BILLIARDS

Evening Post, Issue 88, 12 April 1924, Page 19

BILLIARDS

CLARK M'CONACHY IN LONDON

PREPARING FOR THE, CHAMPIONSHIP.

(PROS OUE OWN. COttkESFONDHiTJ

LONDON, 21st February. ' Mr. Clark M'C'onachy wasted no time in getting down to work as soon as he i arrived from the Dominion, and for the past fortnight he has spent. from three to sis hours of each days at Burroughes Hall, Soho square, in assiduous billiard , 'practice. The trip over in the Buahine was a useful break between play with the composition balls and with the ivory balls. lie. had no opportunity of'keeping up practice on board, of course. Now that he has begun again with the ivory ball^ he finds that the skill he acquired in their use when he was last in England, comes back very rapidly. i The New Zealand champion looks fit and well, and apparently has the confidence which comes from knowing exactly what' to expect on this side of the world when he meets the greatest bil- I liard players. He maintains he is an all- j round better play or than he was. two I years ago, and a little-time spent watching him play this morning amply demonstrated that this is so. He seemed perfectly at homo at the top of the table, a. style of play he rather evaded when he was here before. So far as it was possible to judge from witnessing a practice game, it would seem that he has rid of some of those nervous mannerisms which previously marked his play. ■ ... This year the championship is to be a match of 16,000 instead of 8000, and this is evidently a great advantage for the New Zealand player. Mr. M'Conaohy is quite aware of the brilliancy of Newman's play, whom he meets on 7th April, but he has strong convictions as to the result of the match. If no unforeseen' circumstances in the shape of a cold or. influenza has to be faced, he should do vconsiderably better than- when he was here befora. Mr. and Mrs. M'Conachy and', their two children, and Mr. F. H. Bax (touring manager), and Mrs. -Bax (Napier) have.takerva flat, at No., .1 ,-,Nevern Mansions, Bart's' Court. ■' ' 'At teif the English championships they go.-on to South< Africa, where a series of exhibition games will be played. '