PEOPLE AND PERFORMANCES

Evening Star, Issue 18808, 5 December 1924, Page 5

PEOPLE AND PERFORMANCES

First cricket, test, England v. Australia, commences at Sydney on, Friday, the 19th inst. Australia has won forty-three tests, England forty, and twenty-one have been drawn. Of the last ten matches played Australia has won eight and drawn two. The omission of the captain (Porter) from the AH Black team against Wales is the most striking feature pf'the selection, as ho was also omitted from the team which met Ireland in the first international contest (says an Auckland writer). It clearly indicates that Porter has not played up to expectations. No doubt one factor that influenced the Selection Committee in adopting this course is Porter s weakness for oft'-sido play, o practice that is looked on with great disfavor in Britain. where wing-forwards a.re always regarded with suspicion. Parker was the wing-forward in the Irish match, and on his displays generally seems to have outshone his captain. Ho is one of the most versatile men in the team, and in the event of one of the backs being injured would be able to till practically any position with credit. “ They are a greater team than the 1905 team, and will win every match. You can’t form any idea of the two teams from the scores, because football in England has come on a very groat deal since 1905. I have been in Britain for the past two years, and have seen all the big games, including two against Franco, and after seeing the All Blacks in four of their matches I formed the opinion that the only team likely to stop them was Oxford University. Now, since the result of that game favored the All Blacks as it did, I am convinced they will win all their games. They will beat England." In these words of emphatic enthusiasm the question which the bulk of New Zealanders arc asking to-day .was answered according to the judgment of a New Zealander, who should know what he is talking about. This keen admirer of the All Blacks is Mr G. Barclay, of Hawke’s Bay, who returned to his native land by the Rimutaka last week, bringing with him a Rugby trophy in the form of a football used in the Leicester match.

The W. P. Howell testimonial cricket match yielded well over £9OO. Luis Firpo must be considered right out of the game now. Charlie Weinart beat him the other day in America. Weinart is only a young man—born in 1895—-but he has never been considered in He championship contenders’ class. Unless Firpo has saved his money he will soon be back on the mark from which lie started —scratch. His reputed nearness with money, however, will probably stick to him. We have seen some great mares in Australia, some who could carry weight over a distance in any company, such as Wakeful (says a Sydney writer). But New Zealand just now has a good one in Gold Light, who ran the 2-j- miles in the Canterbury Cup in time that equals the Australasian record. As Gold Light carried 9st, it will be seen that she is no ordinary ma.ro. Ehe is coming to Sydney for the autumn meetings. The light-weight championship of Australia -was not long out of Ilughie Dwyer’s possession. He regained it at Brisbane from Billy Grime after one of the most brilliantly waged battles witnessed in Brisbane Stadium. Dwyer subsequently announced that he had decided to retire. “ I am through with the game,” ho said, " this is my last fight.” He was accorded a magnificent ovation on leaving the ring. The men met at much the same poundage as in their meeting a fortnight previously—Dwyer 9.3 j. Grime 8.121, Sydney trained horses accounted for only £350 at the Melbourne Cup Meeting. It would bo interesting to know what the Melbourne trip cost our owners as a whole. That £350 would not go far towards covering expenses, and this year Mclhournites have been able to say, without fear of contradiction: “Your horses ire a bad lot."

According to a Melbourne exchange, the terms on which F. Dempsey is going to England to ride for Sir Charles Hyde are i retainer of £I.OOO and a winning por■entago of 10 per cent, on stakes. In Viistralia a £I,OOO retainer has quite a hig sound, hut in England it is rather ■rdinary for any jockey of prominence. When J. Townsend went from India to England at the commencement of this year Ms retainer was £1,500, and from the ‘wo owners who have calls on his services, W. H. M‘Lachlan has received quite as much for the season.

It is almost sixty-three years since H. H. Stephenson led his cricket pioneers uni in si twenty-two of Now South Wales in Sydney Domain, to win by 49 runs, ■ixty years back George Parr’s team won *wo matches and drew a third against wenty-twns on the Domain. After that New South Wales, first with 18. and then vifh 15. beat English teams three times, rhea came the eleven-a-side matches. Charles Kellcwny notified the New 'onth Wales Cricket Association that he vas not available for the team to meet England. It was a matter of financial arrangement (says “ Not Out” in the Sydney ‘Referee'). From what I have withered, the association did all that it could reasonably do in the circumstances, mil. if ho ' had played. Kellewny would nut have been at anv financial loss. His absence, is to be sincerely regretted, not alone because of the importance of (he 'natch, and the prestige of the Stale cricket, but because it may tend to render more difficult the work of the selectors for the test matches. The matches of •Tate teams against England arc regarded is trials for the greater matches, the form shown being a guide to the selectors in getting together their elevens.

E W. Carr, the Australian sprinter, •s returning from England by America, and is due to arrive in Svdney on the 27th inet.

George Goulding, the champion Canadian walker, is anxious to visit Australia and New Zealand. Says a writer: ‘‘Gouldon; is still the outstanding athlete in his branch of sport in the world. He is '•reditod still with the best performance for the mile in 6inin 25.8 sec, and for seven miles 50min 40.85ec.”

Warwick Armstrong's 157 not nut and 245 for Victoria versus South Australia at Melbourne in 1922 is tho greatest “double” ; n first-class cricket, both in aggregate and average. It outdid C. B. t'rv’s 125 and 229 for Sussex v. Surrey in tflOO. Charlie Macartney is the only Australian to get the “double” more than once—ll 9 and 125 for New South Wales v. South Africa in 1910-11; 142 and 121 for Australian Eleven v. Sussex in 1912. The late Frank O’Keefe’s 177 and 144 for Rest of Australia v. Australian Eleven at Sydney in 1921-22 was tho last “ double” by an Australian until tins week, when V. Richardson, for South Australia against New South Wales, made 100 and 123. Vith the great batting talent at present in Australia, there is more than a possibility of the record lists bemg added to [says a Sydney writer). In the New South Wales team which met England at cricket there was tho backbone of the A.I.F. team which formed the basis of the combination which gave Australian cricket a great lift when war ended. These players are H. L. Collins, J. M. Oldfield. C. Kelleway was also in the team, but dropped out. C. G. Macartney was also an A.I.F. man, though he did not remain and play with the team after the armistice. Among the English players, J. L. Bryan won the Military Cross,

“ High tribute has been paid in the oast to the Melbourne Cricket Ground by captains of visiting English elevens, but none have committed themselves in this respect to the extent of A. E. R. Gilligan, who states that he was lost in admiration on hie- first sight of the ground. ‘ It is the finest ground T have ever seen in my life,’ declared Gilligan after he had concluded a brief stay at the nets. ‘ In every way it is far superior to all the ovals I have over played on. I am sure that it is the finest ground in the world.'” There is no association within the fold of the A.A. Union of Australia and New Zealand more up to date or progressive than the New Zealand A.A.A..(says “Argus ” in the Sydney ‘ Referee ’). Its policy is to annually stage big and attractive events with a tour by notable athletes as the headliner of its athletic bill of fare. Distinct successes, from both financal'and athletic aspects, were achieved by the Springbok and American teams in the do-

minion, and for some time the council of the New Zealand A.A.A. has been casting about for some special attraction for 192425' athletic season. In turn it has reviewed the possibilities in teams from the United States. South Africa, Canada, Australia, and Far East. I understand that the selection has been narrowed down, so far as this season is concerned, to inviting a team from South Africa or Australia. With regard to the Springboks, the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association long since sounded the South African authorities as to whether a team of four would be prepared to accept an invitation; but. at the time of writing, -I do not know with what result. If an Australian team should make the tour, I understand that the executive officers or the union will be asked to assemble a combination suitable for requirements. Arthur Gilligan’s English Eleven’s match at (he Sydney Cricket Ground on December ]5 against the combined juniors of Australia will be the initial game in which Australia’s cricketing youths have combined. Thirty-three years ago Lord Sheffield’s English team engaged twenty-two Sydney juniors, and were shaded by the colts. ‘ The twentv-two scored 318. W. Camphin and R. Driver beading with 71 each. England’s dismissal for 162 caused a mild sensation, “Johnny” Morgan, father of the New South Wales and Glebe nlayer, proving the devastating one. The Camperdown player had Dr W. G. Grace cau<*ht for 17, and he skittled the wickets of Maurice Reed and Yorkshireman Bobby Peel. In December, 1895, thanks to a great 152 not out- by M. A. Noble, eighteen Sydney juniors scored 443 for nine against Stoddart's Eleven. Noble, who will lead the juniors this month, also captured the wickets of amateur Ford rnd the English skipper. That game served to introduce Victor Trumpet, Dr L. 0. S. Poidevin, and Les Pye to big cricket.