SPORT IN BRITAIN

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4230, 15 October 1935, Page 7

SPORT IN BRITAIN

LONDON, August 8. ATHLETICS. The question which has been agitating British athletic circles for the past few weeks: Is Wooderson a better miler than Lovelock? is answered for the moment. Since the Blackheath liarrim wrested the championship from the New Zealander there has been a burning desire to see them racing against each other just to test the impression that some people had that Lovelock’s defeat was in the nature of a fluke That desire was gratified in Glasgow last week-end, when Wooderson beat his great rival even more decisively than he had done three weeks earlier. Lovelock tried different tactics, and instead of waiting to outsprint Wooderson made the running. It did not pay, for the youngster came with such a rush in the last half lap as quite nonplussed his opponent and left him some 20i r ds to the bad at the finish. All this happened in a special handicap, in which the three miles champion, A. V. Reeve, had 25yds start, and T. M. Riddell 35yds. Seeing that Reeve beat both Wooderson and Lovelock on level terms a year ago, his allowance was far too liberal, and it was no surprise that he won, and beat Wooderson by fully 12yds. It is interesting to compare the latter’s performance, 4min 12 2-ssec, with Lovelock’s British re-cord-breaking feat of 4min 12sec three years ago. On that occasion the New Zealander had the advantage of running on the fast Oxford University track, which is three laps to the mile. On the other hand, throughout the last half-mile he had to make all his wn running. Taking it all in all, one might say that there was nothing to choose. Nobodv should run away with the idea that Wooderson has asserted his supremacy for all time. Lovelock undoubtedly has not been in the pink of condition (he has been studying very hard of late at St. Mary’s Hospital) and, as he says. “we shall see next year.” Wooderson, on the other hand, may expect to be even better in 1936 than he has been this season, for he will not he 21 years of age until the 25th of this month.

CRICKET. No finer illustration of the “ glorious uncertainty 11 of our national summer game could have heen furnished than was seen in the encounter between Yorkshire and Essex at Huddersfield. Undefeated in a county match, and with all their test players available, one can imagine the confidence with which the Northerners went into the fray. Unhappily for them they met two Essex fast bowlers, H. D. Read and Nichols, at the very top of their form, and were skittled out tor 31, the lowest score of the season and Yorkshire’s lowest for nearly 30 years. Essex’s reply of 334 was worthy of the highest batting traditions of the country, and when on the morning of the second day Yorkshire were again put out before" lunch, this time for 99, it was all over. Well as Read bowled, with nine wickets for 48, the real honours of the match went to Nichols, for, in addition to taking 11 wickets for’ 54. he had a glorious “ knock ” of 146. Nichols must assuredly have played himself back- into England’s team for the fifth test match. Undismayed by this defeat, Yorkshire took their revenge out of the rival Rose, Lancashire, in the Bank Holiday fixture, which so often ends in a draw. Bowes’s bowling was the deciding factor. In Lancashire’s first innings of 53 he took six wickets for 16, and in the second of 352 six for 83. The margin in Yorkshire’s favour was seven wickets. This success enabled the Tykes to maintain their place at the head of the championship table. Sussex have had a hand in deciding- the other leading positions. They lost to Derbyshire by five wickets after appearing to have the game well in hand, and overwhelmed Middlesex by 242 runs after declaring with four wickets down in their second innings. Derbyshire, with another win over Warwickshire, brought their record of successes for the season up to 12, which equals the highest number they have ever gained in one year. They now stand second, with Middlesex third and Sussex fourth. Though Yorkshire may not be caught before the curtain is rung down on the county season, we shall see a pretty fight for the other leading places. Essex had another good win against Worcester, the batting skill of 0° ]?. Walters failing to save the western shire. The Worcester captain had made a reappearance after a long absence three days earlier, and his form justifies the talk there is of including him in the fifth test. Unit other Metropolitan county, Surrey, is going through a very bad time just now, for she sadly lacks bowling strength. At the Oval the South Africans did as they liked with the howlers, and their total of 572 included B. Mitchell * 195 and E. A. Rowan’s 171, the opening partnership of this pair, who neie together until 330 went up, being a first wicket record for the South Africans. The tourists found sterner opponents in Glamorgan, for whom J. C. Clay bowled uncommonly well, but our visitors came out on top all right in the end.

CYCLING. Road racing is more or less officially taboo in this country, and those who devote their skill and energies to it have to carry on under certain difficulties. They start off, usually on a Sunday morning, when most people are sound asleep, and time their efforts to finish before the roads are choked with motor traffic. Frank Southall, who rode for Britain in the last Olympic Games, has credited himself with many fine achievements on the road, but never did he accomplish anything so good as the performance of K. H. Mosedale at the beginning of this week. In winning the famous Bath Road “ 100 ” Mosedale covered the distance in 4h 27rain 23sec, which is nearly 3min faster than SouthaH’s previous record for an out-and-home course set up in the corresponding event four years ago. Mosedale, disdaining the usual racing outfit of wooden spring rims and racing tyres, rode a machine with ordinary steel rims and wired-on tyres* which fact makes his performance all the more remarkable.

GOLF. It is on the lesser lights of the golfing world that the limelight has been turned during the past week. First of

all, there was the great performance by the Welsh youngster, D. J. Rees, in the assistants’ championship at St. Andrew’s. If form went for anything the title should have gone to W. J. Cox, whose play during recent months had justified his selection for the Ryder Cup team. Rees, however, had other ideas. He played two glorious rounds of 70 and 71, to lead at the end of the first day by five strokes, six, actually, better than Cox. A slight faltering by the Welshman in the third round, which he accomplished had another 70 in the final round which carried him safely home a stroke in front of Cox, who made a most gallant effort with rounds of 70 and 66 to wipe out the leader’s advantage. Another talked of bit of scoring by a practically unknown golfer was the round of 62 (out in 28) played by R. S. Wilson, the Webbs Park professional, when he played with a member over his own course at Edgware.

LAWN TENNIS. Nearly all the excitement of the tennis season is over. Our champions and the challengers are scattered. A certain amount of exhibition tennis is being played at seaside resorts and in the North *of England. Our women “ cracks ” are on their way to the United States in their quest for the Wightman Cup. F. J. Perry will shortly leave to take up his appointment in Australia, and hopes to be back here temporarily for the covered courts championship in the early spring. In the meantime the search goes on for men to replace our champion, and H. W. Austin, the one 25 and the other 29, when the time comes, as soon it must, for them to step down from the pedestal on which their brilliance has placed them. RACING.

Nothing takes away from the interest of a race like the prospect of its being a one-horse affair. After the way Tiberius got the better of Brantome in the Ascot Gold Cup it looked as if lie had as good as a walk-over for the Goodwood Cup. Only Bendex and Cecil opposed him, and those who wanted to back Sir Abe Bailey’s four-year-old had to lay odds of 9 to 2 on. There was nearly a sensational turn up, for until close home Bendex was in front, and the favourite only won by the shortest of heads. The result almost convinces one that Tiberius’s defeat of Brantome was, after all, a fluke, and due to the indisposition of the French champion. ROWING.

Sculling seems to be in a rather bad way, and it makes one wonder what sort of a show we shall make at Berlin next year. The annual race for the Wingfield Sculls, by general consent regarded as the championship of Britain, was the tamest of affairs. There was a poor entry, and the deciding heat was left to be fought out between P. H. Jackson (London R.C.) and E. H. Wingate (Vesta R.C.). Wingate proved no match for his opponent, who beat him bjr 26sec over the Putney to Mortlake course, immortalised by the more famous Oxford and Cambridge boat race.

YACHTING. Mr Tom Sopwith’s Endeavour, associated with a gallant attempt to bring back America’s Cup last autumn, has been doing extremely well at South Coast regattas. Her crowning triumph came in capturing the King’s Cup at Cowes. Except that Yankee was not eligible, and since he was the donor of the cup, His Majesty did not race Britannia, all the leading yachts of the day took part. Owing to the light wind only once round the course was sailed. Beautifully handled Endeavour won by 3min 46sec from Valsheda, which is owned by Mr W. L. Stephenson.

LONDON, August 15

ATHLETICS. Once again Germany has beaten Great Britain, this time by 75 points to 61, a narrower margin than had been anticipated in both countries. _ It was, as usual, the results in the field events that threw the balance against our men, for, although they won five of the eight races, they could do no better than gain one record place in the field events, albeit they were not altogether overwhelmed in those contests. Two British runners particularly distinguished themselves. W. Roberts covered 400 metres in 47.75 ec, thereby beating the German record by a tenth of a second. It was the first time he had met the great Cambridge quartermi'ler A. S. K. Brown, and on this occasion at all events the latter proved no match for the young Manchester runner. On August 24 Roberts is to attack Rambling’s record for 440 yds of 48sec, made in the Empire Games last August, and if the conditions be favourable has a good chance of succeeding. Since D. O. Finlay came to the front as a hurdler five years ago he has been the most consistent athlete in England. Last Sunday he beat the German champion, Wegener, handsomely in 14.6 sec, the fastest time by a Furopean this season. Taken altogether, the members of the British team performed right up to their best, and with a little good fortune would have reduced their defeat to the narrowest limits.

At the banquet after the match the president of the German Federation told the official in charge .of the British team: “ if you were stronger in field events you would be the best nation in Europe.” Will that day ever come? Very shortly Germany meets Finland, who beat Britain in June by 78 points to 70. Obviously it should be a close match, but the Teutons seem a trifle stronger on the track and should win.

BOXING. Since there is now a very great probability that Bob Glen will! not after all cross the Atlantic next month for a match with Jack Petersen, we are compelled to look to America for our chief interest in the heavier men. Joe Louis, the negro, has, of course, the keenest desire to meet Braddock for the championship of the world. In most people’s minds he is already the uncrowned king, but even if he does deprive Braddock of the crown, will he be allowed to wear it? One need not consider the pros and cons of the colour bar. It exists, and the opinion over here is that Louis will never bo officially recognised as the champion.

CRICKET. The English team selectors have made changes for the final test match One of them is the inclusion of C. F. Walters as opening batsman in preference to the Derbyshire left-hander, D. Smith; another the preference of J. C. Clay to Verity as a slow bowler. Nicholls, of Essex, is, as we all ex-

I pected he would be, back in the side. ; H. D. Read, of the same county, is picked for a test for the first time. Finely as he bowls, Read is the* world s worst bat, and if weather keeps fine and Bowes allso plays, we shall omy have nine batsmen on the side. Perhaps that is why Ames, who has been batting very well of late, will keep wicket instead of Duckworth. Altogether, the side is well chosen for its “last hope” task. Whether it will succeed in its object of dismissing the South Africans twice on a perfect Oval wicket is another matter. This season the pitches at the Surrey headquarters nave been full of runs, and that •.selected for Saturday’s match will easily stand three days’ wear. It is unfortunate for the morale ot our visitors, one of the most popular teams that ever toured this country, that they should have to enter on the fourth test almost fresh from their first defeat. It was bound to come, of course. Even that great Australian team of 1921, which escaped disaster until the very last week of their tour, had to bow the knee, and since the first touring team came to England in 1878 no side has gone home undefeated. The South Africans are such fine sportsmen that they would never think of making excuses for their defeat, but Englishmen know something of the strain put upon their playing strength by the injuries which from time to time have befallen members of the side. In addition, only those who have taken part in a long cricketing tour know how difficult it is For the players to be at concert pitch in any and every match. Gloucestershire’s record in the county championship—only Northants figure below them on the table—hardly suggested that they would fie the first to conquer South Africa. There are, however, some fine cricketers in the side. Hammond hit a fine 123, one more than K. T. Viljoen made for the tourists: but the real hero for Gloucestershire was Sinfield. In his first knock he recorded a century, and his bowling—three wickets for 41 and five for 31— had a great deal to do with the success of his county. Only 19 runs divided the sides on the first innings. Sinfield’s bowling gave Gloucester ultimate victory by 87. Are we going to see a desperate finish lor the county championship ? At the moment two teams, Yorkshire and Derbyshire are, in racing parlance, out by themselves. They meet to-day at Scarborough, and victory one way or the other may decide the destination of the honours. Botli sides have been carrying all before them of late, with the exception of Yorkshire’s astounding defeat by Essex; but, whereas Yorkshire have usually triumphed with ease, Derbyshire have perhaps been a trifle lucky to win. [Yorkshire won the championship.] . The beautiful weather continues, and batsmen go on their way rejoicing. During the past week amongst the century makers appear the names of four of England’s finest batsmen —Sutcliffe (212), Woolley, Mead, and Hendren—a finer quartet than we can put in the field to-day.

FOOTBALL. The English Association season does not begin until the last Saturday' in August—practice matches in public will be played by all the leading clubs on the next two Saturday afternoons—but north of the Tweed they are desperately keen on the game, and a start was made with Scottish League fixtures last weekend. Glasgow Rangers went off in a style which promises a season rich in points, for they overwhelmed Arbroath by 6 goals to love. Their local rivals, Celtic, were not as fortunate, losing at Aberdeen by 3to 1. An interesting announcement in the Press that A. D. Nourse would remain in England and play Soccer for Liverpool has been promptly contradicted by the South African cricketer himself, who states that he will return to Durban with the rest of the tourists.

GOLF. After beating Ireland and Wales and seeing the Scots beaten by Ireland the first defeat of Scotland since the amateur quadrangular tournament was instituted m 1932—England seemed to have a wonderful chance of winning the competition outright at St. Amies. Her representatives found, however, that as usual the Scots had reserved their best efforts for the Southrons, who were not only beaten, but routed. They lost every one of the foursomes and the singles by 1\ matches to This disaster meant that England had to share the honours with Ireland and Scotland, each of whom had also suffered one reverse. In professional golfing circles the most interesting item is tne completion of the Ryder Cup team by the inclusion of the brothers Ernest and Reginald Whitcombe. As Charles Whitcombe had already been selected as captain, we have for the first time three brothers in an international side. All three are worthy of their place, though nobody would have cavilled if the selectors had picked another young player, such as S. L. King, for the last place. In fom weeks’ time —that is, on September 14— the team will sail for New York in its attempt at what has not yet been accomplished by our professionals on the other side of the Atlantic.

RACING. The death of Lord Woolavington has robbed the turf of one of its most popular personalities. Born in Qntario, he came to London as a young man to build a business, become a millionaire, and receive a well-earned peerage. His best investment on the turf was the purchase for 500gs of Hurry On. which sired two Derby winners—Captain Cuttle and Coronach. In the hope of owning a third Epsom victor, Lord Woolavington bought Easton in the spring of last year. It was only the might of Windsor Lad that dashed his hopes. No announcement has been made as to whether Lord Woolavington’s valuable training and breeding establishments are to be kept in being.

ROWING. if, as evidenced by the interest in and entry for the Wingfield Sculls, amateur sculling is in a bad way, it is even worse with professional sculling. Ted Phelps is the holder of the championship, and is challenged for it by Barry, whom he has twice beaten for the title Phelps has stated that he may have to let his championship go by default, as he could not find a sportsman willing to put up his share of the stake money. To this Barry replies that he is willing to scull for the bare honour. Phelps, who is a busy young boatbuilder, cannot agree to this, and now states that he has hopes of finding a backer. So we may see a meeting on

1 the Thames at the end of next month. i [Phelps beat Barry.] | * YACHTING. I Except on one afternoon the Cowes regatta was conducted in light winds, which gave the “ J ” class an opportunity for some very skilful work at the helm. The most important event was the race for the special Jubilee Cup, wherein five famous cutters —Yankee, Endeavour, Velsheda, Astra, Shamrock V., and Britannia —finished in that order, it was a grand finish, Yankee crossing the line only 42sec ahead of the America’s Cup challenger. Her time allowance of smin 3sec gave Astra the victory, with Yankee second and Endeavour third.