SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

Mataura Ensign, 24 April 1913, Page 7

SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

CYCLING

SPORTING.

4f FOOTBALL INVERCARGILL v. EXCELSIOR. > The annual match between Excelsior 4 (Gore) and Invercargill was played on the showgrounds yesterday in the presence of a sprinkling of spectators. The ground was in good order but a cold . southerly made matters somewhat unpleasant for all except the actual players. Excelsior won the toss and kicked ;' off with the wind in their favor. Scrambling plav ensued in midfield un- s til a long kick compelled Dunnett (the 1 Invercargill custodian) to foroe. Even s play followed the kick-off, but a long » kick by a Blues' back saw Ouff (the ' Greens' fullback) fumble, and a score * was narrowly averted. Immediately af- 1 * ter a rush by the Blues' forwards com- c pelled the Greens to force. Invercargill " were now showing to most advantage, but continued fumbling by both sides was the principal feature at this stage . of the game. Excelsior were compelled f to force twice in succession, the former j being from an attempt to pot by Dunnett, the ball going outside the posts. g Play continued to hover between the Greens' 25 and the goal line. The £ Blues mode repeated attempts to open out -the game, but the passing was v mostly wild and misjudged. Excelsior a eventually set up a short attack, but the Blues retaliated with a good rush, j and Webb scored at the corner. Henderson made a poor attempt to convert. Keeping up the pressure Invercargill were quicklv back on attack, and a smart kick by Henderson and fast following up by'McGuflog caught Ouff natvoing, a neat try resulting. Efenderson made a "ood attempt to convert. The weak opposition was en- , abling the visitors to gain some com- j bination. and several creditable passing <• rushes were initiated. From a smart ; opening bv Henderson the ball travel- . led, to Smith, who scored in a good position. Henderson easily converted. On resuming the Blues at once attack- < ed. and Henderson getting the ball : away smartly worked the blind side, i •coring at the corner. Hawke failed with the kick. Two minutes later Henderson sent out smartly to Hawke. , who badly beat the opposition and •cored close to the posts. Henderson had no difficulty in registering the major points. The Greens were now utterly disorganised, and it was merely a question of how many tries the visitors would, score. Just on half-time from a forward rush Robinson touched down, but Henderson's kick at goal failed. Half-time was called with the fccore: Invercargill 22 ■< Excels'or 0 On changing over the Greens were at once driven back on their line, and R.eeves secuiring touched down behind the posts. Henderson easily converted. Excelsior now became dangerous for ■Hhe first time during the game, a good' rush carrying- them right to their opponents' line, where faulty passing anoilt a certain score. From the Blues' V\ Stevens made a fins run but lost the ball on the line. Immediately after Biggar secured and dashed over at the corner, registering the Greens' first and only score. Turnbull made a poor attempt at goal. This reverse livened up the visitors, and from a long throw-out on the line the ball came to Smith, who raced across near the corner. Seeling failed with the kick. Mc Guffog was next to score, securing near the halfway flag and badlv beating the opposition before touching down at the corHenderson's kick at goal failed. From a scramble in front of the posts Smith touched down and Henderson added the extra points. Time was called shortly after with the score: Invercargill 38 Excelsior 3 Mr F. Wallis controlled the game impartially. ALBION (26) v. WAIKAKA (15). A team representating the Albion Football Club journeyed to Waikaka yesterday afternoon to try conclusions with the Waikaka White Star Club. The visitors put a fairly strong team in ■ the field and proved too good for the onnonente Shortly after the kick-off J). Mac Gibbon secured the ball from a scrum and ram right through the opposition, drawing first blood for Albion. Albion were having the better of the «ame though, as is usual at the beginning of the season, the pk-y was not of- a high standard, scores were made in fairly fast time W. Mac Gibbon, D. Mac Gibbon, Excel! and O'Kane being responsible for the bulk of tie scoring. At half-time the scores were: Albion 15; Waikaka, ml. In the second half Waikaka livened up, but were unable to overtake their opponents' score, the final scores being Albion 26, White Star 15. Mr Small, of Gore, gave •rery satisfaction with the whistle. The visitors were subsequently entertained at dinner at the hotel by the members of the local team, and an appropriate toast list was honored. A discussion ensued on the advosableness of 'the Northern District Union seceding from the E.D-S.U. and affiliating with the South Otago Sub-Union. Opinions on file matter to be fairly evenly divided. Tfiose in favor seemed to be of the opinion that the players from •the Northern District did (Dot meet with the recognition they merited from the E.D.S.U., and in sutmort of this it was pointed out that Paeey. last year's crack Wiadkaka fullbagk. was considered by followers of -hrtttfeame in the Northern District to bi? rally entitled to ia trial in last year's Eastern District representative team. The opinion was also expressed that the same state of affairs existed between, the Southland Rugby Union and the E.D.S.U., the latter not getting fair treatment in the Southland representative matches.

NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION

WELLINGTON, April 23. AM * meeting of the Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union to-night a letter was received! from "tihe New South Wales Union regarding &Q * oair °f a M*ori team and! forwarding the proposed itinerary and terms. The Maoris will leave Auckland' on June 2, and will play matches in New South Wales and Queensland. It was decided to forward tihe letter "to Mr Yf. Pa>rate., and inform the New South Wales Union that any profit accruing must be handed to the New Zealand Union to be disposed of at its discretion. . The Oalifornian Union wrote asking, for a New Zealand team to visit California this year. Ma- 0. F. Cameron, of CaUfornia, interviewed tihe union regarding the same matter, but eventually it was decided to inform the University that New Zealand could deal onlv with the CaHfarnian Union. Mr Cameron will leave hero <m Friday, *nd he' agreed to see nwnnbora of the Californian -Union on liis return aaid get an official offer made to the New Zealand Union.

A MELBOURNE RACE

MELBOURNE, April 23. The Eight Hours' Celebration wheel race Ircsulted: —Gore 1, <Etrsk|ine 2, Southern 3. Won bv half a lan. Time, 4niin 32 3-ssec.^

CRICKET. THE MERCANTILE SHIELD

The Southland! cricket season was brought to a conclusion at Rugby Park yesuMxlay afternoon, when I.C.C. met and defeated Appleby and became winners of the Mercantile Shield for the second year in succession. When the first day's play of this game was concluded some weeks hack, JAppleby/'s first innings total stood at 133 runs, and I.C.C. had three wickets down for 86, leaving them 48 runs to get to socuro a two-point win and seven wickets to do it with. Kavanagjh was not out with 57 to his credit, and yesterday took his score to 122 before he lost his wicket. His score included .13 fours, 5 threes, and 12 twos. This is his only century during the season, and brings him to the lead in the batting average of his club. I.C.C.'s innings terminated at 4.18 p.m. for a total of 201 runs, and a lead of 68 runs over Appleby's innings. The Southerners were all disposed of for 38 runs, hut an appeal for light having been made by the Appleby captain and upheld, T.O.C.'s win counts as a two-point one.

S.C.J.C. AUTUMN MEETING. FEB DOTTED PRESS ASSOCIATION. TIMARU, April 23. The South Canterbury Jockey Club's Autumn Meeting commenced to-day in fine weather, with a record attendance. The totalisator receipts were £11,562, as against £6345 last year. Following aire tie results: Otipua Hurdles, one mile and a-half. —Daylight Bill, 9.5, 1; Gold Pin, 10.9, 2; Redwing, 9.8, 3. Scratched: Master Paul and St. Aidan. Won by a length. I Time, 2min. 49 l-ssec. Rosehill Handicap, six furlongs.— First Glance. 7.5. 1; Robert Bell, 7.12, 2; Fairlie, 7.0. 3. Scratched: Steperina and Lady Alma. Won by a length and a-half. Time, Imin 16 l-ssec.

Smithfield Handicap, four furlongs.— Irish Gift, 10.3, 1: Stepmaid, 8.5, 2; Mapleleaf, 8.5, 3. Scratched: Ngatapa. Won by a length. Time, 50 1-osee. Timaru Cup, of SOOsovs. Cone and a-quartc-r miles)—l Thrax, 8.2, 1; 3 Kilmeny, 7.13, 2; 2 Sunbeam, 6.7, 3. Also started: 6 Seekashore, 5 Mumura, 4 Gobi Coin, 7 Russo, 8 St. Kevin. Won, by two lengths! Time, 2min. 8 l-sseo. Washdvko Welter, seven furlongs. — 3 Bulletin, 10.5, 1; 2 Ladrone, 8.4, and 7 Britain Crown, 8.0, a dead heat, 2. Won by two lengths. Time, Imin 29sec.

Gladstone Trot, one mile and a-half. —3 Eli de Beaumont, 12sec. 1; 8 Red Fern, 14sec, 2; 2 Remakosa, 12sec, 3. Won by 12 lengths. Time, 3mih 47 l-ssec.

Hack Race, five furlonigs.—l Takohau. 8.0, 1; 4 Vanquish, 8.0, 2; 8 My Glove. 8.0, 3. Won by two lengths. Time Imin lsec.

Flying Handicap, erx furlongs.—3 Gapon 7.1, 1; 1. Obsono, 8.13, 2; 2 Kilts, 8.2, 3. Won by a neck. Time, Imin ISsec.