SEASONABLE SPORTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 February 1937, Page 10

SEASONABLE SPORTS

TENNIS NOTES AND COMMENTS. With more favourable weather, the week-end was one of the busiest of the season so far, as regards interclub tennis, all of the town dubs being engaged. The chief fixture was the Presidential trophy match and, as was to be expected, the top men players from the two leading clubs provided' some excellent tennis. One fact emerged from the Week-end gained, that, as far as the top four players are concerned, United must be considered the strongest town club this season.

Piesideiitiai Trophy: The United Club had held back their challenge to Greymouth for the Presidential trophy, in expectation of challenges from Runanga and Hokitika, but as they did not materialise, the United challenge was put in, with the result that Greymouth lost possessioh of the fine trophy. Greymouth were most unfortunate in that E. Pattinson, their top player, was unavailable for the niateh, as undoubtedly he would have, made a considerable difference to their team. R. Rear, the United top player, had two strenuous games in meeting Pattinson on Saturday and Ashby on Sunday, but his superiority was clearly shown in the end, his defeat of Ashby being full of merit. The second doubles match for the trophy, in which A. L. McKay and C. Burley defeated W. Ashby and 0. Cheyne 7/9,7/5, 6/4 was something of a marathon, and the strenuous singles that these players had taken part in had a telling effect. Otherwise, the match would have provided even more exciting tennis. The trophy was presented after the match to Mr McKay by Mr Cheyne, Greymouth Club captain, who expressed pleasure at the standard of the games and congratulated United, on winning the trophy for the first time. He hoped thfit the match would be the forerunner of many other challenges for the trophy, now that competition for it had commenced this season. Runnnga’s Easy Win:

Without detracting from the merit of tho Runanga players’ performances, it must be admitted that St. Columba players could hardly have been at their best to have received such a thorough beating. The only St. Columba players to take a set were T. Anisy, W. Butler and E. Fitzgerald, all in the men’s singles, and of these the greatest surprise was probably Butler’s defeat of R. Murray, 6/4. The return match is to be played at Runanga next Sunday, and it is quite possible that St. Columba will make a better showing, although it cannot be expected that they will even the score. i The tennis played bj r the Runanga players as a whole on Sunday em- * phasised the value of match play, and constant attendance at the courts. A large number of the St. Columba players had played only occasional games this season and could not expect to be at the top of their form, and the honours were all with Runanga, especially the ladies, all of whom had easy victories in the singles. United v. (.'reynioiith: ' Conditions were almost ideal for the 1 A teams’ match between Greymouth | and United on Saturday, although, iuj view of the ultimate close result in favour of United,. 9 sets to 7, it was unfortunate that Greymouth was without the services of Miss M. Costello

and Airs 0. Cheyne. The tennis was of a good standard throughout, with I the exception of several women’s I games, which did not give a true indication of form, those in which Mrs 1 Fuller defeated Miss Boddy 6/0 and | Mrs Cassells defeated Mrs Halstead 6/0. They did not reflect truly the relative merits of the players concerned, although the winners in each case were playing right at the top of their form. Loss to Club;

The United Club will be considerably weakened by the Joss of their top player, R. Kear, who leaves next week on transfer to Christchurch. Kear has been club champion for the past four years and has been beaten in interclub singles only once during that time. In addition, he has been a keen club member, and his loss will be a severe one to the club, with which he leairnt his tennis. At the present time he is West Coast doubles champion with P. Warnes, having gained the title at the recent tournament at Hokitika. The experience he will gain in Christchurch tennis should see a further improvement in his game.

United Matches: With club champions and ladder matches, the United courts have been busy when the weather has permitted tennis. In the women’s A grade championship Mrs McKay defeated Miss E. Hannan 9/4, but in turn was defeated by Mrs C. Neville 9/5, who then went on to defeat Mrs Prescott 9/6. Mrs Prescott, however, defeated Miss Blair 9/6. Mrs Cassells defeated Miss McKay 9/5, and Miss Boddy defeated Miss M. Seebeck 9/0. The winner of the match between Mrs Cassells and Miss E. Boddy now plays Mrs Neville in the final.

In the men’s A Grade championship, Burley defeated Sadler and P. Warnes defeated J. Garth 6/3, 5/7, 7/5. This game showed Garth at his best, and it took Warnes all he knew to come out victorious. Garth, if he continues to play as well, should go ahead quickly. In his previous matches he has bene inclined to be nervous and has not shown his best form. The B Grade women’s championship saw Mrs A. Warnes defeat Miss Lindsay 9/1, and Mrs Reece defeat Miss M. Hannan 9/5, while in the men’s B grade, R. Hamilton defeated J. Orr 9/3 and J. Cassells defeated R. McNish 9/0. In the women's ladder games Miss E. Boddy defeated Mrs Prescott 6/4;’ Mrs Cassells defeated Mrs Prescott 9/3; Miss E. Hannan defeated Miss M. Hannan 6/1; Miss Quayle defeated Miss Lindsay 6/3; Miss Lindsay defeated Mrs Recce 6/2; Mrs Neville defeated Miss Sccbeck 10/8; Mrs Recce defeated Mrs P. Warnes 6/3, and Miss M. McKay defeated Miss D. Blair 11/9,

Budge and Quist: In an article in which he reviews world tennis during the past season. Hopman states that apart from Perry, two young men, Donald Budge and Adrian Quist, shared most of the honours. "Budge shows more promise of developing into a champion than Quist for. although two years younger, his temperament is more ideal and his game and outlook more mature. His backhand has always been good, and last year it was his outstanding stroke. Now, however, his service has improved to he its e<iunl. His forehand is said' to he weak in tho forecourt, but Quist, Crawford, and Sproule, although admitting it is not as good as his back-

hand, deny that it is weak. On the word of Crawford, I have it that Budge 1 has also improved his volleying, so it lis easy to imagine how he came to I reach several match points against Perry in the American singles. Quist maintained the advance he made during our last season when he dethroned Crawford from number one position in Australia. He has consolidated his stroke equipment, and hits every stroke confidently. He has no loophole in his defence so far as his strokes are concerned, but his temperament is not yet “world championship.” He is still very young for 23, yet has developed so fapidly from the boy stage in the past two years that a further chance may see him cast off the moodiness that at times envelops his game. Quist has the best volley, and his ground strokes are sound. In wind and limb he is perfect, so lie looks like Australia’s premier player for several years.”

CRICKET. NOTES AND COMMENTS. I March 12 and 13 have now been decided upon for the final of the Canterbury Minor Associations’ competition to be played at Greymouth, between West Coast (last year’s winners) and South Canterbury, who have, this season, beaten the Ashburton County reI presentatives. Players are now to be chosen for special practice by the sole selector, Mr W. Barlow. The batting looks safe enough, and it seems that the selector will have more than ordinary difficulty in chosing his team, on account of the apparent bowling | weakness. Fielding practice should play a large part in the practice allotted the prospective representatives, for it appears that the bowling will have to be built up a great deal, by reliable fielding. Poor fielding has been probably the outstanding feature of club cricket, this season, and recognised bowlers, who realise, if anyone does, the value of good fielding, have been regular offenders. Ashburton, always a fine side, and popular with West Coasters, will be paying Greymouth a visit at Easter, to play West Coast on Saturday, March 27, and Monday, March 29.

Bou ling Well: E. Dewar, who has been bowling successfully for Runanga this season, bowled splendidly against Marist A at Runanga on Sunday. His first innings figures of lour for 26, did not indicate the true merit of his trundling, lie was accurate, and varied his pace well, while unlike many club bowlers, he bowled well to his field. He was again to the fore in the second innings, with four for 40, but it was here that Smithson came into his own with six for 18. The Marist batsmen were apparently intent on protecting their wickets with their pads, for no fewer than five lost their wickets in tho second innings by the l.b.w. route.

Luckless Bowling: 11. Greenwood bowled splendidly for .Marist A against Runanga, on Sunday, without having any of the luck with him. Used at both ends, he howled up 11.3 overs for two wickdfs ;it a cost of only six runs. He is bowling really well, especially on a fast wicket, and on present form, would not be out of place in the representative side, as he can also handle the bat to advantage.

Unltecl's Success: United were last evening, declared winners of the Greymouth section of (he Wingham Cup competition, and in the final, will play the winners of the Southern division at. Greymouth. Previously. United had won the Wingham Shield competition, so that with

the season not yet over, they have} been highly successful. Though weak-! ened by the loss of Simmonds earlier! in the season, they have a fine team, | especially strong in batting, and theii < success has been well deserved. In the Wingham Cup competition they have 1 not suffered defeat, and Marist, last, year’s winners, with a game ahead of i United were the only ones to get within striking distance of them. The final I points were: United 13, Marist 11, Old | Boys 6, Cobden 4, and Runanga 2.

Forty Runs Off One Over! Sid Barnes, young Petersham batsman, gave Sydney grade cricket fans a thrill early this month, in the match against North Sydney when he scored 190 not out in 172 minutes, the last ninety coming up in 42 minutes. He hit five sixes and 25 fours. But the creme de la creme of his innings wds when he scored 40 runs off one over of Lush’s. Lush’s eight balls went for four sixes and four fours. And Lush is the State fast bowler who is doing so well against England in the match with New South Wales now in progress. Perhaps there is a lesson here for some West Coast, batsmen —that there is no necessity to have too much consideration for the cover of the ball: play correctly, but hit the ball, not let the ball hit the bat.

Marist Draw With United: What should have proved the best club match of the season fizzled out into an uninteresting draw, when United met Marist at the Recreation Ground on Saturday. Marist were a depleted side —they could not even muster eleven players —and United, due principally to a splendid innings of SI by P. Allen, had matters all their own way. A draw was as good as a win to United, as Marist needed a victory to have a chance in the competition. and United ensured a drawn game by delaying the closing of their innings until the total was 207 for seven wickets. This left Marist 208 to get lor victory in an hour and 40 minutes, and with a depleted side, and a scarcity of forcing batsmen, a draw was inevitable. Marist had lost eight wickets for 107 at stumps, so the honours of the day were with United. Marist’s poor reply was due more to their unenterprising tactics rather than to any exceptional venom in the attack, as the wicket was easypaced (matting over turf), and gave no assistance, or even encouragement to the bowlers. i

Allen Again: P. Allen once again proved the mainstay of United, on Saturday. He was lucky early to escape a run out, when Kerridge mis-fielded a rather hard return, as the batsmen ran a dangerous single, but apart from that, he was solidity personified. His 81 rims were well, if rather slowly made, and he paved the way for some of the other scores on the side. Allen completed a highly successful day by bagging five "wickets at a cost of only 36 runs, in Marist's innings. His bowling was not exactly dangerous, but he tossed the ball well up, and let the batsmen make their own mistakes. With his fine fielding, and brilliant wicket-keeping, combined with his batting and useful bowling, Allen is probably the best all-rounder in the province, though he is run close by A. Vaughan (of Cobden).

Among the Runs Again: After a poor run, l>. Knapp, the voting Cobden aII-rounder got among the runs again last week-end. with 78 against Old Boys ami 62 retired against Marist B. He did not meet any really good bowling, and his innings were not models of correctness, but the runs were made, and he should now have recovered the confidence necessary to get rims against the best bowling club cricket can offer. He is a fine batsman in form, and should now be able to recover some of his lost prestige.