ROUND OF SPORT

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 5, 6 January 1940, Page 18

ROUND OF SPORT

BIG EVENT FOR BOWLERS

CENTENNIAL TOURNAMENT NEXT WEEK

One of the big New Zealand Centenary events in the field of sport is to commence in Wellington on Monday, and it will claim the keen attention of sportsmen from all parts of the. Dominion. It is the New Zealand bowling tournament, and it has attracted the very large entry of about 800 players. Most of the Dominion's leading bowlers will be in action, and, with the rise of many others to championship class, there is likely to be some of the finest bowling on record in New Zealand at this notable gathering. The various greens in and around Wellington will be well occupied for over a week, and it will be.no light task carrying the big tournament through. The job, however, is in capable hands, and, with good weather, everything is expected to run smoothly. The singles are to be commenced on Monday, the pairs on Wednesday, and the fours on Friday.

Claude Williams, the Canterbury and New Zealand Rugby forward, who was one of the more impressive players in the last All Black trials in Wellington, has been unable, owing to business duties and .study, to play in Christchurch competition cricket this season. A really promising pace bowler —with Plunket Shield possibilities— he has played in the past two or three seasons with West Christchurch, along with Kerr, Donnelly, and company. Canterbury lack a fast bowler of class (Mulcock, Mcßae, and Davis are barely more than medium paced) and Williams may yet find a place in the provincial eleven. * » • • The possibility of a New Zealand colts' cricket eleven visiting Australia in the future was mentioned by Mr. L. J. Brabin, of Wellington, during the! colts' quadrangular tournament in Christchurch this week. Some time ago, when a Melbourne cricket official, Mr. A. J. Fraser, was visiting Wellington, Mr. Brabin first mooted the scheme. The spade work on the Australian side was undertaken by Mr. Fraser, and it appears now as if considerable progress has been made in the negotiations. Everything, of course, is pretty well in the air at the moment for several reasons, particularly the international situation, but when war clouds blow over something concrete may be achieved. It will certainly stimulate the game among the younger player?

One of the most brilliant performances possible for any cricket was achieved by L. Smith, slow left-hand spin bowler, when he took all ten wickets for South Canterbury in the match against Ashburton at Ashburton last Monday (states the "Timaru Herald"). The feat of taking ten wickets is rare in club cricket, but to do this in a representative match must be one of the outstanding performances in New Zealand cricket. Smith is a very tricky bowler who can be difficult on the best of wickets owing to the amount of spin he is able to impart to the ball and the fact that, he bowls with his brains and constantly seeks the weaknesses of the various batsmen. With a big off break, a sharp leg break, and a googly Smith combines an ability to keep an accurate length that is too rarely found in a bowler of his type. It will be a pity if his qualities are not recognised by the Canterbury selector in the near future. ■■ .! !f If 4 • The New Zealand Speedboat Championship will be held it Picton on January 13. Pelorus Jack, which has won the title for the last four years in succession, recently had a successful trial at a speed of over 60 miles per hour. The Otago challenger, Miss Otago, which has had bad luck in former years, is reported to have; a speed of 70 miles per hour. Also on the programme' are the New Zealand Outboard Championship and the Black

and White Cup contest for. boats at class 200 cubic inches. ,; Waikato, who scored 390, beat Poverty Bay in a Hawke. Cup challenge match by an innings and 143 runs at Hamilton this week. PovertyBay, in the first innings, made 170 (D. A. Wells 32, D. Cederwell. 26, P. Dow 23). E. Everest took three wickets for 33 runs, M. Lyon two for 33, and A. Lissette two for 48. The Bay followed on and were dismissed for 88 (P. Dow 28, C. Fraser 19, R. Thomson 16). E. Everest took four wickets for 26 runs, J. Bright three for 16, and T. Lyon three for 16.

"We are likely to have.at least one Rugby international match this season." says an English writer. "It is pi-actio ally certain, I am told, that the .-French and British Armies will clash in Paris on New Year's Day. Whether there will be any wartime internationals in England remains to be seen, but there is a strong feeling among Rugby men in the Services'that some game might be arranged, possibly on .the Central Command' ground at Aldershot. One idea is-to copy the Rugby, centenary match and select 'player^ from England and- Wales to meet others from Scotland and Ireland. Proceeds would go to the Red Cross." Another writer in; a different. paper said: "Efforts are being made to arrange some representative ■; Rugby matches in aid of the Red Cross Fund. So many of the.leading.Rugby players have joined the Forces that it is felt the best plan would be to stage international games , among-men in the Services." . • .. *. . -. . .