GAMES AND PLAYERS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25555, 24 July 1948, Page 4

GAMES AND PLAYERS

ATHLETIC SPORTS

(By

“MILES.”)

Competition Takes Turn

The Canterbury Rugby Union's senior championship took another queer turn last Saturday, when Technical’s lead was advanced from half a point to a point and a half, when Sydenham, fourth on the ladder, beat the runners-up, Albion. Marist, which was only a point behind the leaders, lost half a point when it could only play to a draw with New Brighton, one of the wooden-spooners. Sydenham won by 16 points, a very, flattering margin, for the three tries scored were opportunist and a potted goal came after an Albion speculation. Sydenham deserved to win, but not by such a wide margin. The competition is in an interesting stage with Technical, 12 points, leading from Albion, Sydenham, and Marist 10J points. There have been upsets, mostly in favour of Technical. Both Marist and Sydenham have helped by beating Albion, Marist have played drawn games with New Brighton, Sunnyside, and University, and New Brighton has done its part by beating Sydenham and drawing with Marist. Old Boys also put Sydenham down a point when the latter crashed in the first round. The Sydenham-Technical game to-day will have a bearing on the competition. After that mast clubs will be weakened when their men play representative football. Anything might happen. The American Golf Ball

The slightly larger-sized golf ball used in the United States was introduced in an

attempt to make scoring more difficult by reducing length, according to Henry Longhurst, the noted British golf writer, the ball makes the game much less difficult. Longhurst argues that this is particularly apparent in the short game and in putting. The ball being just that little bit bigger, he contends, you hit it just that little bit more truly. “Take for instance,” he writes, “an approach of 30 yards. You hit it very nearly right, but a tiny trifle on the ‘bare’ side. It goes seven feet past the hole and you miss the putt by a fraction of an inch. With the American ball you would have hit it just that little bit nearer the dead centre. It would have run four feet past instead of seven, and, all being well, you would have holed the putt.” He also argues that one may get at the ball from a close lie with greater certainty and accuracy. Australian Athletes Although he was running a high temperature, John Treloar, Australian Olympic sprinter, made a brilliant debut in England on Saturday, July 3, when he won the British 100 yards championship at White City. Treloar was applauded by 40,000 spectators when he scored a convincing win over A. McCorquadale, British Army champion, and E. McDonald Bailey. Jamaican star. Treloar did 9.Bsec, time he could have improved upon. He withdrew from the 220 yards, in which John Bartram finished third. The Australian runners generally showed themselves unaccustomed to cinders, but this was not so with Maurice Curotta, who cleared away from the field in the 440 yards and scored a comfortable win from Reardon, the Eire champion, in 48.2 sec. It was a good day for Australia, for John Winter won the high jump, Avery the hop, step, and jump, and Bruce the broad jump. Mervyn Wood, Australian sculler, enhanced his Olympic prospects by winning the Diamond Sculls, the blue riband at Henley regatta. Bradman and Old Trafford

Since Bradman forced his way into the cricket limelight 20 years ago, he has scored a century once in every three innings in first-class games, a record unapproached by anyone else with a career of comparable length. At Old Trafford, Manchester, however, his success story is

in a very minor key. In 1930, he scored 9 and 48 not out against Lancashire, and 38 and 23 not out in the return match with the county. In the Manchester test that year, he made 14. In 1934, he did not play against Lancashire, and scored 30

in the test. In 1938, he made 12 in the first innings against. Lancashire, but 101 not out in the second. Against Lancashire during the present tour, he scored

only 11 and 43, and in the recent test, 7 and 30 not out—only one century in 12 innings, with the poor average (for Bradman) of 42.

Sporting Spirit

When R. McCammon kicked a neat field goal in the senior Rugby match against Training College at Rugby Park last Saturday, he assured his side of victory. It was a very good kick, but it must have been disappointing to the Training College team, which had fought valiantly against a heavier side, to see its last chance disappearing over the cross-bar. However, one Training College player ran out and shook McCammon’s hand—an instinctive gesture by one who obviously plays the game in the right spirit. A Class Boxer

The visit of the Queensland champion welter-weight, Laurie Petersen, has given to Christchurch patrons a view of a highclass boxer-fighter, the equal of whom has not been seen in a New Zealand ring for years. He is a master of his art and his

career after he has left New Zealand will be followed with interest. The Canterbury Boxing Association took a big risk in staging an out-door boxing contest at this season of the year, and the weather was not kind. It was a bright idea that prompted the executive to decide on Wilding Park for the fight against Cruickshanks. Tennis headquarters revealed to many for the first time the ideal stadium for such a contest. The seating is high and roomy, and every spectator is assured of a clear view of the fighters on the stage in the middle of the court. It Is a pity Wilding Park cannot be made available at all seasons «f the year for important bouts. County Cricket

When Glamorganshire lost to Warwickshire in a county cricket match this week, it also lost its lead in the championship, which is now held by Derbyshire. This county has won the championship only twice—in 1874 and 1936-r-and its present

lead is a very slender one. The points so far are: Derbyshire 124, Glamorganshire 120, Yorkshire 100, Middlesex 100, Lancashire 96, Hampshire 92, Warwickshire 84, Surrey 84, Gloucestershire 76, Essex 54, Worcestershire 52, Somerset 52, Nottinghamshire 50. Kent 40, Sussex 40, Northamptonshire 32, Leicestershire 32. Answers to Correspondents

Poker, Kumara.—The game was played at Lancaster Park on September 18, 1926, Hawke’s Bay winning by 17 points to 15. For Hawke’s Bay B. A. Grenside (2), M. Brownlie, W. R. Irvine, and A. E. Cooke scored tries, Grenside converting one. Canterbury’s scorers were A. C. C. Robilliard and N. Doreen (tries), H. T. Lilburne field goal, and S. R. Carleton, penalty goal. Lilburne converted one try. Interested, Highbank.—This is Kuusisto’s first season in New Zealand.

Best-dressed Team The Sydenham Rugby Club is to be commended for the appearance of its firstgrade team, which paraded on the oval at Lancaster Park against Albion, and it should be possible for every other club to 'do what Sydenham has done. The jerseys, which carried extra large numbers, were all the official cardinal and blue, the shorts had apparently just come from the laundry, stockings matched the jerseys, and polished boots with white laces completed a uniform that did credit to the club. After seeing other teams turning out in jerseys of varying hues, and mudcaked boots, the appearance of the Sydenham team was refreshing;