GAMES AND PLAYERS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25809, 21 May 1949, Page 4

GAMES AND PLAYERS

(By ’‘MILES") How Heavy? Reports irom South Africa suggest that the Springboks’ scrum will be very heavy; but will it be any heavier than the eight which was beaten by Canterbury at Lancaster in 1921? Here are the players of 28 years ago and their Weights:—T.. P. 13 . st . 31b; w - H - < s °y> Morkel, 13st 111 b; J. J. Van Rooyen, 15st 51b; J. M. Michau, 16st Sib; Royle Morkel. 17st 216; M. Ellis, 13st 616; N. Du Plessis, 14st 416; F. Mellish. 13st Sib. In the Canterbury team, c. R. Murray, 13st Tib. was the heaviest torwani. When the 1949 New Zealand team left New Zealand the heaviest man was H. Fraser (Hawke's Bay), who weighed 15 stone. Information Please ,„A correspondent, who signs hlmselt Wager," asks: "Did the following incident happen within the last 10 years at Lancaster Park?: the ball from a shot at goal struck the far upright, rebounded to the near upright, hit the cross-bar and went over?” Yes. Th* writer well remembers this incident, but cannot recall just when it happened or who was the lucky kicker. Readers may be able •to help. Fixtures May 21: New Zealand and Australian Universities Test (Dunedin); Maoris v. Southern States (Melbourne); New Zealand. cricket team v. M.C.C. (Lord’s). University Team on Tour ' The New Zealand Universities’ athletic team which left Wellington yesterday, will have its first race meeting at Sydney next Saturday. Comprised of 11 well-known performers, this is one of the strongest University teams to leave New Zealand, and it is a pity it has been debarred from competing at the all-Australian Universities tournament. The team is as follows:—D. R. Batten (100, 220, and 440 yards), J. H. Borland (high jump), D. P. Culav (shot put), G. G. H. Gilmour (junior field events), J. C. Grierson (mile and 880 yards), J. c. Hawke (distances), C. M. Kay (long and hop, step, and jump), J. G. S. Myles (sprints), J. D. Sinclair (middle distances), J. S. Williams (hurdles), and J. E. Millar (half-mile). The team will compete at two meetings at Sydney with the prospect of a third at Melbourne. An Australian Boxer

Keith Francis, wno will meet Archie Cahill in a 10-rounds bout at Christchurch on May 30, comes from Australia with a good record. He is one of the famous Jack Dunleavy school of boxers. He is only 22 years old, and he* has not been beaten in his last 22 fights. He has won 10 by knock-outs and 12 on points. His real name is Keith Francis Finney. He recently outpointed the French bantamweight, Emile Famechon, who was rated in the world’s first seven in the bantamweight division. In Cahill, Francis will meet a man as fast and clever as any seen in a New Zealand ring for some years, and one ready to mix it from gong to gong. Hay-Mackenzie Unlucky

R. Hay-Mackenzie, a former Canterbury representative golfer, appeared to be completely out of luck in the final round of the amateur stroke competition in the recent Victory tournament at Auckland. He finished only two strokes behind the leaders, D. L. Woon and E. W. Young (Auckland), with a score of 301, and a final round of 74. This was an excellent effort, but a tragedy at the twelfth hole in the final round virtually robbed him of the championship. His drive at that hole was short and straight, and after a good second placed his third to within 18 inches of the hole. A birdie 4 looked certain, but he played the put carelessly, and the ball stopped on the lip. He gave the ball a quick knock with the back of his putter and was flabbergasted to see it hit the back of the hole and bounce a foot away. He finished the hole with a 6. Overcoming Disabilities

"Many men and women doomed in early life because of ill-health and loss of limbs, have lived to become sports stars and even world-beaters,” writes Willy Meis! in "World Sporte,” Hans Redl, the one-armed champion tennis player of Austria, reached the last 16 at Wimbledon. Mrs Hilde Sperling-Krahwinkel, with only three fingers on her racquet nand, was a Wimbledon finalist in 1931 and 1936. Johnny Weismuller, swimming star, suffered from a weak heart when young. Glen Cunningham as a child was an invalid. Group Captain Douglas Bader, who lost both legs in the war, improved his golf handicap from >l2 to 4. Geoffrey Payne, with a handicap of three, passes his crutches to his caddy and drives a ball 260 yards. Karoly Takacs lost his right hand at the war, and became a lefthander to win the world’s pistol-shot Ron Brown, who lost an arm, became one of England’s best road-racing cyclists. Eugene Criqui, former world featherweight, had a large piece of silver inserted in his jawbone, and George Hackenschmidt carries a few silver ribs. Manfred Loos, with only one leg, has cleared sft lOin in the high jump, and legless Charlie Zimmerman swam for more than 100 hours at Honolulu in 1931.

A New Champion Old-timers in Australia who have for many years claimed Jack Donaldson as the greatest sprinter of all time, are reported to have clasped the hand of John Stoney sfter his run in the Stawell Gift, and admitted that he was greater than Donaldson. Stoney ran into third place. It is said to be certain that 4iis run was the greatest ever made in Australia. World’s record of 12sec dead for the 130 yards is held by Donaldson, who established it at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1911. That is 10 yards inside evens. Stoney’s run represents 9yds Ift 9Jin inside evens. The Stawell track* has a considerable rise. The Chareres for Football

The New Zealand Rugby Union cannot be accused of making exorbitant charges for matches under its control if a line can be taken through South Africa. According to the “Cape Argus” 3600 seats will be available for the general public for the Natal-All Blacks Rugby match at Kingsland on June 18. when booking opens on May 16. These are made up of 936 seats in the covered stand, 2865 in the uncovered stand, and 200 chairs. In addition 100 covered and 30a uncovered seats will be available for postal bookings. A block of 1000 seats has been withdrawn for preferential boking for persons connected with Rugby in Natal. Prices are: covered stands, £1 each; uncovered stands, 12s 6d each; chairs, 25s each. Accommodation for a further 20,000 spectators will be available on the grass banks surrounding Kingsmead. Tickets for the banks will not be sold in advance, admission being through the turnstiles on the day of the match at 3s 6d a head. Admission charges for the test games are a shade higher and range from £1 10s for reserved seats in grandstands, and 15s for benches to 5s for students and 2s 6d for scholars. Soccer Trials

In preparation for games in defence of the English Football Association's Shield st the Show Ground next month, a trial match will be played at English Park today. The selectors have made it plain that selection may be made from outside the 22 players engaged. Current form and experience with past performances will play a major part in the final seleetion, particularly in the forward line, where split-second timing and marksmanship are so essential against good defences. Although forward play has shown consistent improvement this season, there is still a lack of thrust. In last Saturday’s game between two of the leading teams, Thistle and Technical A, where general cohesion was good, only two goals were scored. One pleasing feature of this game was the manner in which the Thistle flank halves came into the attack at critical periods to give it extra penetration. Nowadays the plav of wing halves and inside forwards is closely related, and it is through their tactics that matches are won or lost. Lack of Amateurs

Ameteur boxing in Dunedin is in the doldrums at the moment. Not because of a lack of facilities for training or encouragement by the Otago Boxing Association, but because sufficient boys are not coming forward to take part in competition, says the “Otago Daily Times.” The association has already made two abortive attempts to promote a novice and open tournament, but the dearth of competitors made the holding of the fixture impossible. The same position appeared to have arisen in Christchurch which haslet to open the boxing season, put a meeting of executive and trainers last week ironed out very smoothly all the grievances. Accommodation Restricted

Eleven Maori footballers will have to sleep in one room at their hotel during their stay in Brisbane for the second Test on June 11, and the match against Queensland on June 13. says the “Sydney Morning Herald.” The Australian bowls carnival will be held in Brisbane during that period, and bowlers have booked out practically the entire accommodation of the city and environs. Queensland officials have not yet definitely placed Maoris but have been promised accommodation at a hotel for a party of 28. This will be possible only by clearing out the coffee lounge, and placing beds in it for 11 members of the team. Due to accommodation shortage in Canberra during a Parliamentary session, the Maori team will be accommodated at the Australian Forestry School, Yarralumla, for the match against Canberra on May 25. Fourteen members of the team will have rooms. The rest will be accommodated in a dormitory. Sutcliffe’s I .ack of Success The success of the New Zealand cricket team in England has been something of a surprise, even to those who thought the side might develop into the best that New Zealand has sent overseas. So far, the batting of most of the top players has been up to expectations, and the

bowlers have done remarkably well. Perhaps the chief disappointment is the failure of B. Sutcliffe to make his usual quota of runs. In nearly every innings he has been caught on the leg side or has had his leg stump knocked out. It would appear that, after the fast wickets in New Zealand in the last two summers, butcliffe is not at home on slower pitches, where the ball tends to hang a little after pitching. However, Sutcliffe is a really accomplished batsman and a determined one, and with concentration he should develop a leg side technique as sound as nis off side play. His string of comparatively small scores should make him concentrate, and it would not be at all surprising to find his scoring his centuries very soon. Much-needed Help

Northamptonshire, in the last 15 years, has won very few matches in the Engl.sh county cricket championship, and the county supporters must have been heartened by the side’s convincing win against Kent at the start of the present season. Perhaps more interesting is the fact that Northamptonshire’s win was effected chiefly by F. R. Brown, the captain, and a former Surrey and England plaver Brown was never the force in test cricket his performances suggested he would be. chiefly because when he was in his prime England’s selectors made almc st a fetish of fast oowling. There is no doubt, however, that Brown, with his slow legbreak bowling—those who saw him at Lancaster Park in 1933 will recall his remarkably loose wrist—and forceful batting, was one of the best all-rounders of his day. and it is to be hoped he has many more days of success with his new county.