NEW ZEALAND WINS WRESTLING TEST

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 174, 20 April 1937, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND WINS WRESTLING TEST

Amateur Contests HOME TEAM’S FIVE BOUTS TO THREE New Zealand amateur wrestlers decisively beat the Australian visiting team in a test match at. the Wellington Town Hall last night. Of the eight bouts, all of which were lively and brisk, New Zealand won five. The bouts, wrestled under strict Olympic amateur rules, reflected very creditably on the physique and experience of the New Zealand wrestlers. Results were:— Flyweight. S. Bradley (New Zealand) won by default from A. Parsons (Australia). Bantamweight. L. Nolan (New Zealand), Bst. 101 b., beat E. Purcell (Australia). Sst. 111 b.. by one fall. Nolan tripped Purcell, and held him on the mat, trying hard to press him. Purcell resisted stubbornly, although held helpless in a headlock. The fall left only a bare minute to wrestle. Featherweight. R. Purchase (Australia), Ost. 81b., beat R. W. .Hutchinson (New Zealand), 9st. 11b., on points. Purchase kept behind Hutchinson, trying vainly to turn him over, throughout the bout. Lightweight. V. L. Thomas (New Zealand), lOst. 31b., beat R. Hurley (Australia), 10si. 41b.. by two falls. Thomas attacked vigorously. .tripped Hurley, and forced his shoulders down at Iniin. 32sec. The Australian then became cautiously defensive for six minutes, until, at 7.17, Thomas capsized him with a headlock, and took a second fall. Welterweight. E. Morley (New Zealand), 11.5, beat W. J. Sinclair (Australia), 10.8, on points, after a very even tussle. In the first two minutes Sinclair showed greater speed ami strength than his opponent, but Morley took him round the waist and threw him, and worried him for some time. In the latter stages he wore Sinclair to the mat, but had not time to pin him. Middleweight. 11. R. Godfrey (New Zealand). 12.1, beat R. Vickers (Australia), 12.6, " on points. -Godfrey brought the Australian down very neatly with a flying mare, but Vickers turned the tables on him on the mat. Again on top. Godfrey spent some time trying to lever his man over with a half-nelson. In the closing minutes the pace accelerated, but no fall eventuated. Light-heavyweight. F. Gardiner (Australia). 13.8, beat T. Anderson (New Zealaud), 13.2, on points after a hard bout.. The opening phases were alive and interesting. Anderson showed well at first against greater weight and height: he brought Gardiner down with a two-arm hold. Gardiner snapped on a fine wristlock, but Anderson escaped. The second time Gardiner followed his wrist-lock witli a forbidden head-scissors, and had to let go. A third attempt was checked by the gong. Heavyweight. J. Knight (Australia), 14.8, beat I. Palmer (New Zealaud), 13.41, by one fall. Knight, with a great advantage of weight, bore Palmer to tbe mat. Palmer wrestled well defensively against an obviously experienced opponent, who secured a fall with body-press at 9min. 12 sec. Mr. T. C-reeke refereed.