LACROSSE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 532, 12 June 1909, Page 12

LACROSSE.

(Br "Left Defence.") For the third time- this season, the Basin Keservo was not available last Saturday, 'Die action of 'the City Council, in. closing its gates against some 70 or SO athletes, upon the excuse that' play would injuro the turf, is a rather anomalous ono. In Sydney and Melbourne, where the cricket grounds are recognised as among the finest in the world, and much ahead of our covotod area play is nover prohibited on account of tho ground being wot. On tho contrary, it is recognised by the caretakers of these grounds that, matches played while tho ground is sodden has a very beneficial effect upon the turf.

However, the best had to bo mado of tho disappointment, and some thirty players made their way to Anderson's Park, where it .was observed, tho conditions wero such as would hardly point to an enjoyable game The ground was little moro a quagmire, and players must havo departed with a good coating of tho rather doubtful soil forming a top dressing on tho park. • The younger players again demonstrated their ability to use tho crossc. In Major, Seymour, Nicholls, and Learder, Wellington has four lino players in the making. Ahern appears to bo at home in tho soft going, and showed much improvement upon former efforts. Stacoy was a welcome reappearance with the> stick, and. hold' somo of Capitol's fine dcFcnco up to riiliculc by bis tricky play. His knowledge of tho finer points of the pjimie has certainly not deteriorated through bis enforced retirement. Eller plnyed a good name at first home, nml some of liis shots were extremely slick. With a little moro experience at catching, ho will bo :i very proficient prosscr.

Fnma an;l Horn wcro out for sprinting. They vory forcibly doinonstratcd their 'prowess nt this, but llcetncss of font, is not. the only essential to the making of a (iist-j>railo player, and both might, with mU-niitiigo to tho quality of Ihoir play, pass just a littln earlier than is thoir wont, leaving tlio worl; of sbootinjj goala to tho homoa.

in the z<olo as loi&rdi&n of the not, was very firm, end worfeod like a Trojan the whole game. At tho present timo it would be difficult to find en equal to this burly player, whose timing and blocking is oxcollent. Jantfco was a spectator under compulsion, and it is hoped that this ideal defender will have recovered from his injury before the Auckland match. Messrs. Clonaton, Jantko, Robinson, Alan Montgomery, and Stacoy, have been delegated to choose the representative team. With so many players of equal calibre in Wellington at the presont time, those officials will find it difficult to select a dozen possessing better qualities than tho rest. To assist them, however, the usual matches will be forgone during the period between this and July 10, and a sorios of tost matches will take placo. For the two, Saturdays immediately prior to tho Auckland mateli, the first will be devoted to a match between two teams, best defence versus best attack, and next, best defence pitted against Hit wise attack. Tho following week will see the chosen dozen doing battle against a B team. Moyer, tho Sydnoysido crosser, was present at practice on Wednesday morning, at Kelburno Park, which, by the way, is available for. practice every morning till 8 o'clock. Moyer shaped like a champion, and his method of keeping players on tho move the wliolo time, instead of standing for a pass, was very favourably commented on. Ho will be an acquisition to Capitol, wlioso colours ho will don in this week's, game. During the next six weeks, "Left Do--fence" will include each Saturday, three laws of tho game—there are eighteen in all—for the guidance Of players whose knowledge, in soino'cases, appears rather narrow. My three this week :—

. 1. Tho crosse may be of any longtli to suit the player, woven with catgut, which must not be bagged. (Catgut means raw hide gut or elotJi strings, not cord or soft loather.) The netting must be flat when the ball is not on it. In its widest part t!io crosso shall not exceed ono foot.- A string must be brought through tho hole at llio side of tho tip of the turn to prevent the point of the stick catching an opponent's crosso. A leading string may be used, but must not be fastened so as to overlap Hie other length strings, neither shall it, or any other fixings, bo fastened bo as to form a pocket lower down the stick than to tho ends of the length strings. The length strings must be woven to- within two inches of their termination, so that tho ball cannot catch in the meshes. Section (2) No kind of metal whatever shall be used upon Iho crosso. Section (3) Players may change their crosso during a match. .Law 2. Tho Ball.—The ball must bo of india-rubber sponge, not less than eight inohes, and not more than 8} inches in circumference. It must weigh not less than 4J and not more than 4J ounces, and it shall be white. In matches tho home club shall furnish two or more balls, one of which shall, not be,used until the commencement on the final quarter. ■ • .Law 3. The Goals.-Each goal shall consiot of two polos, which must be six feet, and six fsot only, above the ground, including any top ornaments, and six feet apart To each pair of goal posts shall be attached a net oxtendine six feet behind tlie posts nt the ground lino, and eix feet wide, slopiim towards and reaching the top of tho posts, and olosod m ono the sides. The mceh of the net shall be not less than 3i inches in measurement. Tho width of the goal posts eha. bo preserved by a bar to which tlie n.t t L ■ !^f e \ ln , mateh «s they murt be furnished by Uie club on whose ground the matches to be played, and shall be placed A»ii t % pk T g - E ? nnd hetwwn' goals S^ciue.^ dsitt,eDeth : unkßS : wllWo