ATHLETIC SPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6996, 19 April 1884, Page 6

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

FIXTURES. CBICKET. (All cricket matches net otherwise noted will be played on the Domain ground.) April 19—"West End v. South End, Our Boys v. Auckland. April 26.—Auckland v. Excelsior, West End TTT. v. "Warerley. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. John Poland, Tuakau.—Mr. C. B. King was Secretary to the Demonstration sports on January 29. CRICKET.

Saturday last was a splendid day for the game, and the ground was in first-rate condition. The season being almost over, there were only five matches played on the Domain. This is the smallest nubm er seen yet'this season on a fine day. The only important - engagement was that between the A.C.C. and 0.8.C.C., a two day fixture. An early start was made and an effort will be made to play it out. Both teams were - not representative ones of the clubs contesting. Auckland had no less than six substitutes— viz., McCauslandj Holdship, CL F. Reid, McKinney, Philaon, and J. Gray, while Our Boys had Arneil, Dunkley, and Leahy doing service for them. The young olub opened the ball well' with E. Mills and ' W. George, who saw 42 runs. recorded before . the partnership was dissolved. Mathieson and Beale bowled, the former although he sent down several. maidenß at the'' start .was not. very difficult, and batsmen seemed to have a liking for his attacks, and after 40 odd runs had been knocked off him, he was shunted for F. Clayton, the.only change the A.C.C. had of their own olub. Dunkley compiled 16, when he was . given out lbw to the last-named trundler, and Arneil was dismissed firut ball with a full pitcher from Beale, and three wickets were down for 43 runs. Walker retired to the same bowler after contributing 8 runs, and the total had mounted to 61. . J. George was taken behind the* wickets by Gardner off Clayton after adding a dozen, and C.- White and Leahy partnered each other - to some purpose, carrying the score from 88 to 130. The South End man knocking up 30, the top' score of the innings, and White with 19 made things look very promising for Our Boys winning the match. An adjournment was then made for luncheon, and on resuming the remaining two wickets soon fell to,Beale, and the innings closed for 135. Beale comes out with -7 .wickets. for 55, and Clayton, with- 2 for 26/ Auckland commenced their: venture with- McCausland and-JELoldship. The latter soon retired to Mills, and C. F. Reid -opened his account by putting Walker off the ground to leg for 4. Thel iordon' batsman played carefully,' mostly for singles,- while Reid put the attacks of the bowlers all . over the field. The score soon - passed, the- half century, and if' Our Boys had a change he should have.: been 'brought'on-long before he was.. McCausland 'was the first to; go, being.'caught off Mills after making 24 in good style, 14 of whioh' were singles. Gardner' soon put together 11, wnen he was caught by Mills. Reid saw two more players retire, and was then bowled by' Mills, who was alone keeping the ball about the spot, while Walker -was in anything but good form. Reid had made a splendid stand, and his 48 runs were compiled without a chance by a fine display of cricket. The turning point of the match now took place by Arneil taking up Mills' crease and Walker being shunted for Mills at the other. Allowing the West End -brack' to was'hardly the thing. However, he trundled, after Beale had : entered a protest against it on behalf -of Auckland, with - the' • resultthat the last five wickets were ...credited to him. ..Clayton was well caught by J. George at long off—a hard hit vrtuctr looked* like travelling forfouro'r the innings. closed for 120, or 15 runs behind-Our Boys' total. - Arneil comes outr.best-iwith . 5- wickets for 30 runs,, and. Mills 5 for 37 rung. No catches were dropped the field. ,No .than six men had been caught," and this, combined with Arniel's bowling, may account for Our Boys lead on the first innings. Arneil and MiHg commenced the second innings on behalf of Our Boys,' but" the latter threw his wicket away, 'by being run out before a run was scored, and W. George played out twice with Arneil." The former had 11 out of 14, for one wicket down. The match will be returned to-day.

. With to-day the season may practically be said to come to a close, as far as the first elevens are concerned. A few mere junior matches may he played. The season of 1883-4 will then be a thing of the past, and looking back a bit, I think it may safely be considered the best Auckland has' ever had. The Grammar School eleven has to promising colts in D. Meldram" and H. G'oulstone, and if the former continues to improve next season at the' rate he-has done this, he will be one "of best juniors. He bats in a free and very pleasingatyle, and has .won the top average for his sohool. Goulstone is also a first-rate bat, and can also bowl a'very hot ball. In batting hehas nice forward play, whioh will be heard of before long.

Sir WQ, Clarke' gives- a bat to every member in several of the Melbourne clubs who compiles a century in an innings. The United C.Oi have won the Challenge Cup. United, who took several Saturdays to compile 330, disposed of the Midland for 113 and 99, thus winning by an innings and 11S runq.

Difficulty was experienced in getting a team to go from Wellington to Christchurch. Seventeen were nominated for practice, hut very few turned up. The controversy over no-balling continues in Wellington. The matter in dispute was referred to the Australasian and the Canterbury Times as well as the Hon. Ivo Bligh. > Musgrove's 67 atWellington was considered one of the best stands of the season.

The recent match between Canterbury and Wi.'jngton at Lancaster Park'was for the benefit of W. J. Pooock. This is the first of the in the colony.

Alfred Shaw waa invited over in Philadd. phia with the, best left-arm bcwler he eonld bring to coach' the Phfladelphians prior to their visit .to England. Owing to his en. gagements with.Lord Sheffield, Shaw had to decline, but recommnnded Peate or Rosea A match was played in the Domain ot Thursday between Otahnha and the Pabjk cans, which the farmer won by 8 m„. Scores: 114 and 106. ' ' tOB3 '

[ True Blues played it match at Pnkekohn with the local _ team on Easter Monday, won oh first innings. ' Scores : 54 and 48 Hlliott accomplished the "hat trick" fol PuKekbhe, and was presented with a new h»t .. FOOTBALL. [Secretaries of the various Auckland clubi »s quested to send » complete lirt ol their this office, and items of interest, which will bertTn? •published.]

- Last season there was only one club i» the Napier district within a radios of twelve miles ; ; this year there are five. One ns® one ia named the "Petane Fern Crusher. Football Club." .

•Nearly all the clubs in Chris tchnreh and Dunedin have been playing scratch matches. The Canterbury Union has recomtneodS clubs to play two forty-five minute snell? to score by points. The first named I hopg to see adopted in Auckland this season. The East Christchurch Club play two interprovincial matches at Lancaster p on Queen's Birthday, the first commencing at half-past ten a.m., with the Athletic dub, and the. other with the Zingari Club, Donedin, in the afternoon. , The Sydenham Club, Christchurch, haa been presented with a banner by jjjfriends.

The Canterbury Union has passed a rjjg that no man shall play for the first 15 of aore than one club during the season. This does not apply to school club 3. The colours of the Gordon Club vrffl crimson jersey, and stockings with white knickers.

The Gordon play a club-practice match to. day. -

The Victorian game has been introduced into San Francisco.

Eleven olnbs have started to play tinder» association rules in Victoria this season.

A match with Queensland will, in all pro. bability, be played by the New Zealand team while in Sydney.

■ The association hold their annual meeting next week. Amongst the business will be to elect a Secretary in room of Mr. Croxton and to consider a letter from Mr. Sleigh re Sydney trip. The New Zealand football team for Sydney leave Wellington on May 19. Ixo terms have yet been arranged ro the matches to be played in New South Wales. - Tne annual general meeting of the Grafton Football Club was held last evening at tie club-room, United Service Hotel, Mr. Biggs in the chair. The following new members were elected: Dr.- Bond, Messrs. Shi»u Chapman, Munroj Cooper, Fitzgerald, Butler, Gardner, and Gibbs. The following officers were elected : Mr. G. Orchard, cap. tain ; Mr. C. E. White, hon. Sec. and Treasurer ; committee—Messrs. Yon Sturmer, Ryan, and Biggs ; delegates to Association, Messrs. White and Biggs. Messrs. Orchard and Graham signified their intention of presenting the club with trophies, the former for the greatest number of goals kicked from thefield, and the latter for the greatest number of tries in club matches. CYCLING, The sports on Monday were a great success, and if the club were not successful ia collecting as much gate money as they would have liked, they may fairly be congratulated on the sport they afforded those who did pay. Things are coming to a nice pass when a Government official occupying a high position in our city should take seven ladies and himself on to the ground and coolly refuse to pay. This gentleman (?) was not alone, for another of same style, and also holding a. high appointment an institution which looks after the port* also took himself and family in without tendering the gate-money. These are. people who lika to see sport without paying for it. As to the; races, the best finish was in the Half-mile Dash, in which four'started, and Fitton won by under a yard, closely pressed by this year's champion, with Service and Stewart not far off, third and fourth. Wiseman won the Slow Race easily, as also did Flewellen the Mounting and Dismounting. There was a very gooa finish between Wiseman and R. Service for the -Umbrella Race, and Z think the result would have been different had not the latter fallen abbot a" yard from the post. The Champion was a splendid contest between Flewellen and Fitton up to three-quarters of the -distance, when the first-named gradually drew away and won easily. The .other competitors all tailed off, , and only two of them covered the distance in addition to' the - above. W. M. Service, the champion at the last meeting, rode very badly ail thonghout the meeting, and seemed to have very little training. The final for the mile maiden was a good race, which fell to A. G. Clarke, who was to all appearance winning the final heat for the two mile run immediately afterwards, but one of his pedals becoming loose he had to give up, and J. A. Stewart, of Hamilton, won with Bottrill second. The club race of three miles was eventually carried off by Flewellen, who appropriated three events during the day, and is now' Auckland's champion for 1884.

The Hamilton Club has about thirty members. Cambridge has also a club, but not such a large one.

At the Benevolent Institution sports, Don* edin, C. S. Cantrell (34yds) won the mile bicycle race in 4min. 20sec. The two-mile was carried off by A. H. O'Keefe (70yds) in 7min. s|3ecs .

It-is said that Dr. H. L. Curtis, who was the fastest amateur bicyclist of hia time, and the first 'cyclist to ride 40 miles in an hoar, is suffering from heart disease. -, -

On March 27. Mr. _A. A. O'Donnell gave an exhibition of bicycle and trick;riding at Ohristchurch,. assisted by -the Pioneer and Chiistchurch Clubs. In some of his. tricla he was assisted' by a'boy only six years of age,' who. rode; remarkably well;'considering hia jears. ' At 'the close Mr.. O'Donnell stated hia intention to leave for" Auckland by the first steamer. AQUATICS. The Rob Roy Canoe Club has had a very successful season. There are now 17 boats, and the club possesses a first rate shed. It is proposed to close the season this afternoon with a procession.

Beach has beaten Trickett by two lengths over the championship course, Parramatta River. The result of the contest at' the Sydney Anniversary Regatta in January last iB reversed, and William Beach is now champion oarsman cf . Australia. Beach will, of course, now be the man to row against Hanlan for the championship of the world next month. Konlan has selected the Nepean River as the course most suitable for the race, and haa said he will row on no other. Beach has stated he will row over the Parramatta and nowhere else if he is selected to nphold the prestige of Australia. He considers the Parramatta River the course oyer, which all previous champion races have been rowed, and will row on no other river. If the contest is to be between these two men, one will have to give way before the day. Trickett is willing to row Hanlan anywhere.

The yachts Rita and Arawa left in coo* pany for a cruise up the coast list week. The former may be expected back from Russell to-day. The three Wellington yachts Thetis, Ises* and Xarifa, bad a sweepstakes match on Saturday, the sthinstant There waa ago®* strong breeze with smooth water. Toe Xarifa got away with the lead, with Thetis second. In this order they sailed for aboot a mile, when it was easily seen that the ; Auckland built yacht was not canvasied for the day, having too heavy a press of sail ° a her. On the run home, the isca passed the ' Thetis, while the Xarifa ran clear away fro® her opponents. The race was between the Isca and Thetis for second honours, and the former won by about 100 yards. Tius turned the tables, as in previous contests the Thetis had won. The tonnages of the yachts were—Yarifa, 16 tons; Isca, 6 tons; Thetis» 11 tons. Beach issued a challenge to row Hanlanfor 'the championship of the world and fa oo aside, over the Parramatta River. Hanlan deolined the offer, and has settled down w training for his match fixed for next month.

MISCELLANEOUS. > , W. Gibbin, an Auckland man, compete® in 100-yards flat race for. amateurs at tne Dunedin Benevolent Institution's sports, sot .was. expected to have a say in the result bat failed to get a place. The time w ß * 113-sths sees. ■ . Miller and Blackburn have been nxatcWw to wrestle in the mixed style at Sydney £100 a-side. i*. ' ■ .. Several of the Christchurch schools nave annual swimming matches. It is a wonder our local institutions do not follow suit promote this useful accomplishment among the boys. Abqds.