SPORTS NEWS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 29 November 1945, Page 3

SPORTS NEWS

"PAR S" FROM THE PLAYING FIELDS

Nelson Cricket Representatives In view of Nelson's representative game against Wellington at the Basin Reserve on Ist and 2nd January and also the fact that Nelson’s Hawke Cup challenge has been accepted, the sole district cricket selector, Mr E. R. Neale, has named the following 18 players as likely members of the representative side : R. Vass, T. Vass, B. Gully (Athletic), A. Newman, J. Newman, J. Steven's, W. A. C. Smith, G. S. Bolting, T. Ralfe, R. Karsten (Old Boys), N. Campen .(Old Boys Colts), N'. Avery, T. Birch, J. Hall, G. Christmas (Wakatu), L.-Sav-age (College), C. Davies (Waimea), G. Ryder (Motueka). The selector desires these players to get as much concentrated practice as possible and in the near future it is hoped to have a separate practice wicket for representative players at Trafalgar Park. If any of the players named will not be available for the Wellington match at New Year or the Hawke Cup game, the date of which has not yet been arranged, they are asked to get in touch with Mr Neale. The selector by no means binds himself to this list, which is only a preliminary selection of likely players. Nelson Golfer’s Transfer By the transfer of Ray Goodman to Bendigo, Victoria, the Nelson Golf Club has lost one of its keenest members. Playing on a single-figure handicap, Goodman is always a hard man to beat and during a season usually contrives to hand in one or two really brilliant cards. He is also a keen fisherman, being a member of the Nelson Anglers’ Club and on the council of the Nelson Acclimatisation Society. The Twickenham Match There is a certain amount of ruefulness in English sporting circles at thf» moment (states a special P.A. correspondent). First, the Russian Dynamos beat them at Soccer, and then the Kiwis trounced them at Rugger. But all’th e critics are generous in their praise of th e New Zealanders, and the more discerning, while paying tribute to the Kiwis’ strength and fitness, describe the game at Twickenham as grand rather than great. J. P. Jordan, in th e “Daily Telegraph,” refers to “a hectic game which .was distinguished more by physical energy than polished football.” He adds: “No excuses need be offered for England’s defeat. It is true that they faced a heavier and ‘beefier’ team, but that did not entirely explain it away. In driving power and skill England met their masters, who were also a magnificently fit side. The Kiwi forwards, with Finlay, Arnold, Rhind, and Simpson outstanding, were terrific. They beat England in th e tight scrums by getting the ball 28 times to 12. They beat them in the linesout 38 times to 21, and their crashing tactics in the loose, combined with the straight and determined running of their backs, kept England on the defensive for nearly all the afternoon. The Kiwis also had a splendid scrumhalf in their captain, Saxton, who exploited the inexperience of England’s blind-side forwards frequently.” Science in Russian Sport Scientific study and Government support were the reasons given for the success of the Moscow Dynamo Association footballers and other Russian athletes by a Moscow radio sports commentator. “We have worked out methods of obtaining the maximum of performance with a minimum of effort,” he said. “Besides the National Sports Research Institute, there are many special schools for sports instructors.” It has also been announced that the Soviet Government is to give cash bonuses for outstanding achievements. This means that there is small prospect of Russian athletes participating in international amateur gatherings as acceptance of such payments would put athletes outside the amateur sporting fold. The bonuses to be given are: New world records. 15,000 to 20,000 roubles (about £700); new Soviet records, 5000 to 15,000 roubles, placings in national championships, 2000 to 5000 roubles. Sport continued in Russia throughout thf* war, and while most Soviet performances fall below world standards there is constant improvement. Russia has never been a member of the international Amateur Athletic Federation, but she did compete in Olympic fixtures prior to World War 1. British Golf Title English golfers won’t challenge for th e Ryder Cup next year, but Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, and Gene Sarazen will head a formidable American team to compete in the British Open at St. Andrew’s. Henry Cotton has suggested that gallery stands, with reserved seats, should be built at the important holes, and the committee of the Royal and Ancient club is ti inking it over. Golf authorities are puzzled how to break the caddie racket. Professionals get 10s to teach a member one round, but who carry the bags, get £ 1 sterling a day. Caddies are so scarce wealthy members pay willingly, so unless all clubs can a£re P on uniform fees, caddies will gravitate where the pay is best. Transport for Kiwis Geoffrey Simpson, in th e “Daily Mail,” is upset that “th e best Rugby team thi s country has seen for many years, the Kiwis from New Zealand, arrived in an Army truck to play England at Twickenham, while thousands of spectators came comfoitably in their motor-cars.” H e adds: “I saw plenty of staff cars bringing service high-ups. But the men who provided the show and packed the stands with 40,000 people came in a truck which wa s not big enough to seat all the party. This included th e team manager, the trainer, and the masseur. Some of them had to stand. None of the Kiwis breathed a word of complaint about this. Nor do they grumble about the third-class railway travel provided for them for their journeyings about th P country raising money for Army welfare. Saturday’s match must have produced another £SOOO. They are soldiers ol the Mediterranean campaign, drawn from New Zealand’s fighting troops. They are here to do a job. But that is no reason why they should not be given a little comfort.

Schoolboy’s Fine Jumping At the Combined Schools’ Sports meeting recently held at Mapua by the Tasman School Committee, Keith Inwood, of Tasman School, cleared 4ft 9^ins in the high jump—a fine performance by a thirteen-year-old primary schoolboy. Cook’s Fine Kicking Commenting on the Rugby Test at Twickenham, “The Times” expressed the opinion that th e Kiwis’ greatest success was the full-back, Cook, whose clearing kicks to touch were magnificent and one at least contributed towards the scoring of a try. “Admittedly, Cook seldom if ever, had to operate under sustained and intense pressure,” it says. “As for the Kiwi attack, much of it was little more impressive than that of their scratch and less experienced opponents. This was all the more surprising because this time their forwards heeled out fairly generously both from the. scrummages and the mauls. Somehow, however, most of the opening i gambits from the scrummage were ‘ obvious and uninspired. Even Allen I was content to be largely a mere hander-on of passes up to half-time. | When he elected to seize or create openings, Allen instantly stood out as the most polished player in the side, a beautiful kicker as well as a nicelybalanced runner. Smith, of course, took a lot of holding, but he was generally held by Heaton and it was only in the exploiting of English mistakes that Smith really sustained his reputation. Team All Out for Five Runs The total of five runs put on by the Pangatotara team in a match against Combined in the Motueka Cricket Association’s competition on Saturday must be very close to a record low score. The game was played at Pangatotara. In their first innings Combined made 3 runs (R. Bruning 11 not out, R. Drummond 11). Bowling: W. Piggott, three for 5; F. Knowles two for 7. Pangatotara replied with 5 runs. Bowling: W. Reed seven for 2, P. Cederman three for 1. In their second innings Combined made 64 runs (E. Fry 25, F. Drummond 18). W. Williams and K. Williams took five wickets for 20 runs and two for 19 respectively. Pangatotara in their second innings scored 28 runs (F. Knowles ll). Bowling: P. Cederman four for 3, W. Reed three for 8. Athletic Championships At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, held in Wellington at the weekend, New Zealand . championships were allocated as follows: Senior and junior cross-country 1946, Wellington; senior track and field 1947, Auckland; junior and women’s track and field, 1947, Wellington. By 13 votes to 10 it was decided that a system of handicapping by a national standard be universally adopted. The meeting unanimously recommended to the management committee that the Waikato sub-centre be granted status as a centre. A Canterbury remit proposing that the senior and junior national crosscountry championships should be held on the same day and at the same place in future years was adopted. Inter-Club Tennis The first inter-club matches to be played by Nelson tennis clubs this season will take place at the week-end. On Saturday Hampden street will play the Nelson Club on the Nelson courts and another Nelson team will visit Blenheim for a match against the Blenheim Club. Athletic Contests with Australia A decision to take steps to institute Australia versus New Zealand contests was reached at -the annual meeting of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. It was originally proposed by the Auckland centre that the Australasian championships, held some years ago, should be revived, but delegates pointed out that with that system of championships New Zealand would have to take its turn with all the Australian States in the holding of meetings. The chairman of the management committee, Mr H. I. Austad. said that before the war an Australia-New Zealand contest had been very nearly arranged, but it was wrecked on the rock pf finance, the Australians not being prepared to undertake the scheme. The time might b e opportune now, however, for a revival of the proposal. Murphy-Clarke Fight The professional catchweight boxing contest between Bos Murphy, the Hutt Valley welterweight, and Bobby Clarke, the visiting Australian middleweight, has now been arranged for the Town Hall, Wellington, on December 17. Th e pair were matched by the Wellington Boxing Association earlier, but the contest had to be postponed because Clarke was indisposed. * Tennis Star Miss Margaret Beverley, Waikato, who reached the peak of her successes in 1937 by winning the New Zealand singles, doubles, and mixed tennis titles, is to play again this year for the first time for about five years. She has been a land girl on her father’s farm in the Waikato, and she will be seen in Auckland with Jack Gunn and Mrs (Pam) Smith in the New Zealand tournament events

Amateur Status. The Swedish Amateur Athletic Association’s action in declaring Gundar Haegg, Arne Andersso.i, and 13 other Swedish runners professionals will have world-wide repercussions. It is alleged the 15 athletes accepted money from sports promoters and the records set by several of them have been declared invalid. Amateurism is as shaky as a cardboard citadel. The storm now raging over the status of Sweden’s crack athletes could easily cause its crash. The runners themselves brought the irritating question to a head by “betraying their own crimes” of the past five years. Swedish sports writers say 22 world track records made between 1941 and 1945 by Haegg, Andersson, and Erik Elmsater will be removed, and an appeal made for similar action by athletic governing bodies in U.S.A., France, and Finland. The Swedish Amateur Athletic Association is asking for “international modernisation of amateur rules.” That can only mean the deletion of the word “amateur.” Haegg said: “All ho 1 >■■<■■■ ■■ alike. What is now disclosed has been going on for many years, and leaders haven’t complained. If I am disqualified I can still run as a professional in America or Russia. I think Sweden has given a long-wanted lead at an opportune time for a new deal stripped of snobbery and all ludicrous “fiddling” associated with so-called amateurism.” Example of Paavo Nurmi. Haegg and Andersson, are, not the first Continental athletes whose amateur status has been in question. The International Amateur Athletics Federation has a rule which limits overseas tours, without special sanction, to 21 days. This rule was invoked to prevent European athletes undertaking long tours for the American indoor season, when it was obvious that the amateur definition was being stretched. Prior to the Los Angeles Olympic‘ Games in 1932, the famous Finnish distance runner, Paavo Nurmi, was in training for the Marathon, and many good judges thought that he could run the 26 miles 385 yards in two hours and aquarter, or about a-quarter of an hour faster than the previous best. Unfortunately, ’ Nurmi undertook* a tour in America which exceeded the stipulated time limit, and the International Federation ruled that he had forfeited his amateur status. Sports Equipment from Britain The British Board of Trade has removed all restrictions on th e export of sports equipment, according to advice received by the New Zealand Council of Sport from the Commissioner of Supply. No sponsorship is now necessary, therefore, although deliveries will depend on manufacturers being able to supply the goods after fulfilling service and other special requirements.