INTERCOLONIAL SPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 277, 23 November 1927, Page 14

INTERCOLONIAL SPORT.

LAMB'S CYCLE TRIUMPH.

A TALK OK TENNIS STARS.

HENDREN IN AUSTRALIA

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

SYDNEY, November 17

Australia's wonder cyclist, "Ijatty" Lamb, clinched his chances of selection for the Olympic Games by his great buccess in the Olympic time-trial test race held in Sydney over a course of 120 miles on the Western Road last week-end. The heat was sweltering and the tarred road was sticky and soft, but these were small trials for the Victorian, who won by nearly 37 minutes from J. L. Gould, of New South Wales. The race was held to guide selectors in choosing the team to represent Australia in the Olympic Road championship in Holland. La'fnb had to race against eight other riders—'four from New South Wales and four from Queensland. The time trial 'system used required each man to ride alone throughout, unpaced. At 60 miles Lamb was well away from the rest of the field and was the only one who had averaged over 20 miles per hour. Two others retired at this stage owing to the heat. Lamb continued to increase his lead and at 90 miles he had the wonderful average of nearly 20 miles per hour. He covered the last 15 miles in 44m 2Ss and finished apparently fit. Gould and McWhirter were the only others to finish the full course. ) The times were:—<30 Miles.—Lamb, lh 25m 29 2-os; • Gould, lh 27m 11 2-ss; McWhirter, lh ! 30m 31s.

60 Miles.—Lamb, 2h 58m 36 4-ss; Gould, 3h 5m 595; McWhirter, 3h 27m 39 2-ss.

90 Miles.—Lamb, 41i 34m 34 3-sa; Gould, sh, 5m 255; McWhirter, 51i 19m 32 2-ss.

120 Miles.—Lamb, 6h 8m 14s; Gould, Oh 45m 10s; McWhirter, 7h 19m 42b.

Lamb is undoubtedly one of the best Australian cyclists of all time. His track performances are well known to New Zealanders, who saw him win many times last season; his road riding is far superior to any other Australian amateurs, and it is even considered that he is a better pace rider than the wellknown Australians, Opperman and Corry. Lamb has great fighting spirit. He is a "hard nut to crack" at the best of times, but when the conditions are of the hardest ho comes up supreme. His ride on Saturday was the second in a month,.as he competed in the Victorian test of 126 miles on October 15. His time unpaced was 6h 14in 435. Although it is late in the season, he has produced the best form and has cejtaiply earned the right for first consideration when Australia is sending her team next year..; Lawn Tennis in Other lands.

•- When passing through Auckland from abroad, Mr. - Harvey Malcolm, of Victoria, hon. secretary of the Australian Lawn Tennis Association, had something to say about the game as he observed it at the last Davis Cup competitions, the National Championships of America,,and the tournaments in England and France. Further comment was made by Mr; Malcolm in Sydney the other day. In Patterson and Hawke, he said, Australia had the equal of any pair in the world. Australiant women players were equal to any in the world. However, he was not sanguine that Australia would win the Davis Cup if a challenge were issued next year. France was likely to hold the cup for years, as she had such a wonderful array of young players, who were content to play sound rather than brilliant tennis. The frenchmen preferred steadiness and good length to uncontrolled pace. Mr. Malcolm was disappointed with the displays of the English male players. Enthusiasm was there, but first-class men were few. Kingsley, Crole-Rees, and Eames were the best of the young men. Austin was expected to do something out of the ordinary, but his physique was against him. Englishmen placed a much softer game than Americans and Australians, and did not hit the ball nearly so hard. They also played more for the fun of the game, and did not get down to it seriously. The men could not draw the crowds that the women drew. Betty Nuthall, he said, was over-boomed. She was only young, but she would have to cultivate a much better service. At present she stands 13ft behind the line and serves underhanded. She also had the English characteristic of being heavy on her feet.

C. Boussus is a young Frenchman who created a very good impression with Mr. Malcolm. This young man, who will soon be in Australia with his countrymen, is left-handed, and smashes and serves with a peculiar round-arm 6tyle. He is between 18 and ID years of age, and is probably the equal of Borotra. France was particularly fortunate in possessing such players as Lacoste, Borotra, Cochet, Brugnon, and Boussus, who were nearly equal in ability, Mr., Malcolm said. Lacoste's mechanical accuracy in keeping the* ball ih play was amazing and heartbreaking to his more brilliant opponents. The Americans, Tilden and Johnston, were past their prime. Tilden seemed to be infatuated with the game, and in .Mr. Malcolm's opinion played far too much. • America was weak in doubls.

"Patsy" Hendren Convalescent. E. ("Patsy") Hendren, who accompanied the New Zealand cricketers out from London, and had to go ashore at Colombo with a bad attack of pleurisy, passed through Fremantle recently on his way to Adelaaide, to take up his appointment as coach for the South Australian Cricket Association. • Hendren is very disappointed about his illness, as he has been advised by a doctor not to take strenuous exercise. He will return to England for Ihe English season in March.

Speaking about the probable personnel of the English team to tour -Australia next year, Hendren said the strength of a Tory useful side would depend largely upon the fitness of Larwood for the tour, as it was thought the Englishman would be very dangerous on Australian wickets. Jupp, of Northampton, was another bowler likely to come, and it was almost certain that Tate would make the trip. He thought Hammond would be one of the first men chosen as the Gloucestershire player had made a thousand runs in a month last season. He was a prolific batsman, and should be a great success in as, in addition, he was probably the best fielder in tho world. Hobbs was likely to come, and Sutcliffe was a possibility. _ A. P. F. Chapman might come as captain. The aspirants for wicketkeeper would be George Brown, of Hampshire, and Ames, of Kent. Besides his ability in this department Brown was a fine bowler, a clever mid-off, and a left-hand batsman of more than ordinary ability. Ames had batting and youth in his favour.

As regards his own position, Hendren said every English cricketer was anxious, to get a trip to Australia, and he would try hard himself, although he was not sure of his position with Adelaide. Having just learned by wireless of Sutcliffe's appointment to the Yorkshire captaincy, Hendren expressed the opinion that Wilfred Rhodes would have earned the

distinction if he had been a few years younger. "Wilfred is still the best lefthand bowler in England, with the possible exception of Parkin," he stated.

Macartney Mislays His Bat. It is not the bat that scores the runs, if one can judge by the performance of Macartney in a recent match between Mailey's touring team and a country eleven. The famous Australian mislaid his bat, and was in a quandary. However, he picked up a badly-balanced bat belonging to a local schoolboy, and knocked up 110 runs in a very short time. He brought the bat back and put it in the dressing-room. When the owner of the bat was informed that Macartney had used it he said: "I thought it looked like my bat with all the binding on it. I was going to sell it to a schoolmate, but now I would not take five pounds for it."