered CIO miles in his time, and his performance is certainly a wonderful one. Powell, tho English champion, who gained the second place, fell sick on tlio fourth day, when ho was well ahead and going magnificently, and it is hinted that lie had been " got at " by somo body or other. Anyhow, ho pulled himself together again, and contrived to finish 602 miles. All the competitors in this contest seem to havo been half dead when they finished, and it is to bo hoped we have seen tho last of theso matches. Wo have to thank Weston for introducing them into England, and it is now somo time tinco we hivo had ono in the metropolis. The sight of somo dezen poor lame fellows limping round tho track disgusted evoryono, and we have no wish to sco such a sight again.

County Cricket Notes.

The presence of the renowned Australians in our midst has caused the interest taken in county cricket to abate somowhat ; but, nevertheless, several interesting matches h ivo been played. On the 9th and 10th of May, Yorkshire defeated Gloucestershire by 41 runs. Tho webtern county went in first, and snored 179 (Gilbert 40); the Yorksliiremen then scored 12S (Peel 31), and in their second innings made 135. This left Glo'stershire 85 to get to win,but they only just scraped together 43 runs.and so lost by 41.

In the following week Nottinghamshire easily defeated Sussex by an innings and 151 runs. Scoro .-—Notts, 271 (Barnos 9S, Selby 42, Shrewsbury 36); Sussex, 76 and 44. In tho Sussex 2nd innings Atewell had a magnificent analysis, taking S wickets for 22 runs in 36 overs, of which 23 were maidens.

On tho samo day tho Manchester Cricket Club and Ground defeated Yorkshire, by 8 wickets. Score :—Yorkshire 66 and 144 (Grimshaw3o); ManchestarCricketCluband Ground, 183 (Vernon 51, Walker 43), and 31 for two wickets.

On May 15, 16, and 17th Surrey mot Essex at Kennington Oval, and succeeded in boating them by 6 wickets. The scoring throughoutthomatch was very heavy.noless than 994 runs being registered. Scores :— Essex, 247 (Silcock 56, Pickott 39) and 249 (Owen 69 and Regan 40). Surrey, 39S (Abel 93, W. W. Read 91, and Jones 85) and 100 for 4 wickets (W. W, Read not out 57). While Surroy woro playing the Australians at tho Oval, Lancasniro was engaged with tho Manchester Cricket Club and Ground at Lords. Tho Club succeeded in beating tho County by an innings and four runs. The Manchester Cricket Club went first to (ho wickets, and scored 256, Barnes contributing 60, Flowers 59, and Jones 4ti. When Yorkshire went in they raised the respectable total of IS7 (Briggs 74), but in their second attempt they could only manage to put together 05, and were accordingly defeated by an innings and 4 runs.