Lawn Tennis.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 128, 26 November 1904, Page 14

Lawn Tennis.

(Bt Huka.)

The Senior "Shield" contests last Saturday resulted in a win for Wellington, Brougham Hill, and Thorndon. Wellington just managed to shave home from Newtown, and with the score 6 sets all it was left to M'Lean and Marks v. Brailsford and Grady to fight it out. The Wellington pair rushed off with the lead, the score being called 5 love, but Grady and Brailsford, with a fine effort, evened. The overhead work of the Wellington pair at last pulled them through, and they won for their club the set, 9—6. West played a. fine game against Wilson, and won comfortably. The other men's singles were won fairly easily by the Wellington men, although Brailsford put up a good fight, which is to be wondered at, as he has had little or no practice of late. West and Redward surprised their supporters by beating Brown and Wilson, but it was anyone's game up to the last stroke. Reid and Green proved too good for Fraser and C. Redward. Miss Travers had all her work cut out to beat Miss Glasgow, who is not playing quite so well as last season, but she will improve. Miss Robinson had all the best of the game with Miss Williams, and won comfortably. The former lady is in fine form this season, but must be careful, or she will become stale. Misses Travers and Williams combined well in the double, and did not give Mrs. Wilson and Miss Glasgow much chance. Misses Robinson and Clark had not much trouble with Misses Williams and Fairclough, although the latter pair struggled gamely to the finish. In the combined events, Newtown won both. Miss Clark and Grady had an exciting match against Mi&s Fairclough and Green, and only won by the smallest, of margins. The Victoria College v. Brougham Hill heat resulted in a win for the latter club by 12 sets to 1. Amies started his game against Beere with great vim, and never gave his opponent a chance until he had the score to s—love.,5 — love. , Beere then rapidly took gamfe after game, and evened the score, only to see his opponent come again and with sterling play win, 9—6.9 — 6. Richmond rushed away from Lindsay, and led 4—l,4 — 1, but failed completely afterward, and Lindsay took eight gamt3 in succession. Prouse and Hunter had a very even game, although the latter won, 9—4. The fifth game was a very long one, afler which the winner got the upper hand. Wilson seemed to outclass Fraser in his match at ihe start, and led 3 — love, but the latter, having by that time got the length, evened up the score. Tho game was a ding-dong one forthwith— first one and then the other leading Wi.son was doing line overhead work at the net, and Fraser was replying with brilliant p ;«- ing skots. The sixteenth game was a remarkable one. Fraser was ten times in Bucctmon within one stroke of game ; then Wilson secured the advantage, but the former player was not to be denied, and deuce was called in his favour. Each m turn had a look in, but ab length Fraser carried the day with two succesrive points, and the game was called 8 all Going on Fraser took next game w.'ly, but did not get the eighteenth until deuce had been called four times. Both players, when they had settled down, gave a fine exhibition. Amies and Gower combined splendidly in their double against Beere and Wilson, Uouer being very good at the net. Hunter and Lindsay weie too good for Prouse and Richmond, the latter being troubled greatly with Hunter's serve. Cox and Fraser led 6 —^ from Graham and De la Mare, when the latter came with a ru*,n and evened, 6 all, but the Brougham Hill pair took charge again and won, 9—7. Cox is probably the most promising young player in the Biougham Hill Club, but h« would be wise if he turned a little more rLlention to his serve. If he put some of the style into his serve that he smashes with he would bs a most dangerous m<vn. Miss Ward led Miss Van Staveren 3—2. Then the latter lady took five games in (succession and won, 7—3.7 — 3. The winner played a fine steady game, and worried her opponent with her cat strokes Miss Ward, when at the net and in a winning position, frequently volleyed into t the net through over-anxiety. The winner scored 39 strokes to 32. All the other gnmes were won fairly easily by Brougham Hill., Miss Ritchie and Mrs. Howe worked well together, the former showing good volleying powers, but she should put her smashes more across court. Thorndon beat Petone on the grass with ease, the only game that went to the latter club being the ladies' singles between Miss Jackson and Miss Batham. Miss Jackson, who cuts everything like Miss Van Staveren, won, 7—4. Miss Batham, who depends upon her drive principally, drove the falling balls of her opponent either into the net or out. A cut ball naturally keeps low, and should be lifted. Lycctt, the Victorian player, attracted considerable attention and played a very good game, but he is much better at doubles than singles. Miss Morrah won a good game, 7—5,7 — 5, from Miss Penney, the latter playing well. Mrs. Wilkinson and Miss Price fought hard against Misses Morrah and Rees, who were just too good, and won, 7—6.7 — 6. THE JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP. • Taita I. got a wir in from Victoria College 11. by 8 sets to 5. Sim played a fine game against Putnam, as did Prouse and Gawith for the College against Clere and- Buck respectively. Gillon and Gower wore evenly matched, the latter winning by just a shade The game Buck and Clere v. Putnam and Gower went to the latter pair after a great struggle (9 — 8), but Sim and Welch fell in a most unexpected manner to Prouse and Gawith (9 — 2). Taita won the other double comfortably. The Taita ladies were too strong, and won all their games, although in the combined doubles both sets wefe very close. Brougham Hill A and B had a willing contest on their own courts, and although the A team won by 9 sets to 4, there were three advantage sets which fell to the A team, which" might have with a shade of luck gone to the B team, and the pot would have been upset. As it was, several surprises took plage, as Duncan fell to Gilbert, Marriner to Freeman, and Ward to Masters. THIRD-CLASS CONTEST. Brougham Hill 3rd played Trentham I. on the latter's courts, and were beaten by 4 sets to 3. Unfortunately for the town team, their ladies lost the train, and therefore 3 sets went by default. Horokiwi beat Taita on the"latter's courts. A meeting of the Wellington Provincial Lawn Tennis Association was held on Tuesday night to consider a protest from the Thorndon Club re Brougham Hill v. Thorndon match for the senior contest. Delegates turned up in shoals, and on a count being taken it was found that all previous records were beaten, twenty-two being present. A committee of five representing the Wellington, Petone, and Newtown Clubs was appointed to hear the evidence and decide the case. Briefly, the case apnears to have been as follows :— On £c play Brougham Hill beat

Thoradon by 7 sets to 6, but two of the sets that the winners secured were won 11 — 9 and 9—79 — 7 respectively, and Thorndon claimed these sets as its players led at 9—B9 — 8 and 7—67 — 6 respectively. The point upon which the claim was made was on law, and rule 15 of the Shield Contest was quoted in support of the claim. The rule reads as follows: — "All sets to be as follows : — For men, best of seventeen games ; for ladies and combined games, best of thirteen games ; unless advantage sets are arranged prior to commencement of match." It seems that the Thorndon team had no captain, and pleaded that although it played the games it did not know the rules, and_ had not made any arrangement re advantage games ; therefore it was entitled to the two sets, as the Thorndou players led at 9—B and 7—6 respectively. Brougham Hill contended thaF it had always been its rule to play advantage sets, and also that before these disputed sets were played at all, the point was raised by the umpire of a certain game that was in progress, and it was decided to play advantage sets. Thorndon not having a captain said at the enquiry that it could not have made the arrangement, although Brougham Hill contended that Thorndon's chief player said : "Do as you please ; it makes no difference," or words to that effect; and, it being admitted that the team did hot know the rules, points to the fact that the players were all agreeable to the arrangements of Brougham Hill. The committee decided that as no arrangement had been made re advantage sets — that is, because some one officially on the Brougham Hill side did not decline tb go on with the match until Thorndon had produced a captain and officially made arrangements — the match must be awarded to Thorndon. G. Aitken beat R. D. Harman, 6—3,6 — 3, 6—l,6 — 1, o—6,0 — 6, 6—3,6 — 3, 6—4,6 — 4, in the semifinal of the Cranmer-square Club's championship. The winner at one timß won ten games in succession, and Harman followed with eight successive games. In the final set Harman led 4—o,4 — 0, then Aitken started and won six games in succession. The winner now plays P. A. Laurie in the final. Victoria beat New South Wales in the j Interstate Championship held at Melbourne by 13 rubbers to 8, and also won from South Australia by 14 rubbers to 7.