SPORT IN BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 20019, 9 November 1928, Page 16

SPORT IN BRITAIN

[Fkoji Ouh Excmisn Cokeespoxdiot.] LONDON, September 26. RUGBY. It is something unusual when Rugby matches have to be abandoned because of sun-baked turf, yet this'has happened recently. It will be a different story before long, and soon we shall be in the thick of tho “ Rugger ” season, England will miss K. A. Sellar, the talented international full-back, who has gone to an overseas station. This also-means that tho Navy will lack his help in interscrvice matches for some time.' It was rather a surprise to find the Devon team going down before Lancashire, and that by the margin of 19 points to 11. There appears to be a falling off in tho standard of Rugby in the Southwestern counties, and men of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, and Gloucestershire will have to look to their laurels. So far Coventry appears to be one of the strongest club sides in the country. Playmg Bridgwater Albion on Saturday, the Midlanders won by 34 points to 0, which following wins over Cardiff and Swansea suggests a good reason. SOCCER. Tho advantage of playing at home was very clearly shown by the results of the first division fixtures on Saturday. Of eleven matches decided home teams won ten and drew the other, whilst the scoring gave home teams 36 goals to 7 by visiting sides. This is rather an extreme example, but it certainly docs illustrate the advantage it is to play before local supporters and on a well-worn field. Liurnley has been gradually forging to tho fore, and a 4 goals to 1 success when entertaining Aston Villa has enabled tho Lancashire Club to reach the top of the table, with 11 points for eight matches. 'West Ham is doing best among tho London clubs, a 3 goals to 1 triumph over Manchester United enabling the “Hammers” to claim second place in tho table, one point behind tho leaders. Everton, the champions of last season, dropped back as tho result of a defeat when visiting Huddersfield, where the Yorkshire Club prevailed by 3 goals to 1.

Sheffield Wednesday brought off one of the best wins of the day when entertaining Sheffield United. In this fixture there was no question of greater local support, but merely the advantage of a home ground, yet tho Wednesday prevailed by 5 goals to 2. With nine points for seven engagements' this reads almost as good as the record by Burnley.

At length Chelsea has met with a check in the second division, the visit to Bristol City ending in honours divided, neither team scoring. As Notts County prevailed by the odd goal in three when visiting Reading, the leadership is shared by Chelsea and. 'X'otts County, each having gained 13 points in seven matches. The surprise of the Scottish League matches on Saturday was the defeat of Celtic when at homo to St. Miron. Tho Celtic players had a very off day, and failed to score, whilst the visitors beat the defence three times.

Glasgow Hangers gave a fine scoring display when receiving Haith Hovers, winning by 7 goals to 1. Hangers now figure as the only club with the highest possible number of points.

CRICKET. Once again a team of English cricketers is on tho way to Australia, there to uphold tho prestige of the Old Country in a game which still holds a great place in English pastimes, in spite of tho rise and development of_ other games and sports. Confidence in the tourists appears general, and tho players selected are agreed that the side as a whole is much stronger, particularly in bowling, than tho team which last visited Australia, and lost four out of tho five tests. Ten of the team are making their first visit to Australia, and no doubt sportsmen in that part of the Empire will bo particularly interested in these players. Three are outstanding—viz., D. R. Jardino (the batsman with the best average of the year), Hammond (tho finest all-rounder in the country), and Larwood (the premier bowler of tho season). Then there arc old favourites in Hobbs, Sutcliffe, and Tate, and altogether tho visiting side looks attractive. WONDERFUL GOLF. The form of C. Whitcombo and T. H. Cotton in tho final of tho l,ooogs tournament at Stoke Poges suggests that England has some young players well qualified to meet the best goiters in the world. Bobby Jones at Ins best would have been hard put to it to hold his own against tho two Englishmen, and there is room for satisfaction apart from tho hare figures. Whitcombo is «, young man, hut who has already made his mark in big golf. Cotton i« only at tho start of his career, and Ins latest bid for lame stamps him as a, great personality. With a public school education ho selected golf as his profession, and went through the mill properly m a workshop. Since ho jumped to tho fore in big competition, about a year ago, lie has sought every opportunity to meet the best players, and so gain tho confidence winch is so necessary. Both Cotton and Whitcombo played well in the earlier rounds, but it was in the thirty-six holes final that their golf reached its peak of excellence. Following nine halved holes, Whitcombo struck a patch of wonderful brilliancy, with tho result that ho was four holes up with the match halfway o „•!•. Ho did the second nine holes in 3 ; sirokes, play good enough for anyt big, and the round in 68, Cotton hav- ; a score of 72. Going out in the , a* moon for tho second half, Cotton snowed he has tho temperament to face big odds, and so well did he play that the match was all square at 'he sixth hole. Again Whitcombo rose to the occasion, and extraordinary putting gave him tho victory. He holed out at the eighth from 15yds for a 3, and Cotton managed to half it by holing a 10-yarder. ... At tho next hole Whitcombo again holed a long putt, and ho lecame 2 up Continuing to play in V traordinary stylo, ho went on to win on the sixteenth green, his last ten holes only costing him 33 strokes, or 59 for sixteen holes. Thus his return was 9 under 4’a for the match, and even thou his rival was not badly beaten. Another remarkable score lately was a return of 64 lor the Sunuingdalo course bv E. P. Sqlos, tho c.nb professional, which is 2 tetter than tho record set up by Bobby Jones in tho southern qualifying competition for _ tho open championship in 1926. English golf is certainly looking upBILLIARDS.

The meeting of Willie Smith and Tom Newman fit a series of matches is making the start of the billiard season very interesting. Tho prediction that the use of composite balls would lead to better breaks is being proved correct, and, it is generally believed that tho new record,of 1,231 by Newman last week will soon bo eclipsed. In spite of his big break, Newman was 1,7x5 behind at tho halfway stage, hut < ho improved his position when resuming this week. Ho averaged 153 at the evening session, and drew within 657 of his rival.’ Smith responded the next day, however, and again drew away, breaks of 431, 377, and 403 (unfinished) increasing his advantage to 920 , J. Earlam, who showed such excellent form as an amateur, is another player who seems to find tho change from ivory balls to composite to Ins liking. He easily defeated Arthur Peall last week, and made such uselul breaks as 266 and 283. boxing.

Some attractive boxing matches have been ratified recently, and patrons ->i the game aro looking forward to an interesting winter season. Lon Harvey and J. Sullivan are to meet at tho National Sporting Club, and as the verdict in their former contest did not meet with much approval the return is bound to provide a big Cj>ht. , , Another coming attraction is a maic.i at Bst 81b between Teddy Baldock and M. Hill, and tins will show just bow good the latter is. The rest Baldock has had seems to have done him goon, and in his latest work ho has snown snan and dash which denotes vitality.

No ono appears desirous of accepting Phill Scot’s challenge for a big money match, and if he does not want to go “ rustv ” ho would be wise to again visit America and simply make up Ins mind to “wade through” all opposition until ho is either eliminated or right in the line Tor a championship contest. , .

As the Danish Boxing Association has suspended T. Peterson for two years, on, tho ground of his accepting money as an extra prize, he may say good-bye to the amateur world entirely. Ho won the English heavy-weight nmaturo championship three years ago m very impressive fashion, and should he embrace professionalism ho might go far. Ho*has a wonderful punch, as Lieutenant Capper can testify.

ATHLETICS. Although D. G. A. Lowe, the 800 metres Olympic champion, has retired from athletics, he may still he prominent in another sphere oi sport. Sportsmen may have noticed that he turned out for the Casuals against Dulwich Hamlets recently, and played a good game at outside righi;._ 11c is no newcomer to Soccer, and if ho sticks to it ho may even gain international honours, for his speed must ho very helpful. Fast runners have often excelled on the football field, particularly in the Rugby world. Frank Ritchie, of Bradford, A. J. Gould (Newport), T. S. Nicholson, of Rock Ferry, a. Booth Hail Plate winner, F. Cooper, of Newport and Bradford, and Eric Liddle arc a few notables who come to mind. __ Billy Applegarth tried his skill as a Soccer player, as also did Willie Hill, another sprint champion, and prior to their time we had C. B. Fry and W. J. Oakley to the fore. As running is so necessary to success in most of our sports, it is somewhat surprising that more hockey, lacrosse, football, cycling, boxing, swimming, and rowing men do not enter into tho pastime, which would certainly assist them. —Has Griffiths Passed His Best?—

Cyril Griffiths is one of tho best middle distance runners we have had in recent years, and bis career has been long and successful. Ho has won Welsh and English championship honours, and also gained a first at tho 1920 Olympiad, held at Antwerp, when he was one of the four runners to win the 1,600 metres relay for Britain, His defeat in the Surrey A.C. Club championship over 880yds last Saturday suggests that he has passed his best, though the 2min 3sec in which A. R. Rose-Taylor beat him hardly seems fastenough to put him out. Possibly Griffiths did not take the race seriously, and ho may yet show that ho is not done with. He can stay better than many think, and it would be no surprise to find him one of tho Surrey A.C. cross-country team in tho southern counties championship next February. J. C. Heap, an Olympic team man this year, was more successful when defending his title in the club furlong championship, as also was G. C. Constable in tho throe miles, both holders running well.