ATHLETIC SPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8270, 31 May 1890, Page 6

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

FOOTBALL. Those who journeyed to Epsom last Saturday afternoon had the pleasure of witnessing the best match this season. Though the game was but an exhibition one, and the contending clubs, Grafton and Ponsonby, might have been expected to play with less spirit than in a, cup match, the reverse was decidedly the ease, and both teams worhed hard from the jump, making the play very fast and open. Indeed, it seemed as if each were more anxious to be victorious than if the result of the match had the deciding of the season's premiership. Both clubs had good teams; Grafton, of course, were without Lecky and Madigan, but this was compensated for by the absence from Fonsonby's fifteen of Hobson and Poland. Li regard to back play the blue and blacks throughout played with better combination and allowed a considerable superiority, but the forwards becoming careless after the first twenty minutes, while the maroons' vanguard, improving as they went on, made things lively for their opponents, and in the last, quarter of an hour penned them on their line and secured three scores, which almost turned the tables as to ultimate victory. For Ponsonby, Braund was in his best form, and Caradus played with great cuteuess and determination. Both Masetield and Wainhouse, however, the latter particularly, showed very poor form in taking and passing, and will need to improve much in this branch of play. Conway worked hard and steadily, keeping his place well "nd doing excellent work in defence. A splendid game by Brcen was spoilt by two bail mistakes, which arose from either carelessness or overconfidence, and one of which -was the direct cause of Grafton's getting a score. In the forward division the two juniors, Beamish and Evans, played very well, but Mills' consistent and frequent brilliant play was a theme of general favourable comment. Hcffernan and Cole worked very hard, but once or twice showed a bad tendency to " bullocking," which is also a fault of their confrere, James Poland. I hope they will avoid this in future. Edwards did sterling work throughout.

Concerning Grafton's lucks, Wynyard, behind the scrum and on the lino-out, strengthened them greatly, though he did not show up as conspicuously as many expected. Elliott was ever on the alert for strong dashing runs, but both his taking and passing were poor, and between him and Eonayne some excellent shows were missed on this account. Elliott's fondness for offside work was as pronounced as before. Mackie whs fair at half, sam Kisaling did a lot of steady work at eentre-threcquarter, while Stichbury at full proved himself very reliable. Laird, playing full for Ponsonby, also extricated his side from difficulties with much cleverness several times, and his collaring was good. The Grafton forwards played very hard, and some very dangerous rushes were made by them. YV. Stone was well to the front, ami appears to be getting back his old form, while vVhyte did sterling hard work throughout the game, in which he was ably seconded by MeKenzie =ind Smith. The contest between Gordon and Auckland was a very fair one, and after a lot of hard work resulted in a draw. 1 have to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of the local Rugby Union!s Annual. It gives in a very concise form all the sayings and doings in Rugby circles for the i>ast year, and will be found very useful to players and others as* a reference upon all points of the game. The Otago Rugby Football Union's brochure for the past season, which I have also had forwarded through the kindness of the editor, Mr. J.H. Chapman, is on a larger scale, and besides reports of all the interprovincial fixtures in which Otago was engaged, has a lot of other interesting matter, an article by " Sisyphus" upon the " Honours of a Second Fifteen" being especially readable. The portrait of the "reps." for the past season is a good one, and amongst the number Aucklanders will recognise many worthy foe men. In the current number of the English Illustrated Magazine, appears an excellentlywritten article upon " Rugby Football," from the pen of Arthur Vassal!. This able exponent of the game speaks of the rise of the game during the iiast thirty years, before which it hail only been played at Rugby school in a crude fashion so graphically described in "Tom Brown's Schooldays.'' Old boys and others, on leaving school, wished to continue their favourite pastime, and their efforts caused the establishment of such famous clubs as Blackheath in ISOB, followed by Richmond, Civil Service, Harlequins, and the 'Varsities. The provinces, particularly Lancashire and Yorkshire, followed this lead very rapidly, and in 1871 the English Rugby Union was formed, the Association form having established a governing body some time previously. The great squabble between England and Scotland in 1884, which gave rise to the International Board, is briefly described, while the progress of the game itself through the various stage's to the development of the present scientific mode, is succinctly chronicled. The question of evil tendencies of professionalism, which Mr. V'assall asserts, " would destroy the game for ever as a pastime," is very impartially argued, while the innovation of lessening the number of forwards with a vie»v to making the game more open and fast, is touched upon, but not recommended as beneficial, at least at present. ATHLETICS. This afternoon promises to be a "redletter day" in the annals of New Zealand athletics, for the events of the Amateur Championship Mooting are to be decided at Sydney. As is well known, the colony has sent over a team of " reps." who will compete in most of the events, and by all accounts to hand they are well worthy of sustaining the reputation of New Zealand. They will, however, have a big task before them to carry of! even a proportion of honours, as they will have to moot the pick of the cracks of Sydney, Queensland, Newcastle, Bathurst, Wagga, and other towns.

Hempton, the chosen man for the sprints, is not reported as showing his best form ; but Lusk and Reeves, the candidates for the Hurdles and Quarter respectively, are in line fettle, and expected to make things merry for their antagonists. McKelvey, the walker, has to meet a hot opponent from Queensland, and F. Bettison, who was late in starting training, is coming on rapidly. P. Morrison is expected to have a good say in the .Mile, and his most dangerous foemen .are Alex. Morgan, and Laird, of Newcastle. Fred. White competes in the High Jump, and from his improved form over I lie Hurdles, may also take part in that contest with Lusk. Altogether, the show of the Maoriland contingent is fairly promising, ami the results, winch will be published in Monday's Herald, will be eagerly looked for. The Helcnsville Footrace, with regard to which a protest was lodged, has been decided in favour of MeManus, instead [of J. Macdonnell, who finished first. AQUATICS.

Most Auckland aquatic men will.be pleased to hear that Tom Sullivan, the erstwhile North .Shore oarsman, but who has been for the past year at Wellington, where he recently won the Amateur Sculling Championshin of the colony, has decided to proceed to Sydney at the invitation of Neil Mattcrson, and devote his time to sculling altogether. His record in New Zealand is an excellent one, and as he is only 23, he has plenty of time to improve. I wish him all success in his new sphere A recent tile of the Field speaks of the America Cup as follows We thought that the present generation, at least, had heaxl the last of the America Cup, but an attempt is being made to galvanise it into life again. However, we do not think there is the shadow of a ground for stating that any present owner of a crack yacht belonging to this country will challenge for the cup, nor do we see how any British yacht club could back up such a challenge, so long as the new deed of gift exists. The most prominent yacht clubs have condemned the deed, and it is difficult to see how any other course could be now adopted. There is again talk of establishing an international trophy of great value in this country, in order to induce American yacht owners to compete for it. But we do not believe in challenge cups of great value, and we would much rather sec a joint committee of British and American yachtsmen (representatives, say, of the New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron) formed to draw up rules for future contests for the America Cup. We really think

this is the only solution of the difficulty. The original and only legal deed of gift will admit of so much being done, and in the interests of international rivalry the New York Yacht Club ought to take the initiative." AUCKLAND CRICKET CLUB STATISTICS FOR SEASON 1880-90. Cop Matches. batting averages.

* Not out. t Winner of Mr. MeLelland's bat for average. The following played in one innings: —F. W. Browning, IS; \V. li- Kees,6; E. C. Beale, 0; C. H. Osmond, 0. Played 8, won 4, lost 4. BOWLING ANALYSIS.

}fin n f Times Most Name. L \,- 01 not in Ttl. Av'rage. 1DS - out. Ins. A. Morrison .. 2 1 33» 43 43*0 Rev. I. Richards! 8 2 08 2011 382 A. Howard .. 6 1 30 85 170 R. Neill .. ..10 1 33 120 133 C. F. Reid.. ..2 0 23 26 13-0 J. Arneil .. -.11 1 30 116 11-6 R.Blair .. .. 3 0 16 34 11*1 T. N«Ul .. ..5 1 12 31 7-3 H. J. Wymard ..5 0 19 35 70 A. Seccombe .. 5 0 15 31 "4 J. C. Webster" .. 3 1 8 13 61 A. O'Brien .. 3 0 19 19 61 A. R. Dewes ..6 1 11 27 52 A. M. Beak) ..9 2 12» 36 5-1 A. McDonald ..9 1 14 38 4-0 W. Swanson .. 5 0 16 22 42 P. KorbeH .. ..5 0 8 21 41 II. A. Moray ..14 0 7 11 2'3

cSi 1 % \ . §> Name. w a '» ■§ & « 2 -•'S *> '3 ! .H i 3 ?" x-.m o £ j ? | « <i R. Neil).. .. 8 101-3 30 28 '■ 241 817 A. M. Beale .. 9 1421 45 2« 243 9'9 J. Ameil .. 9 78-3 11 '21 i 210 10 A. McDonald .. 8 1213 00 27 ! 283 10'13 A. O'Brien .. 4 20-3 1 6 65 10'5 A. Morrison ..1 9 4 1 14 14 Messrs. C. K. Reid, A. Howard, and A. Soccorabe bowled without success. Extra Matches, batting avkka('1's. v , Times Most Name. -yV ol i not in Ttl. Av'r'ge. lns ' out. Ins. A. O'Brien .. (i 1 54* 127 2.i"2 W. I,. Reea ..4 1 C4 V 74 24 '2 R. Neill .. .7 2 89* T21 24"1 C. II. Osmond .. 2 1 18* 24 24 Rev. I. Richards.. 4 0 2!) 62 1.V2 Dr. Forbes .. « 1 27 74 14"4 R. C. Tennent ..4 1 34* 38 122 A. M. Beale .. (i 2 IS* 48 12 A. Seccombe .. 5 0 38 CO 12 Dr. Davy .. .. 3 0 27 35 11-2 A.Howard .. 5 0 21 58 11'3 J. ('. Webster .. 5 0 19 '.*) 10 K. C. Beale .. 2 0 12 20 10 H. A. Morey ..3 0 14 22 71 A. McDonald .7 1 13 34 5-4 0. F. Reid.. ..3 0 14 10 5-1 W. Swausou ..2 0 3 5 i 21 * Denotes not out. The following plaved in. one innings : —R. Blair, 19 ; H. T. Wynyard, 13; and F. W. Browning, 3. BOWLING ANALYSIS. Name. ° a £ | J « £ I Kh o I £ ? P3 < R. C. Beale .. 1 9 2 2 12 6 A. M. Bcalo ..7 88 30 20 143 73 Dr. Forbes .-2 11 0 4 32 8 R. Neill.. .. 7 693 14 20 171 S'll \Y. 1.. Rees ..a 8-4 10 3 36 12 A. O'Brien ..' 4 32-2 1 2 7 86 122 C. V. Reid ..1 8 j 1 2 25 12-1 A. Seccombe ..j 2 13 5 2 28 14 Rev. I. Richards! 2 10 i 2 2 20 141 A. McDonald .J 7 « i 11 11 169 15-4 A. Howard .. 6 26-3 I 6 4 79 19'3 11. A. Morey ..2 10 2 1 33 33 I __________________ Jasox.