Australia to the Fore

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7201, 26 April 1930, Page 13

Australia to the Fore

SPORT INVASION OF ENGLAND

Cricket, Golf, Billiards

The forthcoming visit of the Australian cricket team to this country has drawn attention to the increased interest that is being taken in international matters by Australian sportsmen generally. With Walter Lindrum having conclusively proved he has no peer in the ivorld of billiards, Australia is anxious that other honours should be obtained by their athletic representatives in rivalry with those of other countries, writes C. W. Packford in an English exchange. ' “Their chief concern is regaining the ‘Ashes,’ and they are not without hopes that their team will be successful in so doing! There is one thing about it that is significant. They are arriving here without that extraordinary outburst of optimism that preceded the last combination under ‘Horseshoe’ Collins. We are merely informed that it is a team of youthful, ambitious players blended with experience, and that, anxious as they are to win, they realise the gravity of their task. This makes them much more dangerous, and it will be interesting to see what happens. But of these popular kinsmen of ours more anon. “That to which I wish to draw attention is the activities of the Australian sportsmen in other directions. “During the course of 1930 we shall probably be favoured with visits from representatives of Australian rowing, lawn tennis, golf, rjockey, croquet and bowls, and several of these are of an extremely interesting character. “There is a proposal to send a crew from New South Wales to compete at Henley Regatta. We do not hear much of rowing out there, but they are as keen ‘wetbobs’ as we are, and have produced many really great oarsmen and

scullers. It may not be remembered that an Australian crew rowed at Henley some seventeen years ago, and by defeating the Leander Club in the Grand definitely established themselves as a rowing country. “In addition, in July, 1919, at Henley, an Australian crew won the King’s Cup open to crews from the forces of the Allies in the Great War. The cup, greatly valued indeed, is now the perpetual trophy for the Australian championship. DAVIS CUP QUEST, “It is gratifying, too, to hear that Australia will again participate in the Davis Cup competition. Owing to many difficulties, chief among them the inability of Gerald Patterson to play, Austi-alia, which was the premier lawn tennis country in the world from 1907 to 1911, and again in 1914 and 1919,’has for the last few years been unable to challenge the supremacy of \ its rivals. Now, however, a team of youthful players has been entered with the idea not of regaining the cup, but of giving them that experience so essential to success in the future. “With Jack Crawford, who has already defeated ‘Bunny’ Austin, in the team, they are sure to put up a creditable display not only in the Davis Cup, but at Wimbledon. “It is to be hoped that the team of women golfers will arrive in time to play in the British Ladies’ Championship, for they will add considerably to the international character of the competition. Already we know that, headed by Miss Glenna Collett, America will be strongly represented, and with Mile. Simone de la Chaume representing France, the appearance of the Australian women will be welcomed. Who is to come is as yet doubtful, but we would like to see Miss M. Macleod, of the Royal Melbourne Club, and Mrs. J. Gatehouse, of the Royal Sydney.”