FOOTBALL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 156, 4 July 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

FOOTBALL.

Last week our footballers were again favoured with similar weather to thab which prevailed on the previous eight Saturdays —a dry and springy turf and fine bright weather. Although the principal match set down for decision—Parnell v. Ponsonby —was looked on as a good thing for Parnell, sbill there was a largo attendance—aboub a £35 gate. But the contests between the wearers of the 'blue and black' and ' maroon' have, ever since tbe days when matchos were played in the Metropolitan Ground, been noted as a big draw. For many years the conbeatß between the wearers of these coloured jerseys were also noted tor a fine oxhibition of Rugby.tootball bub I'm afraid those who journeyed to Epsom last Saturday in the hope of seeing football as ih should be played were greatly disappointed. The ploy almost throughout was of a poor description, and I look on this contest as one of the poorest exhibitions of 'football that I have witnessed for iome time. The ball was principally confined to the forwards, who failed to startle the epectators with any fa«t rushes or clever combined dribbling. Thero were several fine piecoß of individual dribbling, chiefly by McLean, Gordon and Whitley, of the Parnell team, and Langsford, Gallagher and Clarke tor Ponsonby, and came as a relief to the monotonona line outs and loo»e straggling rushes. The play of the backs was perhaps, a little improvement on the forwards, but the passing tactics did not approach anything like the form these teams have exhibited io their previous matches. ... Although Parnell won by 15 points to nil, this score is certainly nob a fair indication of the game, for ib was a fairly even struggle. The Pamellitea showed the beat work in passing and one of their tries was the resulb of a fine piece of concerted play. The forward divisions were evenly matched. Hedges at full back for Parnell played a faultless sramo, and Jorvis and Taifc at threequarters did good work, but Cooolly, who assisted Parnell for the first time, wub not a eucceea. He had (several fine openings roado for him bub failed to take the ball, and also fumbled. Pearco behind the pack passed ouf well and tackled successfully, while Elliott played a useful game and kicked judiciously. McLean, Gordon and Murray were the pick of the Parnell forwards. R. Masefield played fullback for Ponsonby in the first spoil. I suppose he took up this, position with a view ot letting the Selection Committee see thab he has an eye on that place for our rep. team. Masefield's form was quite good enough to jasbify his inclusion into any rep. team, and if he be chosen for thab position and exhibits tbe same form, Aucklandere will have no cause to grumble at their fullback. Wifch tbe exception of Flynn, who playod a most useful but somewhab too unselfish game, tho Ponsonby three-quarter division was very weak. Flynn, I fancy, would have scored on one occasion had he nob passed out to his wing. Scott and Cole wore noS a success. The former fumblod badly, no doubt from want of practice. Cole's tackling was safe, but he lacked judgment in his kicking, and was weak in attacking. Braund, as usual, passed oub cleanly, bub Ramsay repeatedly failed to take the ball, and also passed recklessly. Braund's kicking was not accomplished wibh his wonted good judgment The rough handling which Ramsay received, no doubb interfered with his play. Of the Ponsonby forwards, Gallagher stood oub prominently as one of the best forwards on the gronnd. He played a great game throughout!, and it will take a good man to moke the Ponsonbyite stand oub of the rep. team this season, Langsford, Cooke, and Clarke were the most conspicuous of the others. In the Pernell - Ponsonby match last Saturday there was a great amount of unnecessary ' scragging' engaged in by a few of the players, which I was surprised was not put a stop to by the referee. Of course, the official in chargfl may nob have noticed all the incidents, for I know ib is difficult for the referee to keep his eyes fixed on the ball and the players ab the Rume time. I'm afraid, however, thab Mr Kabterns has nob enough firmness bo control such a game as lasb Saturday. He makes a most impartial referee, but appears to me to lose control over the players. Mr Katterns must have noticed the rough handling liamiay received, and I am surprised he allowed the inoidenb to pass unnoticed. • A caution on the first offenco might have prevented a lob of unpleasantness. It appears bo be tbe custom in Auckland now, thab when a player is lying on the ball, his opponents must catch him by the legs or Jersey and drag him along the ground, Those objectionable and unfoot-ball-like tactics were introduced into Auckland by tho TaranaUi and Wellington teams, bub I think bhe sooner our referees pub a stop to bhe practice tho better ib will be for football.

I'm afraid our referees are somewhab slow in penalising a player for lying on the ball. If they were stricter on this point ib would save a lot of unsightly • scragging.'

A rumour was current fchia week that A. Braund had decided to retire from taking an active p*»rb in football. \ The game ab North Shore between the local team and City was a most interesting one from a spectator's point of view. In the firsb spell the play was fairly even, the Cityites only gaining three points, bub in the second spell their forwards secured the bull oftener in the ecrum and their backs were therefore given an opportunity to show their pace and clever passing, which resulted in fifteen more points being added to their score.

Oliphant played at threequarter for City last week and secured two tries. He showed very fair form in hia new position, , Surnaan played another fine came for City last week, making repeated openings for his comrades. One of the tries which Surman scored was the outcome of a elaahing run : he eluded forwards, halves, threequarters, and fullback before ho reached the goal. Casaidy, the ox-junior forward, played a eplendid game for City last Saturday. He grafted hard, was always oo the ball, and showed a lot of cleverness.

Jems, our crack three-quarter, potted another goal last week by an excellent) kick,

City scored six tries at North Shore last week, but only one was converted. What a the matter with Stone and Oliphanb ? F. Murray was off in his place kicking last Saturday. He blames the placers. Parnell will have to »how bobber form than last Saturday's if they hope to have acbanco with City or Newton. The inclusion of Edmonds, Ronayne, Evifct, and Broberg, however, should greatly improve the Parnellifces. ' i '■■■■'.. The first, second and third fifteens of the Parnell and Ponsonby districts opposed each other last Saturday with the following results :—Patnell I. defeated Ponsonby 1. by 15 points to nil; Ponsonby 11. defeated Parnell 11. by 28 points bo 5 ; Ponsonby 111. defeated Parnell 111. by 17 points to nil. If these results are any criterion, the Ponßonby district should have a good time in senior competitions in tbe near future, The following letter speaks for itself :— Sir,—The gratoful thanks of the community are certainly due to you for your timely comments and exposure of bhe recent horse play shown at Potter's. As a witness of tbe occurrence—and there were others in the same match—l heartily endorse your Btatemenb. A very onerous responsibility in this matter rests with the local Union. If the noble game is to be preserved in the good opinion of tbe public, then they (the Union) Bhould with a firm and resolute hand pub down ab once the growing tendency to rough play. If they fail to do so, then eood-bye bo the popularity of bhe game. If such disrepubable conduct is condoned, then farewell to the patronage of Rugby by the better portion of the citizens.—Youis, etc., Rugby. The Poverty Bay Rugby Union intend spending £500 in forming a recreation ground which will be under their control and management. I notice that Hiroa is showing good form in Napier this season. In a rocenb mutch, however, be was cautioned twice by bhe referee for rough play. In a match played at Hawera on June 12bh. between Normaaby and Hawera beams, twa of tbe latter and one of the Normanby players were ordered ofi the field .by the referee. According to a Christchurch scribe, the whole issue of the Canterbury Rugby Union's Annual—some 1,300 copies—has been disposed of, and the demand for the publication is still ih evidence. At present, says the • Sydney Referee,1 New South Wales does nob popsess many really fine centre three-quarter backs; nor are there many brilliant wing threequarters. A. Row, of Wallaroo, is about the mosb likely centre playing in the position in Sydney just now. R. Whiteside and W. Warbrick (who are nob playing in the position just now) are, however, players nob only of vasb experience, bub of good form ab the present time. Dr. Luther, one of lasb year's Irish Inter national forwards, is playing well in Rrisbane this season and may visit New Zealand with the Queensland team. S. Cockroft is also looked on as certain to be selected. Senior Championship. . The following table nhows the matches played, won, and lost up to lasb Saturday by tho various clubs competing for the Senior Championship:—

CRICKET. The proposal of the Australian cricketers to visit New Zealand is likely to fall through owing to the facb that such arrangements interfere with tho year's intercolonial fixtures, the players not being able to get back to their respective colonies in time. * The Australian Eleven meet the Player* of England at Leyton on Thursday noxt. W. Gardiner, the well-known cricketer, returned from Wellington this week, and intends taking ud his abode in his native city again. Our old crack batsman has been an inmate of the Wellington hospital during the past three months with typhoid lever, and still looks a bit weak. The Parnell Cricket Club will welcome his return. As a parallel to Pougher's great performance wibh tho ball in the recent match, M.C.C. v. Australia, a Sydneyite instances thab in the year 1875, in England, in tbe match Gentlemen v. Players, nb the Oval, Mr G. Strachan bowlod for the Gentlemen 21 balls for no runs and five wickets. In tho same year Alfred Shaw, in the match Nottingham v. M.C.C, bowled 166 balls for seven runs and seven wickets, six clean bowled, including W. G. Grace. He further finds, as a curiosity in first class matches, thab in the year 1877 W. G. Grace, for Gloucester v. Nottingham, bowled 25 balls for no runs and seven wickets, which performance eclipses Pougher'e. S. M. J. Woods, the ex-Australian, is batting well in England this season. In the early 'county' matches the successive scoreß made by him are 108, 52, 76, and 71. In three successive county matches Abel made 138. 152, and 231.

In a latter to a relative, written after the opening match ab Sheffield Park, Clem Hill says thab Ranjiteinghi, the Indian Prince, is without donbfc tho finest batsman he ever saw. His cutting wna wonderful. Though a ball might rise up near his head, he would make a cut or pull of it.

The accident to Sydney Gregory whilsb practising at Mitchnaa seems to have arisen in this way : He waa sending down come slows bo Jonet, for big-hit practice, when the South Australian drove the ball back like lightning, and, owing to the crowd of spectators shutting oub the lierhb behind the nebs, the little man losb track of the ball altogether. By some good impulse he jumped, and so escaped a very dreadful, if nob fatal, injury. As ib wit, the right log of his flannels was torn completely away, and, half fainting with tha agony of tho wound, he w«b taken off the field. 'If I hadn't jumped ab ft lucky moment,' said S.E.G.to a * Daily Mail * inberviewer, *I b lievo the ball would have gone right through me.1

The pleasing feature of the lasb two matched played by the Australian eleven is I he 6no form shown by Iredale with the bat and McKibbin with the ball. Before the team's departure for England, Iredale was a strong favourite with the Sydney public to come oub on top of the batting averages, while tho Cornstalks also expected McKibbin to be ab the top of the li»b in bowling averages. Strange to relate, however, these two Sydney players signally failed to maintain their reputation in the opening matches, and both were left) oub of the test match. Since then, however, Irednle has played two successive innings for 94 (not out) and 114, which I trust points to the fact bh,ab the popular Sydneyifce is regaining his old form. McKibbin for the firsb time, too gob going with the ball and captured seven wickets againsb Yorkshire in their firsb innings. So far this season, Yorkshire is the only county which has not euffered a reverse in English county cricket, so the Australians' performance must be considered very satisfactory. In the late issues to hand of ' Crickeb,' some authorities have been venturing their opinions as to the relative merits of the leading Australian bowlers. The figures of the leading eight bowlers in matches againsb English sides areas follows :—

Some of ' Spoff's' beat performances in England are as follows:—11 for 20 v. M.C,C. and Ground, 1878; 11 for 89 v.

Players, 1880; 14 for 90 v. England, 1882; 14 for 37 v. Eleven of England, 13 for 123 v. Players at Sheffield, 6 for 94 v. England at Manchester, 12 for 43 v. Middlesex, 14 for 96 v. Players ab the Oval, 1884; 15 for 36 v. Oxford. 7 for 20 v. North of England, 1886. In 1888 Spofforth, having a year or bo. previously married nn English lady, eebtled in the Old Country, and for a season or tiro played for Derbyshire, captaining the team, but of late he baa not appeared in county cricket, though betakes part in a lot of club cricket. He plays with tbe Hampstead Club, of which Stoddarb is a member, and lasb year ha headed fcho bowling averages with 55 wickets for 310 runs—average 5.63.

ATHLETICS.

Great intereeb waß taken in a billiard match played on Saturday evening last at a local club, between Fred Weiss and Auckland's best amateur player. The Australian champion gave his opponent a handicap of 600 points in 1,000 up, but, nevertheless, won by 105 points. Weiss' boat break on this occasion was 105. The champion leave* on a visib to the Thames on Monday next, and will afterwards play ab Paeroa and Waihi,

CYCLING.

A bicycle made for ten, or a 'doublequint,' has just been built by an American manufacturing firm, Itß construction was guarded with the greatest secrecy, only the designer and two of the workmen being allowed to see ib. The frame is a combination of double-truss and . triple truss design, which will be amply strong enough to support tho weight of any ten ordinary riders on an average good road or track. There is only one chain, which runs the whole length of the machine. Ib runs over the bops of each of the tea sprocket wheels, and is prevented from the posnibility of jumping the sprockets by over-bearing idlers. The weight is about 1501b. The wheels are about 28in in diameter, with 2|in tyres. It is to be geared according to tho wishes of the riders.

•Cycling' says <ihe Simpson chain 'is the moit valuable cycling invenbion bbabhaa been introduced Biace the ad rent) of the pneumatic tyre.' A legal point recently decided in Germany holds- the front .rider of a tandem responsible for all accidents that may occur. Moral—Take the back seat.

The latest ambition in America is to beat 37 l-sbh sec for a mile, done by an Empire State express engine. A eoxtefc, geared to 156 in, weighing 137£1b, is going to do it if the riders can turn the pedals three times every second, though, according to the measurements given, thab won't be fast enough.

T. Linbon, the English rider, has pub up five miles in 9min 47 4 obb, and ten in lQmin 47 3 sth Bee.

SWIMMING.

On May llfeh ab the Broughton Baths, Manchester, an invitation quarter mile scratch race was decided. Four entries had been secured, viz., J. H. Tyere, J. Derbyshire, W.. Lister and J. Matchetb. Tyersled throughout, and won by thirty yards ; ten yards dividing second and third. Tyors beat his previous record made in the Swindon Baths by lOiac, his time for the full distance being smin 43|soc.

AQUATICS.

In yachting, as in mosb other things, the fashions change frequently (says London 'Evening News'). Just now the fashion is bo have the fastest steam yacht that can be built. Lord Lonsdale set the example of running about the Solent in a species of torpedo boat, and now Mr Wood, late owner of the Rona, has. had.- a boat built which does twenty knots with ease. Unices the Solent is extended ib will be somewhab difficult to fill up a day's cruising at thin rate of speed. Tho ereat sculling match between J. Stanbury and Harding for championship of the world rakes place on tho Rive,r Thames on Monday week, the 13fch inst, A writer iv a London paper says of the StanburyHarding match:—l have never seen the Antiponean, and can say nothing about him for that reason. I have, however, known every crack Hcullor for twenty-live years post, and thus far can I go in estimating Stanbury's chance of defeating the English champion:—The man who licks ' VVag' Harding will have to be a better sculler than has ever rowed on the Thames or Tyne in ray time.

Dlstriot. Plyd. "Won. Lost Dm. Fop. Agst. CMty .... 7 6 10 116 • 31 Parnell ..7 6 1 0 ' 86 25 Newton ..6 5 1 0 99 21 Orafton ,.7 4 3 0 44 46 Ponaonby ..7 2 5 0 a M North Shore 7 1 6 0 24 SIC Suburbs ..7 0 7 0 11 70

7nrner ipofforth $oyle .. i'erris.. 'aimer Jarrett ?rnrablo iiffen.. Balls. Runs. 1 .. 32,669 11.075 .. 23,864 '9.679 .. 14.338 5,037 .. 20.873 7.300 .. 22.993 8.784 .. 16.995 6.003 .. 8.189 '3.632 .. 22.959 10.453 Wkts. i '877 720 352 BOS 548 354 190 521 Avgo. 12-62 13-44 14*30 14-42 16-02 16-95 19-11 20*06