STANDING BY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 193, 17 August 1931, Page 7

STANDING BY.

FOR THE TEST.

First Day's Play a Complete

Wash-out.

N.Z. CRICKETERS' TOUR

(Special to N.Z. Press Association.)

MANCHESTER, August 16,

It rained all day at Manchester on Friday and there was no play yesterday in the Test match between the New Zealand cricketers and England. The rain ceased during the night and in the morning it was fine. However, the ground wae almost a quagmhe as the result of more than 24 hours of con-, tinual rain.

Had the wicket been covered it might have been fit for play in the afternoon. The outfield showed patches of stained grass where the groundsmen had swept away pools of surface water.

The groundsmen worked throughout the morning in an effort to get the ground fit for play, but two showere in the early afternoon practically undid all their work.

Shortly after lunch the umpires decided that play should be abandoned for the day. The New Zealanders were keenly disappointed, but realise that cricket under the conditions ruling at Old Trafford was impossible.

The New Zealand team will not be selected until Monday morning. The visitors will be entertained to-day at Sir Edwin Stockton's country house.

The critics generally consider that England should win. They are encouraged by the bowling successes in the county matches on Friday of Larwood, Verity, Brown and Hammond. They admit that Dempster will make a great improvement in the New Zealand batting.

Arrangements have been made for Mr. Neville Cardus to broadcast a description of the match each evening.

SOCCER IN SCOTLAND.

EARLY LEAGUE MATCHES.

LONDON, August 16.

The results in the League Association football matches played in Scotland yesterday were as follow:—

First Division.—Airdrie lost to Aberdeen, 2—4; Ayr lost to Hamilton, I—3; Celtic beat Dundee United, 3—2; Cowdenbeath beat Clyde, 3 —o; Dundee beat Morton, 2—l; Hearts beat Kilmarnock, 3 —o; Mother well beat Rangers, 4—2; Partick lost to Falkirk, I—2; St. Mirren beat Queen's Park, 2—o; Third Lanark beat Leith, 2—o.

Second Division.—Alloa drew with King's Park, 2 —2; Armadale lost to Queen South, I—3; Edinburgh City lost to Bonees, 2 —3; East Stirling beat Albion, s—l; Forfar beat Hibernians, 1—0; Montrose beat East Fife, 3—2, Raith lost to Dunfermline, o—2; St. Bernard's beat Brechin, s—l;5 —1; St. Johnstone beat Dumbarton, 3—o; Stenhousemuir beat Arbroath, 2—o.

WON BY 50 YARDS.

N.S.W. CROSS-COUNTRY RACE.

SYDNEY, August 16,

The New South Wales cross-country race of 10,000 metres (about 6£ miles) yesterday was won by J. Sheaves. His time was 34.57. J. Patterson, 35.7 was second, and Chris. Patterson, 35.12, third. M. J. Mackenzie, the title-holder, 35.10, was fourth. Sheaves won brilliantly by 50yds.