THE SPORTING WORLD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 18 January 1939, Page 11

THE SPORTING WORLD

Variety of Pars from Here and There By "ERA”

European Championship. Every nation with pretensions to athletic ranking, including even Albania and Luxembourg, took part in the recent European championships at Colombes Stadium, Paris. In all, 355 athletes were engaged, including six Olympic champions and world-record holders. Shield Points After the recent Plunket Shield games there was some doubt as to the points scored by the different provincial teams. The scoring points re awarded as follows: Outright win, 8 points; win on first innings, 4; loss on first innings, 2; tie on first innings. 2 each; tie on match, 4 each; no result after six hours’ play. 3 each. The points scor d by the teams in the present scries are: Auckland 12. Canterbury 10, Wellington and Otago nil.

Historic Yachting Contest. The Sanders Cup contest starts tomorrow at Bluff and Wellington will defend the trophy against Auckland, Canterbury, Otago, Southland and Stewart Island. Of all the events of the yachting year none is so keenly contested, or attracts so great public interest, as the series of races for the Sanders Cup, when provincial representative fourteen-footers of the Rona-Jellicoe class meet from all parts of New Zealand. The contest commemorates the gallantry of Lieu-tenant-Commander W. E. Sanders, V.C., D. 5.0., son of Mr and Mrs E. H. C. Sanders, Auckland, officer of the Merchant Service and the Royal Naval Reserve, who lost his life when the topsail schooner Prize, a Q-ship engaged in submarine destruction, was sunk by an enemy torpedo in 1917. Wellington has held the Sanders Cup for the past two years. Past holders, winning boats, and venues have been: 1921 — Otago, Heather, Auckland. 1922 Auckland; Desert Gold; Dunedin. 1923 Auckland; Rona; Auckland. 1924 — Auckland; Rona; Wellington. 1925 — Otago; Iona; Auckland. 1926 Canterbury; Betty; Dunedin. 1927 — Canterbury; Betty; Lyttelton. 1928 Canterbury; Betty; Stewart Island. 1929 Auckland: Avalon; Akaroa. 1930 — Otago; Eileen; Auckland. 1931 Wellington; Ranger; Dunedin. 1932 — Canterbury; Avenger; Wellington. 1933 — Canterbury; Avenger; Lyttelton. 1934 Canterbury; Irene; Lyttelton. 1935 Canterbury; Irene; Stewart Island. 1936 Canterbury; Avenger; Auckland. 1937 — Wellington; Lavina; Lyttelton. 1938 — Wellington; Kitty; Dunedin.

Last year’s winner, Kitty, was skippered by Nigel Blair, who has since retired from racing. This year the cup will be defended by J. Coleman, who won the cup for Wellington with Lavina in 1937, J. Nolan, J. H. Elliott, and P. Hollis, sailing Vanguard. Auckland will be represented by Marjorie (W. Parkes, skipper), Canterbury by Huia (W. F. Tissiman), Otago by Lynette (Pettit), Southland by Vorena (V. Bragg), and Stewart Island by Rona (G. Bragg).

Ilis Highest Leap Jack Metcalfe, great Australian allround athlete, surprised even himself with a Dunn Shield record high jump of 6ft Sin at the Sydney Sports Fround recently. The leap added three inches to the existing record. It was his best since 7th December, 1933, when he set the present Australian figure of 6ft 6 l-Bin. “I didn’t think I was in condition for such an effort,” Metcalfe admitted. “I had to suspend my training for some time to study for a law examination. If I had known I was going to do so well I would have passed the early heights to conserve my energy. As it was I had more than fifteen leaps.” Famous Slow Bowler Commenting on the excellence of C. V. Crimmett’o bo vim*,. Major C. K. Nayudu, India’s great cricketer, said: “Grimmet certainly is the greatest bowler in the world I have seen during my cricket experience. He commands a wonderful length, accuracy, faultless direction, and inimitable spin. He is a master of his art. His line of attack commences from the very first bowl he bowls. His chief asset lies in the masterly concealing of his spin, which is very difficult to detect.

“He is a grand fellow on and off the field. I have realised one of my great cricket ambitions, viz., to play this greatest bowler of the world, the most perfect master of every department of bowling.” In tests against England Grimmett captured 106 wickets ?.t an average of 32.44, and against South Africa 77 at 15.57. In the Sheffield Shield at the start of the current season he had taken 437 wickets at 25.G2. Cricket Weakness Australian cricket in the past year appears to have reached the crossroads, where a new building-up process must begin, says a Melbourne writer. Our team in England retained the “ashes,” but only because we were the previous holders Each side won one game in the recent series, but it must be admitted that most of the honours were with England. The trouble is the weakness of our bowling, although England also is suffering from a similar weakness. We knew before the team went away that the bowling was weak, and many thought that the selectors did not do anything to strengthen it by the choices they made The tour revealed our weaknesses in all their nakedness. We fully expected that‘O’Reilly and Fleetwood Smith would have to bear the burden of the attack, but only O’Reilly bowled up to his reputation. Fleetwood Smith’s comparative lack of success seems to have been due rather to indifferent health than to loss of ability. Australia is now faced with the task of finding new bowling strength for the next series of tests in Australia. All going well, O’Reilly and Fleetwood Smith seem certain of being our main hopes, but none of the other tried men look like making the grade. It seems to be a case of finding 1 entirely new men, and in this there is a glimmer of hope in the promise of two new bowlers who have come to light in the games already played this season They are two Queenslanders in C. Christ slow to medium-pace left arm. and J. Ellis, fast. G. Eyres, the West Australian, also shaped impressively in the M.C C. match, but he will be handicapped by the lack of opportunity to improve himself in the best company. Apart from these, we cannot see a new bowler of test possibilities, unless D. Ring, the young Victorian, develops into one of real class.

So far as batting is concerned, we appear to have no cause for worry. We have plenty of promising young lads who look capable of supporting Bradman. McCabe and other stars. The recent tour of England showed that in A. L. Hasset we had a test batsman beyond a doubt, while S. G. Barnes may develop into a champion. If v.e can only find a couple of really highclass bowlers this or next season we will be able to face England in 1940-1 with every confidence.