ATHLETIC SPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9184, 13 October 1888, Page 6

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

The chief object of interest during the past week in athletic circles has been the Rugby Union sports, which, in consequence of the downpour last Saturday, were put off till to-day. Considerable disappointment was caused by the postponement, as a good number of the intending contestants in the races had gone to a deal of trouble in training, and are now afraid that they may have got a bit stale. When the short time which they had boen practising is considered, however, I cannot think that many of them will have much to complain of on this score —indeed, many competitors have expressed themselves to me as pleased at having the extra week, as they felt that they would come to the post in hotter trim for the additional work. At all events good contests are expected in the various races, and close finishes are almost certain to result. The Fancy Costume Football Match which in to be held in conjunction with the sports is an event that has excited no little curiosity and enthusiasm, as it is the first undertaking of tho kind that has taken place in Auckland, though fixtures of this description take placo annually in the Southern football centres, and have always been abundantly successful both as regards fun and finance. Those engaged in this afternoon's game will, however, be quite content if they contrive to amuse the spectators, as they are altogether oblivious to "filthy lucre." The two rival teams, Impossibles and Improbable*, ;ire expected to lile upon the ground at 4.30 p.in sharp in all the "pomp and panoph ' of gorgeous, grotesque, or unique costume. They will execute a grand inarch under the leadership of their reteree, who will discourse sweet strains upon the once - heard • never -to-be ■ forgotten bagpipes, while each team will carry its colours, which will be defended with vigour from all assault*. The game is to be played according to strict Rugby rules, though possibly u little license will be allowed to the backs when making any specially brilliant efforts. During the afternoon the Senior and Junior Rugby Union Cups will be presented by Mrs. J. M. Brigham to the captains of tho winning clubs—the Grafton and Selwyn, while a handsome cap will also be handed over to each member of the victorious fifteens. At the conclusion of tho sports the prizes won during the afternoon will also be presented to the successful competitors. .Though they have already scored two wins against the county fifteens of Surrey and Northampton, the real business of the native footballers' tour in England does not begin until this afternoon, when they are to meet a powerful selection representing the Midland Club. They had by last mail's advices 37 matches arranged for, which will cany them up u> the end of January ; but,

as the intervals between some of the fixtures are protty lengthy, it is certain that a good many more matches will be played. In the list on their programme are included three international matches—viz., against England, Ireland, and Wales; while they are also pitted against such strong selections as Lancashire and Yorkshire counties, and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Though they will likely win a large percentage of their fixtures, in these matches referred to, I am afraid that our dusky brethren will find their foemen too good for them, but at the same time I am sure that they will not accept defeat without a struggle. I am sorry to hear that Joe Warbrick was still unfit to take active part in the game when the Surrey match was played. Hi 3 loss in his place at threequarter, as well as that of his directing abilities as captain, will be severely felt by his team, but I hope that he will be well and in his best form when the big events of the tour, referred to just now, come off. The recent visit of the English team to Canterbury, and the prowess displayed in the matches played there by Stoddart, tho crack threequarter, have, evidently, created quite a glow of admiration in the minds of the Christchurch people; for one of tho leading papers there devotes a leading column to his praises, and the writer breaks out into verse concerning him. As Canterbury has been for some years past lamentably weak in strong dashing back players, no doubt the play of Stoddart came upon them as a sort of revelation, as that of R. Whiteside or Joe Warbrick, in their best fettle, would equally do. The verses refen ed to are clever, and will no doubt, interest local Rugbeians. They run :— Cat-like activity : speed of Eclipse : Kick of a Oornishman helil in tho grips : Kangaroo bounrtingpower : lithene.ss of leopard : Knack of escaping as oft as Jack Kheppard: Nous of a captain, a special monoply : Pluck of tho Spartana who stuck to Thermopylae: Hitting of Bonnor or Massie —a touch of it: Bowling of Turner—but not very much of it: Dodging of Dawkins, and Holding of Boyle : Wriggling of eel with a coating of oil: Stirtbese together and skin off tho scum. And a Stoddart remains as the resid-u-um. The cricket season is now almost fairly underway, and next Saturday the fixtures for the Cricket Association's cups may be expected to begin. There are but three senior teams this year, as the Hollands have not entered, owing doubtless to the bulk of their best players having left the colony. The Auckland, United, and Gordon are thus left, and will doubtless make a good fight for the possession of the coveted trophy. The second elevens are as numerous and active as ever, and have the promise of a busy season and closely-contested matches. Cricket for ladies bids fair to become a very popular pastime indeed. Many highborn dames and damsels took part in a recent match at Nun Appleton Park, in Yorkshire. The captains were Lady Milner and Miss Egerton, and among , the fair players were the Ladies Idina and H. Nevill, the Hon. Misses Maude Lawrence, Muriel Brassey, M. A. Brassey, and V. Willoughby, and the Hon. Mrs. Garforth. The scoring was more than respectable, Miss Egerton's side compiling 42 and 173, and Lady Milner's 102 and 119 for six wickets. Miss Fairfax was top scorer, with 72 ; Lady Milner made 41 (not out), Lady Idina Nevill 23 and 22, and the Hon. M. A. Brassey 31 and 10 (not out). No fewer than nine catches were held, and it is noted that Miss Muriel Brassey was out lb\v. The Warehousemen's Cricket Association will open their season on Saturday next, with a match between the Married and Single of the various houses. The following will represent the Single: Chatfield, Sneddon, Bunby, Smith, Ryburn, Newcomb, Hatton, Johnston, Jones, Taylor, Meldrum, Brown, Tommas; Married : Hollo, Colgan, Gilchrist;, Goudie, Vicary, Rogerson, Veale, Taylor, Jackson, Baker, Jamieson, Logan. The Ponsonby Rowing Club hold their trial rives this afternoon at Shelly Beach, and good races will take place, as the men have been putting in good work in their practice during the past fortnight. Next Saturday the West End Rowing Club will also have races for trophies presented by Professor Carrollo, and Messrs. Edwards and Jones, and the following crews are practising hard for the event: —No. 1 : Jack, Bell, Airey, Stevenson. No. 2: Gentles, Speer.s, Martelli, E. Darby. No. 3: Fisher, A. Jones, Dignan, Weston. No. 4: Edwards, Clutsam, H. Martin, R. Baxter. No. 5 : Gritliths, Clark, F. Martin, T. Darby. No. 6:J. W. Baxter, Lawry, Cossar, "Driver. No. 7 : Farquhar, Atkin6on, McHardy, Pheney. The long-promised visit of an Otago team of bowlers to Victoria may at last be considered an accomplished fact. The Hon. Mr. Fergus, and. Mr. J. Jack are at present in Melbourne, Mr. G. H. Marsden left last weeji, and Messrs. D. Baxter, Scoular, W. Wright, and Mouat will be passengers by tho Mararoa, leaving on the 25th instant. Canterbury is expected to furnish five players. The tournament takes place during the first week of November. Our local bowlers intend to start operations by holding practice matches this afternoon. The following testimony to the prowess of Mr. E. W. Parry, the amateur pedestrian, is given by London Sporting Life :— " Tho general body of athletes may not be aware that the Northern Bayard, E. W. Parry, holds more championships than has ever been held at one time by any single runner. The Salfordian is an honour°to modern athletics, and is deservedly held in the highest estimation, not only by his fellow clubmen, but by all genuine sportsmen 'up north.' Tho champion of champions holds the ' The National, , the Ten Miles of the A. A. A., the ' Northern Counties Crosscountry," the One and Two Miles, ' Northern,, and also the Four Miles Championship of the A. A. A. These victories should give much pardonable pride to the harrier who is as modest as he is able. It is to be hoped that this famous rur ner will add many more successes to those already achieved." By the last Suez mail we received the following anent the Australian cricketers : The tide of fortune has been running strongly against the Australian cricketers during the last fortnight. It is now alleged that they owe their past good luck as much to the weather as anything, for rain has fallen almost incessantly since they arrived, and on a damp sodden wicket the bowling of two strange bowlers like Ferris and Turner naturally proved embarrassing to English cricketers. As soon, however, as thefine weather set in and the wickets improved the superiority of English cricket manifested itself, and fortune ceased to favour the Australians. This is very self-complacent reasoning, but certainly the poor figure which the visitors have cut in their late contests goes far to justify it. One can understand their defeat at the Oval by an eleven comprising the pick of English cricket, but some explanation is required for their allowing an inferior county like Notts to knock them so completely out of time as to defeat them by an innings and 199 runs. At the time of the departure of the last mail, the colonials were playing Gloucestershire, and the chances seemed then very much against them. The seeming was in the end changed into a reality, for although the home countv did not obtain a single innings' victory it defeated the Australians by the substantial majority of 257 runs. This was the first time tho County had triumphed over an Australian Eleven, for it was defeated in 1878, 1850,1882, 1884, and 1886, while three other matches wine drawn. The full scores were.: Gloucestershire, 214 and 312; Australia, 143 and 12G. The reverse at the hands of Gloucestershire was sought to ho accounted for in some degrou by the fact t ..it Turner did not bowl for the Australians, it having been decided that he should take a rest, so as to recruit all his energies for the great match with an All England Eleven : at the Oval, on the following .Monday. But Turner's rest did not do him much good, for the visitors went iloivn before the picked eleven of England by an innings and 13" runs. The game was played on a wicket which was as fair for one side as for tho other, that is, a perfectly hard one, and the result proves that when the hard ground gives English batsmen an opportunity of doing themselves justice, the cream of Knjtlial) cricket is superior to that of Australia. The great feature of tho play was Lohmann'a magnificent innings, during which he made 02 runs in ">0 minutes. Such powerful all - round hitting as he showed has seldom been se»'ii since the famous Yardley, of Cambridge, was at his best. His magnificent batting, indeed, will be talked of in years to come. But Lohmaiin was not alone in his distinction. Barnes, Peel, Abel Briggs, and Wood greatly added to thoir reputation. The whole of tho English team in fact did remarkably well, and their fielding was so fine that the Australians, who had the advantage of winning the toss, seemed absolutely disheartened from the outset The match only lasted for two days but during that time the Oval was visited by upwards of 35,0(X) people. The scores were ••— Australians, SO ciud 100; Euyltuid, 317,

On Thursday the Australians commenced the thirtieth match of their tour by meeting Nottinghamshire at the Trent Bridge Grounds, Nottingham. Of this contest nothing further need be said than that Notts won the toss, went in first, and made 441 runs. The Australians in their first innings made 95, and in their second 147, thus leaving Notts victorious by an innings and 199 runs. The colonial record at this date stood thus :—Thirty matches played, sixteen wins, eight defeats, and six drawn games. On Monday they went to Cheltenham to play their return match with _ Gloucestershire. The weather on this occasion favoured them, for a good deal of rain fell and rendered the wicket one upon which Messrs. Turner and Ferris ought to have distinguished themselves. Nevertheless they did not prevent Gloucestershire making 209 in their first innings. The Australians made 118 and 151. Gloucestershire then went in again, and had no difficulty in making the 61 runs necessary to gain tne victory, which they did with eight; wickets to spare. The Australians are now playing an Eleven of England at the Crystal Palace, and, as far as present appearances go, the tide is setting against them. England has made 108 and 98, and the Australians for their first innings have only made 47. Jason.