CRICKET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 95, 25 April 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

CRICKET.

Tun crickeb matches arranged for to-day and next Saturday should pretty well con. cludo the cup series. The present position of the various clubs is that Gordon have losb one match,with two unfinished.bub in thoir favour. One of these,v. United, is fixed for 9th May. United have lost one match, with 2 unfinished rather against them. Auckland have played 9 matches, won 6 and lost 3. Parnell have lost 6, won 3, and have 1 unfinished ajjainsb United. St. Mary's have won 4, losb 4, and hare 1 unfinished against Gordon. Alpha have lost 10. Among the Juniors should Ponsonby boat Wanderers, they will tie with Gordon 11..f0r firsb position. With the second juniors, if Victoria beat Belmonb rhoy will tie with Stab, if nob Belmonb and Star will tie.

The success of Sfa. Mary's last Saturday in getting three more Gordon wickets at a small cost shows that with better fielding on the first Saturday of .the match St. Mary's should have captured all their opponents' wickets for about 150 runs. The match might then have been a bib more interesting. Aβ it is, there is little chance of fche match being concluded; or if ifc is concluded, of ifcs going aprainsfe Gordon. The Itev. Dr. Egan and Stichbury were the only two of St. Mary's men who made many runs against the Gordon bowling, but Barber and Pheney, who played out time, proved a great etumbling block and inudo Kelly "so wild." Mills had a nice time in hie lasb two innings. After his big score ag&inst United he made another fine stand for Clark and Sons' warehouse against MoArthur and Co.'s, carrying his bat for an excellent 39.

Secretaries of cricket clubs would do well to send in to the Secretary of the Association, Mr McKinney, the batting and bowling averages of the members of their clubs. It is usual in othor centres to have theso statistics compiled and completed at the end of the season, and then pubilished when they aro of sufficient value. The same practice might very well be followed here. An Amorican team of cricketers will visib England next season ; but nob an Australian team. The English County Cricket Council has broken up. FOOTBALL. The decision of the Rugby Union delegates to give the district; system a trial this season will give general satisfaction. Everybody feels that whatever be its ultimate fate, it will be well, ab any rate, to sco how the system will work in practice. The feeling is, also, almost universal that if it can be worked there will be a great impetus given to the game. I have already written prebty fully on the arguments for and against, so that there is no necessity again to dwell on them: It may be remembered that in the early days of tho gamo in Auckland the district system was practically in existence. There was no written law on the subject - , bubib was a generally accepted principle that no man eh'ould play for a club other than that belonging to his dietric*. No one thought of breaking tho rule. That feeling has almost died out; but it will bo a good thing if the present attempt to resuscitate ib prove successful. Ib IS thought evon that tho present clubs will not be seriously affected excopt; at tho introduction of tho plan. A fair start was made with practice on Saturday last ; bub naturally the play was not of vory first-class character. The first match of the season is always a trying one. Muscle and wind only come by degrees to their true football condition. It is not therefore surprising that tho forwards heartily bless the backs when the latter kick the ball well cut, of the field, whilo the backs aro distinctly displeased when after one hard run somebody's mistaken kindness in giving a pass forces them to attempt another dash. The practices this afternoon will doubtlese be of better character than last Saturday's, for each club will have to test its full strength in view of the opening of the season next Saturday.

It is a pity that the Union could not have had some sort of formal opening of the season such as I suggested laeb week. ,It would be better for the Union funds to have an opening that would attract the public to t.ho ground as a start for the season. As it is, club followers are nearly the only persons who will attend the first club matches. General interest ie not excited till there is something really good on hand. However, as it was decided to start the cup matches so early as the 2nd May, a formal opening waa hardly practicable. And under all the circumstances an early start for the season was needed. Besides the rounds for the cup matches there will bo ab least a month required for practice for the interprovincial matches. Then the district scheme has to got a trial. In addition there are often little somethings unforeseen that crop up to interfere with the regularity of the best arrangements. AQUATICS. The St. George's Rowing Club's annua* dance is to be held this year on the 6th May. St. George's men have the knack of doing their social re-unions very well, and as they have valuable assistance from their lady friends, this year's dance should be as successful as previous functions have been. I believe the North Shore Club also intend to hold a social and danco.

During the past week the harbour has beoh so beautifully calm that oarsmen have been very annoyed indeed. Saturday after Saturday the Rowing Regatta had to be postponed owing to rough water, and now when rowing is over there is every prospect of some fine weather. The trial fives of St. George's Club last Saturday, and the fours of the Waitemata Club at the beginning of this week, practically end the rowing season, and boats will nearly all be laid up till next spring. Tom Sullivan has now two matches on hand. The first is that with Stephenson, which is to be rowed on Monday next for £200 a-side, over the championship course. They have also a side wager of £100. The other match is.according to Sydney " Town and Country" with C, Dutch for £200 a-side and a side wager of £100. The date of the latter match was net fixed, bat it is expected to be about the middle of June. Dutch gives Sullivan ssec start.

The work of forming a Yachting Association for the colony is progressing steadily. The Committee appointed in the first instance to bring about the formation of the Association have gone to work in a very satisfactory manner. The draft rules have been submitted to each club, and -the clubs have been asked for suggestions ac to alterations or amendments. Tbese suggestions, with the drafb rules and other matters, will be considered at a meeting of delegates from clubs, to be held in June at) Wellington. It is probable that Mr T. Henderson will represent the Auckland Club at that meeting. Mr Henderson has gone very carefully into the whole question, and many of the suggestions that will be sent down with the eatbority of the local club, have been made on hie i&dtiop> He will thus be an excellent representative

of the views therein enunciated, while his general knowledge of yachting and of the work of various clubs will be of great advantage. Some of the suggestions of the Auckland Club are, in the main, of formal value, with a view to leaving no loopholes in the rules. Others are of deeper import, and have been brought forth by the experience of our rowing clubs in connection with the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association. It isi hopod that they will have the effect of preventing any such complications as have been caused b"y that body. One suggestion is that the sailing rules of the Auckland \acht Club shall be adopted ; the draft rule reads " the sailing rules of the Yacht Racing Association of Groat Britain." Mr Duncan, of Wellington, one of the new owners of the Maritana, says in a letter which I have had the pleasure of reading, that it is very likely that the owners will send that boat to the Akaroa and Lyttselfcon Regattas next season. She will also take part in the Wellington Regatta. Mr Duncan points out that if Auckland would give a prize of £100 for the first-clasa yacht race, there would be about £400 inducement for yachtsmen to have clippers built. With £50 at Akaroa on December 16th, £100 at Lyttelton in January let, £100 at Wellington on January 22nd, £50 at Napier.and £100 at Auckland, a really good yacht would be worth the building. I hear that Captain Gibbs is likely to take the Spray South for the big yacht races next season. She should shake up the Southerners a bit.

The prizes for the Waitemata Boating Club's fours were handsome medals made of jubilee sovereigns. Mr Inglis presented them. Bailey's crew had a bit of hard luck in getting the heavy boat in such a calm sea. With the light boat they should, though so much lighter than O'Connor's men, have made a big struggle for the medals. MISCELLANEOUS. Billy Murphy and Orifl'o are to meet again for the light-weight championship at the Coogoe Aquarium, Sydney. The Canterbury Amateur Athletic Club and Christchurch Football Club have now got into their new club rooms. Each club has a meeting room, and there is a large social room for a stnoke or a chat.

The correspondent of the " Referee " says of the late Hawke's Bay Amateur Athletic Club's meeting :—" Hempton ran in great style in the first heat of tho 120 yds, running through his men without an effort, and winning in 12 l-sth sec. It was thought he would do even time in the final, but he ran very proppy, and, after going all the way, only got up in time to win by a few inches in 12 2 sths. He was a bit weak, owing to indisposition. The 220 yds was a M r Gollan was too late to start the runners, and another gentleman leb them off. The pistol was very bad all day, and only went off with a sort of a fiz and a puff. The starter firod, and all the men but one started. Mr Smith, the starter, called out to them to comes back, but Hempton and Ashcrofb went on and finished in that order, in slow time. Hompton says he is going to bring the matter up before the club. The club has the makings of a good miler in Cunningham. He won the mile from scratch in 4min 54 2-ssec, and the Half Mile from the 15yds mark in 2min 9sec —very fair times considering we have about the woret track in the colony. I think he will be up to championship form in a few years, as he is quite young. Hβ runs with a long easy stride, and has 5520 yds spurt left always." Duncan C. Ross, the champion athlete, arrived in Auckland about the middle of the week. He will probably give one or two exhibitions before leaving for America. He intends to reach America, and go into a preparation for the World's Fair at Chicago in May of next year.