SPORTING GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 73, 27 March 1920, Page 18

SPORTING GOSSIP.

(By ACTABON.) CRICKET. .SECOND GRADE. The matches in connection with the eighth series of the first round were in a more or less decided state at the end of the opening day's play. -In fact, with the exception of the Beresford and University contest, there was little doubt about the results. North .Shore obtained an innings victory and three points from St. James", St. John's did likewise at the expense of Parnell. And V.M.C.A. also added three points as the result of an innings victory over Eden A, while Beresford surprised University to the extent of three points also. «The scoring on the whole was rather poor. Apart from Men's 209 from V.M.C.A., and Heresford's 174 against University, nothing over the hundred was recorded. The performances of St. James', Parnell anil Eden A in their second innino's were very feeble efforts; indeed, St. lames'can claim to have the doubtful honour of registering the lowest score in the second grade. Twenty-nine by Eden A with five players absent seemed small enough, Parneil '23 against St. John'sfi was nothing to be proud of. but St. James' fate of only scoring eleven runs, was, beyond the work of the howlers that did the trick, the must remarkable event of the day. V.M.C.A. V EDEN A. A keen mil interesting (Struggle for runs ensued from the start of the second day's plnv in the fame between V.M.C.A. , and Kden. The former closed with 320 for eight wickets, so Eden had a hig proposition in front of them, and up to a certain point made an excellent attempt, hut it was almost an impossible effort on a wicket from which the bowlers were able to get plenty of spin. The start was not auspicious, as the first wicket only produced a dozen runs. A good partnership ensued between Rankin and Postlcs. and the score was taken to 1)7. Postles (23) was run out after a steady innings. K. Kankin «52) played the innings of the side, escoriug all round the wicket, and his late cutting of ißass was very tine, lie gave a hot chance at fifty. One six and eight fours were included in his quota. Whelan and \Y. Rankin put on lifl odd runs for the fifth w;eket. Whelan (42) shaped well and played the bowling freely, hitting six fours hefore being stumped. VV. Rankin 11(3) was contented to let the runs came from the other end during his lengthy occupation of the crease. He included three fours amongst a number of short sinzles. MeConneli 115) hit hard until coming to grief. Although Kden put up such a ;»am<> fight in the first innings the follow-on was quite a different affair. The absence of several players, including Howson and Hitthci'furd. who had left the ground, and Whelan in the- pavilion quite unaware of the- cli-aslcr thai hail overtaken the side, Kden weio disposed of for the meagre score of 'ifl. SHORE V. ST. JAMES. North Shore scored an overwhelming victory over St. James. and thereby added three points more to their quota. Resuming with 187 on. the slate for the loss of eight wickets, the total reached 240 before the tail was dismissed. It was rather a substantial tail, as Stoupe and Townshend put on nearly half a century for the last wicket. The former notched 2!) not out, while Townshend collected fifteen. The last wicket stand was only the forerunner of sensation which c;ime in an entirely different form, but still at the expense nf St. James, and the achievement of the trans-harbour bowlers in dismissing their opponents for such a paltry total as eleven runs was a rare feat, and must stand as a record in the grade. The stand made by North Shore for the last wicket demonstrated that run-getting was not an impossible task, notwithstanding ihat the pitch was more favourable to the batsman than bowler. - Still the dismissal of St. James for only eleven runs was a great surprise. Metge again demonstrated his ability with the ball, and wound up with the excellent average of live wickets for four runs, making this aggregate for the match nine wickets for live runs. Townshend leg-hVoke to the tune of four wickets for seven. While the Shore bowlers were at. the top of their form, the fielding was also first-class. Woolley took a very line catch in the outfield. ST. JOHN'S V. PARXELL. St. John's hail a very easy task in gaining three points from Parnell. The match was a foregone conclusion for them in the early (.art nf the first day," for they disposed of their opponents for DO, and then male 21H for eight wickets. The score was increased to 230, thanks to Scott notching 1-1 not out, including a. hit over the fence for five, and Allison raising his total to 17. Richardson (four for SO) was the most successful bowler for Parnell. Parnell cut a very sorry figure, and after having throe wickets down for IS. and four for 23. lost three more batsmen without alteration, and the innings closed for 25. Dinuisou and Johnson were the top scorers with seven apiece. Mitchell, who partnered Williams for the last wicket, was intent upon having a hit. and sacrificed a bye to get at the bowling, but Aitken shattered his timberyard with the first ball of his seventh nver. In six overs Robertshaw captured five wickets at the low cost of nine runs, making the ball whip off the pitch at a great pace. A. G. Aitken wound up with three for ten as the result of a fast-medium delivery. UNIVERSITY V. BERESFORD. After having six wickets down for a hundred in reply to University's total of 164. Beresford succeeded in overscoring their opponents to the extent of ten runs, chiefly owing to ";ood innings by Shaw (."ill, CJifTe (lo not out), and some indifferent lidding on the part of the students. In their second innings University failed to make cr o od with the hat. and were nil out for 3S. Reresford made a leiiijr job of obtaining the necessary runs, but eventually had little difficulty in securing a three-pointer with nine wickets in hand. PRIMARY SCHOOLS' NOTES. Saturday last was certainly a day of bowlers' wicket — for such bowlers as knew how to use them; but this did not prevent several good scores being registered, while, generally speaking, the contests were not so even as on the previous Saturday. I'layers on the Domain were at a decided disadvantage, as. owing to the sports gathering there in the midweek, the usual pitches were unable to be prepared. Vermont Street's decisive victory over Grafton, and Devonpoi t's very poor" showing against Napier Street, were two of the surprises of the round. In both innings against Vermont Street the Grafton

bats failed, the bowling of Lack being particularly deadly. This trundler secured thirteen wickets, including the coveted "hat trick," and with Corbett was also the principal contributor to his team's score. Napier Street had a field day against weak bowling. Wynn and Draffin got over a century between them, and their side declared with eight wickets down for 171. Devonport responded with 21, leaving the City school with the solid margin of 150 runs. Epsom went out cheaply in both ventures against Maungawhau, who made 67, and secured an innings' victory. Mt. Albert had a narrow first innings' lead over Newmarket in a game of small scores, to which Butler was the chief contributor, but by hustling things in the second innings they eventually won by six wickets. Despite the small scoring Nelson Street held the upper hand throughout against Grey Lynn, and won by 35 runs. Onehunga collapsed badly in their first strike againjt Ponsonby, and were all out for 14. In their second effort they reached the half-century, thanks to a good 20 by Betts. Ponsonby's first inriings of 43. including 24 by Hewson, left them only 26 to get, and this they notched for the loss of two wickets. Parnell topped the century against Xormal, Hulston- getting n very creditable 50. Normal's response was a total of 44, which gave Parnell an easy win by 67. Newton West were not in the same class with Beresford Street. The City eleven closed with 123 for five wickets, Matheson, Hadlcy and Walker being the chief run-getters. Newton West's two innings totalled only 34. Pye and Skinner were responsible for mpst of Richmond Road's runs against St. Barnabas'. Of the latter side's first innings' total Davis claimed all but two runs. The result was an innings' victory for Richmond Road. Another innings' victory fell to Point Chevalier lads, who dismissed Stanley Bay twice very cheaply and themselves scored 78. Gimblett, with 22, secured top -figures. An even contest eventuated between Meadow-bank and St. Albans', with the result that the former side left the field victors by 14 runs. Preston batted well for his side, while Carr and Clifton obtained double figure totals for St. Alban's. Cavaye played a couple of good innings for Northcote against Belmont, and was to a great extent responsible for his side's eight wickets' win. Wylie contributed a solid 32 for Belmont. The executive of the A.P.S.C.A. hopes to complete the first rounds in all grades ere football starts, but to do this frames will have to be played either on Easter Saturday or on the week following Easter. It is doubtful if wickets will be procurable for the latter day, hut with the curtailment of the Easter holidays there should be no difficulty in carrying on matches on Saturday of next week. There is a possibility of a rep. game eventuating during this half, but if it does, play will have to take place during school afternoons. .Several good scores were recorded last Saturday, among the best contributors being:—Matheson (Beresford Street) 88, Wynn (Napier Street) 80 not out, Hulston (Parnell). 50, White (Ellerslie) 37 not out, and Draffin (Napier Street) 41. LAWN TENNIS. Ycry high praise of G. Ollivier's play was expressed- by Mr. A. H. Lowe, yie English tennis player, in the course of a brief chat with a Christchurch pressman after he and Beamish had played a match at Christchurch last Saturday. "Ollivier is very good indeed," said Mr. Lowe. "He is almost in a different class from the others, and all he wants at the present moment is to play against people of his own class, and then he would be as good as most. He volleys well, his ground shots are good, and his service is quite good." "Is his service really good?" Mr. Lowe was asked. "It was scored off in the doubles." "That is true," he admitted, "but it is a very good service. If I were asked I should say, 'Go on with the same service, but sacrifice some of the break and get more pace.' " Mr. Lowe was invited to comment on the play of the other Canterbury men, and he expressed the opinion that with most of them the greatest weakness was the service—usually a very hard one the first tinfe and then something that was simply asking to be hit. The matter was one of practice. The best way to improve was to serve one which was not quite so hard at first. It was much better to get off two medium services than one very fast one, which did not come in, and then a second one which was not a service at all. This was worst in a doubles, and unfair to one's partner. .Service was absolutely the chief thing in doubles, for with equal players it was about a three to two chance on the server's winning the game, and to win off the other people's service in a doubles gave every hope of winning the set. BOWLING. Mr. J. R. Brennan, secretary of the Australian Associated Press Association, has something to say about the hold that bowling has on the young New Zeaiander. After a visit to Rotorua, he writes:—"Eeing in quest of uncanny sights and magniSeant scenery, J was advised to visit New Zealand, and I must honestly admit that after visi'tin-f your famous Roton.a. ; I have lost afl desire for further weird scenery. First the boiling pools, second the wonderful geysers, boiling mud and bottomless springs, and the third and most uncanny sight of all was the number of your young, atheletes passing their valuable hours playing 'bowls.' Sir, I ask y ou , is New Zealand to become a nation of old men? Personally. 1 hope not. Whilst being shown round the magnificent gardens of Rotorua, it made my heart ache to csee beautiful tennis-courts, standing idle, while the bowling greens were full, not of that familiar old type of bowling enthusiast that one has the pleasure of seeing throughout the world, but young men who would be seen to far more advantage in our more strenuous and healthful pastimes. In conclusion, I feel quite sure that if this -state of affairs continues, that the sanatorium will have to be made double its present size, for the treatment of patients whose only ailment is 'want of exercise."" GOLF. There has been a good deal of discussion as to the length of a drive off the tee at golf, and it has been now proved by the dint of careful measurement that two hundred yards is a very good drive, and that it is only the crack players who can cover the. two hundred and fifty