ATHLETIC SPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9022, 7 April 1888, Page 6

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

FOOTBALL. Now that the cricket and rowing seasons are almost dead, a current topic of conversation in athletic circles is football, and the question'is being continually asked, "When are the Union going to get practices underway for the match with the Englishmen?" This is a query which the executive of the Union seem to be in no hurry to answer, and many grumbling remarks have been passed about their dilatorinesa in this matter. The annual meeting of the Union was held on the 22nd March, and since then nothing has been done, save that at a meeting last Wednesday I the first match was fined for the 21st instant. I Why a practice match should not have been

fixed as far back s» tne 31st ultimo re ib ouucult to say. The players have now had a whole summer's want of practice, and in the view of a match with presumably the strongest team that has yet been brought against Auckland, it would reasonably be supposed that the Union would have made a big effort to get the men into training some little time earlier than four weeks before the date fixed for the match. Of course I know the fact of the ground not being ready has been put forward as a reason of the delay, but as there are no less than five good pitches in Potter s field, it would not have been a work of unsurmountable difficulty to have obtained one of the outer plots for practice, or if these were not available, the Recreation Ground at the North Shore would accommodate at least one game. In addition to delaying the start of practices, the delegates composing the Union's Executive "have, in their wisdom, thought it better to put off the choosing of a selection committee. The proposal to hold club mawjhes, on the first two Saturdays of the only four available for practice, is a good enough idea if it had been acted upon some four weeks ago. Nc doubt the form shown in cup games is the best criterion by which the condition and play of individual players can be judged, but the most valuable training that a representative fifteen (neceseariiy composed of players who have been used to_ plaj against one another) can have, is a series oi games against a strong team, so that each ol the " reps." may get accustomed to and act up to the play of his comrades. Now what is the prospect at present in view? The English match is fixed for the ] 9th proximo Between that date and the 21st inst. thert are but. four Saturdays on which practice can be held, 21st and 28th April, sth and 12tt May. The first two are to be devoted to clut matches, then according to precedent, a pro bable team will be picked to play a next besl fifteen. A few—possibly several—changes are almost sure to result, and one Saturda3 is thus left on which the team, as fraallj chosen, can play together before meeting i fifteen, which is said to be the repre sentative of the football strength of Britain We have seen what a hastily chosen am unpractised team of Auckland did whei in the field last season against Taranaki and as matters point at present a simi lar blunder is likely to be perpetrates this year, more particularly should th< weather be bad on any of the four precioui Saturdays left us. Of the week day games anyone who witnessed the miserable at tendances which prevailed last year, knowi that for any practical good, they are noi worth the time expended on them. Severa of the clubs intend holding practice matchei this afternoon, by which tneir members wil doubtless benefit, but surely the Union will mot let next week, the 14th, slip by withou; any attempt to organise a representative practice. The Gordon Football Club has secured th< use of Dilworth'3 paddock, Epsom, for i practice match to-morrow, and no doubt t large number will attend at the pitch neai the Junction HoteL . In the Domain the Grafton Club will hole their annual race, while the Ponsonby clul have arranged a practice match betweer teams chosen by the captain and the vice captain. ATHLETICS. The following handicaps have been declared for the West End Rowing Club races, to b< held next Saturday :— 100-yards Handicap.—Scratch, J. McDonnell 2 yds, J. Masefleld, J. W. Edwards, J. W. Baxter, H E. Griffiths; 3yds, Clutsam, Dixon, Fisher, New nian, Chapman; 4yds, J. N. Baxter, Cooke, Car rollo, Petley, Atkinson, Farquhar; syds, A. H Jones, Dignan, K. Dowden, A. Jones ; 6yds, Jack, E Dowden, Lowry, Elliott,' Sustens j 7yds, Gentles, E. Baxter, Clark, Spiera, Lumsden ; Byds, J. McGregor, J. Martelli; 9yds, Cunningham (2). 220-yak.ds Handicap.—Scratch, J. McDonnell: 2yds, Edwards, J. Masefleld; 4yds, J. W. Baxter, H. E. Griffiths, J. N. Baxter, Clutsam; 7yds, Dixon, Chapman, Atkinson, Fisher, Carrollo, Newman ; 9yds, Cooke, Farquhar, A. H. Jones, Petley ; 12yds, E. Dowden, E. Dowden, A. Jones, Spiers, Elliot; Hyds, Lowry, Gentles, Jack, Dignan; 17yds, Lumsden, Clark, R. Baxter, Sustens; 10yds, J. Martelli, J. McGregor; 22yds, Cunningham (2). Quarter-mile Handicap.—Scratch, J. N. Baxter; eyds, Edwards, J. Masefleld ; 9yds, J. McDonnell, Clutsam, Griffiths; 11yds, Gentles, Dixon, Chapman; 14yds, Atkinson, Petley, Farquhar, A. H. Jones; 17yds, Fisher, Newman, Jack, J. W. Baxter; 19yds, Spiers. Elliot, Lowry, Carrollo; 21yds, Cooke, Lumsden, Sustens ; 22yds, A. Jones, B. Dowden, E. Dowden, Dignan; 25yds, R. Baxter, Clark; 28yds, J. McGregor, J. Martelli ; 30yds, Cunningham (2). The entries for the All Saints' Athletic Club's meeting in the Domain were received on Thursday night, and resulted as follows : —Club Handicap (three distances), 11 entries: 150-Yards* Handicap, 22; Half-mile, 15; Mile, 14; Mile Walk, 7; 120-Yards , Hurdles, 16; Siamese Race, 14; Puttingthe Weight (161b shot), 5; High Jump, 6; West End R.C. Handicap, 30. The Sports Committee have decided to issue programmes early next week for the races, and altogether a very successful meeting is promised. TENNIS. The Devonpobt Club.—This club, although possessing the largest ground in and about Auckland, is greatly handicapped ii the effort to produce a smooth turf by the nature of the soil composing it. The lawn has been formed on the surface of a swamp, and the want of a sound formation prevent! a first-class solid surface being formed, nc matter what amount of labour in rolling. &c.,, is spent upon it. From a .variety oi causes, the club has not been particularly prosperous until during the past season, whict has Been a very successful one. The play oi the members, though good, is not particularlj brilliant, a result probamy owing to the " deadness " of the ground. There are several verv promising players in the club, however, anct I hope next year to see them make a big bid for championship honours. One verj pleasing feature of this club and its members ; is the very sociable spirit shown both amongst themselves and to visitors, indeed those of the latter class who have been on the Devonport ground speak in high terms of the hospitality of the members, the Saturday at homes being mentioned as " really jolly.' With due attention to the keeping of the lawn and regular practising, the Devenpori Club will probably produce some brilliant players next season. MISCELLANEOUS. The Auckland Cricket Association notifj that on Wednesday, the 11th instant, i meeting of the various delegates will be hel« at the Imperial Hotel. As the business con sists of the consideration of amended pro posals from the City Council in regard to th< cricket ground, as well as the alteration ol rules, it is to be hoped that a representative attendances will be present. In the Gordon becond y. Alpha matel this afternoon, the following players wiL take part:—Alpha : McDermott, Hay, Good acre ? Kilps.trick, Grindrod, Roberts, Taylor, Collins, Morrow, Stephenson, McDonald: emergency, McGregor. Gordon: Ball, Gorrie, Kelly, Goulstone, Cato, Ansenne, Lusk (2), Neil, Mackay, Hogan; emergency, Gould. Thie afternoon the four rowing races of the Ponsonby Rejjatta, about which some dispute arose through mistakes concerning starting, etc., will be rowed over again, and the tut race and greany boom events, which had tc be postponed on Easter Monday, will alsc take place. This course was agreed upon bj the committee, after a very warm discussion at the meeting held on Thursday evening last. In our report of the larger yacht race, through the miswording of the description OJ the event, this Mignonette was made to appear second to the Manola, whereas the Mignonette won, the Manola being a close second. A pleasing memorial of their four years victories in the Champion Whaleboat Race was presented to the Waitemata Boating Club during the week*, in the shape of a handsome barmer of the club colours, Dearing the names of the years on which the club carried off the race. The flag, which is both costly and very handsome, was the gift of Mrs. J. Endea.n. The Easter holidays just past were, as usual, eagerly taken advantage of for cruising purposes by the local yachtsmen, and the favourite resorts of Waiwera, Kawau, and Mahurangi were visited by a good number of the larger craft, among which were the Rita, Maraetea, Ariel, Arawa. and Winona. The yacht Astoroea had the misfortune to sustain a severe collision while sailing in the harbour by running into a scow. " Merlin," in the London Evening News, writes : —" I leiarn with great regret that Mr, A. E. Stoddart, the famous batsman and footballer, is sure to stay altogether in Australia. He was, as my readers well know, threequarter back for Blackheath, and for England in the Internationale, while at cricket his services were given to Middlesex and the Gentlemen of England. In every capacity he proved himself a great natural player, and it is a thousand pities that we nave lost him." The following item is an extract from a lengthy article in the Australasian an theperformances of the English cricketers on the other side": In batting in eleven-a-side matches W. W. Read beats Shrewsbury, the Surrey crack having an average of 6577, or 7 points ahead of the celebrated Notts man. Shrewsbury has the fine average of 58*92 for 14 innings, once not out. His best innings was the lecent 206 against the Australian Eleven, but his 232 against Victoria was also a very excellent dinpTay. He is undoubtedly on all wickets the leading batsman in the world. Next to him in eleven-a-side matches comes Brann, a long way off with 26*33. He gains this position solely through one good score, viz, 118 {against Victoria). Smith is third in eleven-a-side matches with 24*75 for 8 innings, and. Ulyett is fourth with 22-23 for 10 innings. In bowling in eleven-a-side matches the Surrey crack Lohmann heads the list with 11*96 runs per wicket. He sent down 2642 balls for 755 runs, 352 maidens, 63 wickets. As he is the great rival of Attewell, the tetter's figures may b» mentioned for purposes of contrast.

jurenv" *•«»»» «*.~» "w" ™.u. iw 000 nUUI 463 maidens, and 53 wickets, giviag an average of 11*05 run's per wicket. It , will be perceived that Attewell's figures produce the better resnlts. ' ' , ' , -- "■ i '^~-'-. *-* • Jaso:».