SPOTLIGHT ON SPORT

Evening Star, Issue 25675, 26 December 1945, Page 3

SPOTLIGHT ON SPORT

Happy Days. This, readers, is Boxing Day; so called, it would appear, because that ivas the day upon which Christmas boxes were originally presented and received. But “ boxing,” to a sportsman, means only one thing—a couple of gloved men in a ring (which is really a square) punching one another in more or less scientific style. A fight of that description is quite all right, and compatible with our notions or civilisation, but the fighting which (most of it) ceased only a few weeks ago, and left the world groggy and battered was not so good. But we have a chance to clean up things, so let us “box. on”; let us “play cricket ” in every sense of those words: let us get an occasional “ kick ” out of life, until everything is again plain sailing. So: “Here’s luck” to all sportsmen, a happy Christmas vacation and a good new year. Patchy Cricket. In all the circumstances—the absence of those players chosen in the Otago team, the fact that, for many people the Christmas vacation had already begun, and, it could be added, that it w;as the .opening day of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s Cup Meeting—it would perhaps have been better had last {Saturday been declared an-“ off day ” for , cricketers. The decision of the Otago association to carry ,on in spite of all resulted in a patchy day’s cricket in which there was little life and less interest; teams battling on with seven :or eight men,' bowlers acting as wicket-, keepers, and, in one case, what is described as “ picnic cricket,” indulged in. .One does not know, not having had the opportunity of hearing the discussion, what prompted the Management Committee in deciding that matches should be played on the 22nd, but one presumes-that it was with the’object of giving those players who were in town an opportunityfto .have. a game: in short, the democratic principle of “ the-, greatest - good for ■ the greatest number ” was being enacted. . This in itself was quite a worthy motive, and it is just a matter ,of opinion whether the senior grade mix-up was justified in the interests of the' majority of players generally. At any rate, in such perfect cricket weather there must have been some players and some teams who enjoyed themselves. A Two-man Innings,

When it was found that Carisbrook A had “ declared ” without going any further with its score of 249, got the previous Saturday for the loss of two wickets, most of the onlookers were disappointed, as they had come along in the expectation of seeing Hadlee carry on, maybe for another double century. But that cricketer (he was acting as captain in this match) decided to take no risks in the matter of securing an outright win against GrangeUniversity. In the circumstances (Grange-University ; was three men short), few expected the game to last more than an hour or two. But, after the first wicket had fallen for 4 runs, A. Moir and C. Donovan stuck up the bowling and added no fewer than 103 runs for the second wicket, defying all the A battery in sound style. Then lA. W. McDougall, who had bowled ineffectively, though inexpensively, ill a first spell at the crease, came back, and, with It. Carter, cleaned up the innings pretty quickly, the last five wickets adding only 27 runs. Mojjgk second big score this made 97 against Kaikorai in the second round. The match finished at 4.30 p.m., so that Hadlee’s judgment was sound after all.

Seven Men Absent. There is little to say about the match between A 1 bion-Y .M. C. A .-N orth-east Valley and Dunedin-Carisbrook A. In this case seven players who had taken part iii the first day’s play were absent —four from the Dunedin combine and three from the other side. The latter were duly accbunted for by the fact that they had left that morning with the Otago team for Christchurch, but, so far as one could gather, J. Young was the only member of the Dunedin side who was expected to be absent; he had, prior to the beginning of .the match, notified his committee to that effect. For V. Donnelly, too, there was an explanation, for the police authorities (Donnelly is a . constable) considered that where .cricket interfered with beat duty, it was cricket that had to be given up, However, there it was, the side was left without a regular wicket-keeper (Hambleton. being an absentee), one of its principal bowlers,' and its two opening batsmen (A. Knight and Young, the latter being also a change bowler). Under these conditions,-'it was not surprising that the cricket wa3 lifeless, nor that the Albion side piled up runs and won with ease. Tobin, one of the main bowlers for Dunedin, kept wickets for a considerable time, then R. Caradus donned the pads (and shaped not so badly, too) while Tobin took the ball, and three wickets. It. Peart and L. Watson each got into the 50’s for Albion, taking advantage of the halfvolleys that were in constant supply. When the Dunedin combine batted again, with an hour to fill in, it looked for a while as though e tbey. might lose their six available ivickets ’ and be beaten outright, but after three had fallen for 28, J. O’Sullivan and D. McDonald saw them through. Schoolboy’s 100 In 3 4-ssec.

Professor L. R. Richardson, the Professor of Zoology at Victoria College, Wellington, was once a noted 'high school athlete in Vancouver, Canada. It appears that while at school there he ran the 100 yards sprint in 9 4-osec. He was a schoolfellow of . the great Percy Williams, who, at 18 years of age, won the Olympic 100 and 200 metres in IQ2B. Unfortunately, Professor Richardson’s track career was brought to a premature close when he contracted sciatica. At the British Columbia University he was cox of the Varsity eight, and later, when he moved to McGill University, he founded a gliding club in which ho maintained his interest right up to the time of his leaving for New Zealand. He has not abandoned his interest in athletics even now, for he is acting as mentor to the Victoria College Club, which should benefit greatly by his advice.

Kaikorai Lose Again. Kaikorai could not manage to reach the - moderate score of 150 set by Old ■ Boys and were defeated by 15 runs. This makes the third defeat suffered by last season’s premiers, whose form has not been impressive this year. Alleott’s absence from two of the four matches played may partly account for the failures, though Grange beat them even when the veteran was playing.

Saboteur qn Job. English fight promoter Jack Solomons has his worries over the forthcoming Anglo-American “ incident ’’ —the Woodeock-Lesnevicli February bout, writes the English correspondent of the Wellington ‘ Sports-Post.’ He guaranteed Mr Lesnevich £7.500 sterling, and Mr Woodcock needs £4,000 to keep the home going. Plus taxes, that will cost Mr Solomons £15,000. Add other expenses, and Mr “ S.” needs £30,000 at the Albert Hall to keep something in the sieve for himself. So 25-guinea top-price seats are expected, with few under five guineas. Just to make those tickets harder to sell, some saboteur has been investigating Mr Lesnevich’s career. He delved into records, and unearthed the fact that Ontario-born Russo-Irisli Jew named Alex Borchuck beat Lesnevich in 1940 at Brooklyn over eight rounds. Mr Borchuck now fights under the name of A 1 Delaney, and as A 1 Delaney both Woodcock and eo-Britisher Freddie Mills knocked him out in five rounds in 1944. Terms —a Wife! Each big Soccer football club in Britain has “ talent finders,” whose duty it is to scout around for promising players and to look out for possible acquisitions from among those well established. There is a story of a “ finder ” from a North England club who approached Bobrov, a forward and a member of the Moscow Dynamo side which recently caused something like a sensation by its brilliant play during a short tour of Britain, offering him terms. Bobrov’s reply, made through an interpreter, was: “ I’d love to—if you can find me a. wife.” And now the “ finder ” is wondering whether the Russian was exercising a sense of humour the possession of which was, judging by the grimness of their attitude' towards their playing engagements unsuspected, or whether he really meant it. As a writer put it: “ ‘One ■girl’ would be the strangest fee ever written into a. football transfer contract.” That the Russians possess what a Britisher would consider unorthodox views was proved when the tourists presented their oppenents each with a bouquet prior to the beginning of one match. What the Britishers thought of this custom _of “ saying it with flowers ” may be imagined ; they doubtless felt like telling the Dynamos to “ buzz off.” Word of Everson.

Otago representative wicket-keeper two seasons ago, O. J. N. Everson played some good knocks in the Hamilton competition last season, when he proved one of the most consistent batsmen in the senior grade. He started off the present term unsuccessfully, failing tp survive more than a _ few balls in each of his first three innings, but in his fourth lie returned to form with 25 not out when Claudelands was struggling for runs against Hamilton late in the afternoon, Everson being the’ only batsman to look at all comfortable against the fast attack' of E. Everest and A. Davies. Auckland Team’s Averages.

When the Auckland Cricket Team for the southern tour was selected the averages of its members were impressive, to say the least. They were as follows:—W. M. Wallace 170, H. T. Pearson 44, V. J. Scott'24, O. C. deal 23, E. Meuli 72, J. Cowie 20, C. Burke, 70, R. W. Emery 52. The remainder Lad averages below 20, while Charlie Kerf plays in tlie suburban competition. The principal bowling/ averages were those of D. C. Cleverley, 8.58 (W wickets), J. Cowie 9 (12 wickets), C. Burke 15.43 (14 wickets), Emery 17.33 (9 wickets), and F. E. Hemmingson 34.25 (8 wickets)..

Australia’s Prospects. Jack Fingleton, former Australian test batsman, and a journalist, writing in an article published in the Auckland ‘ Star, 1 doubts the wisdom of inviting an English, team to tour Australia as early as next summer. He considers that there has not been enough cricket of a high standard to develop the players sufficiently, and is concerned about the lack of bowlers good enough to face a strong English batting side. Fingleton names Tallon as No. 1 wicket-keeper, and thinks that, even without Bradman, the Australian batting will be magnificent, and names Brown, Morris, Rogers (the Queenslander). Tamblyn, Barnes, Hassett. Miller, and Pepper. As to bowlers, Fingleton says that O’Reilly bad a knee injury last season, and has since been bowling only a limited number ,of overs. The outlook so far as bowling is concerned is, he adds, not bright, and it appears at the moment -that the attack will be based on spin, and elected to go no further into that department until the interstate games were on. He concludes by stating that the game lost a good deal of ground in Australia during the war because the legislators did not give much thought to the schoolboys, who are now playing in the senior ranks. Qricket. technique is an essentia] in the test 'sphere. -

Comparisons Are— A comparison lias been made in a northern journal between the poiutsgetting record pf Rugby League player Brian Nordgren (who has signed on with the English League club, Wigan) and that of former Dunedin Rugby Union man, Dave Trevathan (says the Wellington ‘Sports-Post’). Trevathan in 1936 scored 204 points in 22 club and representative games It was pointed out that 60 of his points came from field goals, and that no points from such a scoring medium were included in Nordgren’s total of 267 for 26 matches, and, further, that had there been, a field goal in League is worth only 2 points compared with Rugby’s 4. The comparison, of course, does not mean much. Scoring in Rugby League games is on an average much higher than in Union matches. Try-getting is easier. Moreover, Nordgren is a winger, Trevathan was a five-eighth, and in League the wingers are the men who get the tries whatever they might do in Rugby. Cricketers in Mufti.

What appeared to be one instance of the “ holiday ” aspect of the cricket on Saturday was observable afj Carisbrook. where, in a second grade B match between Carisbrook and Northeast Valley, no fewer than six of the Valley eleven appeared in ordinary (not white) trousers, and in some cases, with coloured shirts as well. It did not look at all cricket-like, and, unless there is a strike among the laundrymen down in the Valley, it is inexcusable.

Hugh Duncan for Wellington. It is 15 years since Hugh Duncan left Dunedin for Auckland after establishing himself as a prominent figure in Otago cricket, both as a player and a valuable Carisbrook club man, who represented the province on several occasions, being a member of the first Otago side to win the Plunket Shield. Since then he has resided in Auckland, where he lias done a tremendous lot for the game. Now he is being transferred to Wellington, and the Auckland ‘ Star,’ announcing the departure, says of him: “Club captain, umpires’ grading committee member, Plunket Shield selector, management committee member, and finally, for one season, chairman —that is the record in Auckland cricket of Mr Hugh Duncan, whom A.C.A. members farewelled this week. But what Mr Duncan has. done for Auckland cricket cannot be tabulated simply. The remarks of many speakers at the function stressed the willingness with which he has accepted tasks on behalf of the association and the dependable way in which he has carried them out, 1 I don’t know anyone who has been connected with Auckland. cricket who will be so hard to do without,’ commented the president, Mr W. R'. Fee, in voicing the thoughts of the gathering. ‘Mr Duncan is leaving Auckland cricket at a time when it is in a very healthy state, and to that state he has contributed much.’ Mr Duncan was sole Auckland selector for the last three years before the war, and for seven years before that had been a co-selector with Messrs N. C. Sneddon and W. Brook Smith, A. J. Postles replacing the latter during Mr Duncan’s term. The retiring chairman’s last active work for Auckland cricket, in the meantime at least, will be in connection with the completion of the coaching film which is expected tp be finished this season. But, as he told those present on Tuesday, he isn’t finished with cricket by a long way.” Hugh Duncan, by the way, was one of the century-makers for Carisbrook in that memorable match against Albion at Carisbrook in wliicli the record score of 517 for three wickets was compiled. This’was in December, 1923, and the scorers were: R. de R. Worker 194, J. A. Dunning 117, H. Duncan 104, H. C. Alloo 88 not out, and-A. W. Alloo 51 not out. Charlie Payne’s Passing. Not only the bowlers in Dunedin will have learned with regret of the death of Charlie Payne, for he was, in his earlier days, an all-round sportsman and an enthusiast among enthusiasts. Cricket, football, tennis also came within liis scope, and he was a foundation member of the Mornington Cricket Club and the Mornington Football Club. Although, in his later and, naturally, less nimble days, he confined his activities to bowls, both as a player and an administrator, lie never lost interest in cricket, and afer each of his trips to Australia he always had stories to tell of his meetings with Warwick Armstrong, Hugh Trumble, Clem Hill, and other notables with whom he used to forgather. A cheerful sport, Charlie Payne will he missed.

Two Hat-tricks in One Game. It is a rare occurrence for two hattricks to be secured in one game, but this happened in a second grade contest between High School and Dairy Company in Hamilton recently. The first bowler to reap this success was A. Senior, of High School, who actually claimed four wickets with successive balls. He is a son of a former Waikato .representative wicket-keeper, S. li. Senior. When High School batted a good start was made, but this did not deter C. Linkmam, a fast-medium bowler who maintains a good length. He was not easy to score off, and eventually he performed the hat-trick, finishing with four for 45. Linkman recently returned from service in the Pacific' with the Air Force. . High School secured an innings. victory, Dairy Company collapsing in its second innings. Senior’s figures for the game were four for 4 and four for 3.

Club Averages. Up to the end of the fourth series of senior matches the averages of those players who have batted in four or, more innings, and who average 15.0 or higher; or, as bowlers, have taken 10 or more wickets, are as follow: — Batting: W. A. Hadlee, 4 innings, 1 not out, 535 runs, average 133.75; E. Cameron, 4-2-91-45.50; T. C. Fraser, 4-0-131-32.75; R. Peart, 4-0-124-31.0; A. Moir, 7-0-215-30.71; A. W. Roberts, 5-0-141-28.20; G. McGregor, 4-0-100-25.0; K. Burke, 4-1-94-24.66; G. Mills, 7-1-133-23; R. Hunt, 7-0-133-19.0; V. Leader, 7-2-87-17.40; I. Payne, 4-0-69-17.25; J. Young, 4-0-68-17.0; H. Hogg, 4-1-51-17.0; E. Watson, 4-0-66-16.50; W. Ditchfield, 4-1-49-16.33; L. M. Uttley, 4-0-62-15.5. (R. Caradus m three innings has scored 71 not out, 94 not out, and 9—average 174.0.) Bowling:. A. W. McDougall, 16 wickets, 71 runs, average 4.43; A. W. Roberts, 11-90-8.18; R. Harwood, 10-96-9.60; G..Lemin, 20-216-10.70; C. F. W. Allcott. 14-166-11.85; !R. Silver, 14-208-14.85; E. Cameron, 10-166-16 .60; G. McGregor. 10-200-20.0; T. Freeman, 10-209-20.9.

Wilding Shield Tennis. ;» Canterbury’s challenge for the Wilding Shield was repulsed by Hutt Valley by one of the biggest margins in the history of this competition. Canterbury’s top players have only recently returned to the game, and showed the effects of the war-time hiatus. The outstanding player was Ron. McKenzie, who showed that lie has more than recovered the ground lost during the war. With every stroke in the game under admirable control, he looked a potential New Zealand champion. Neil Edwards was little below his 1939 New Zealand championship form, while O. M. Bold was an even more tenacious retriever of difficult shots than lie was in the past. The Hutt Valley Association, which lias just come into being this season, went to great pain to makes a success of its first shield match on its home ground, and they are to be congratulated on the success of the fixtures. Public support was good, over 1,000 attending on the second day.

Canterbury Tennis. Chief interest for the next few days will be centred on the Canterbury lawn tennis championships, which commence at Christchurch to-day. G. Robson, of Dunedin, is expected to be a strong contender for the singles title, and how he fares in Christchurch will be a guide to how he will perform in the New Zealand championships. Miss Mavis Kerr is another Dunedin player ivho is expected to do well. Others from Dunedin who will be playing at Christchurch are Miss Y. R.udd, Miss M. Robertson, D. Radford, and R. Rudkin.

Kaituna Tennis Club“.

In a challenge, played last Saturday, I). Radford defeated G. Laidlaw for first place on the Kaituna ladder. Some excellent ’tennis was witnessed in this match. Radford early established a lead, but Laidlaw improved to even the score. However. Radford’s bard driving and volleying fovced bis opponent into errors, and he won out at 9-7.

S. G. MacDougall. An interesting visitor to Dunedin just now is Syd. iMacDougall, who is still in the Air Force, but expects to be back in Oamaru in a few months’ time. Syd. still takes a keen interest in tennis, and can hold his own witii the best. Speaking of the grass courts in Oamaru, Syd. said that they had managed to keep them going during the war, and that tennis was again starting to boom in that town. Oamaru is lucky in having a progressive council. which laid down seven grass courts and leased them to the Oamaru Association, and also to the public. The maintenance of the courts is carried out by the Oamaru Council. syd. MacDougall was the prime mover in having these Oamaru courts established.