ATHLETIC SPORTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8986, 17 September 1892, Page 6

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

FOOTBALL.

At Potter's Paddock this afternoon Ponsonby will meat Suburbs, and Grafton will meet City. Both these contests should prove interesting.

I should like to know why Roberts has been left out of those from whom the selection of a team to play Wairoa on Saturday next is to be made. A lot of players inferior to him are included in the Hat.

The defeat of the Auckland "reps" by our visitors from Canterbury, combined with the very marked superiority of one or two clubs, has caused a very perceptible falling away in the interest shown by the general public in football. This was shown on Saturday last, when the number of spectators present at Epsom vu very small, and the enthusiasm small in proportion. It is generally felt that the senior cup contest has now resolved itself into a duel between Parnell and Ponsonby.

The Parnell-Citv game proved, in most respects, a very uninteresting game. Many people expected that the City Club, after its contemplated withdrawal from the Cup contests, would not be able to place a team in the field. However, the team was in attendance, and the game proceeded. The City forwards proved more than a match for the opposing forwards, but the Parnell backs, by their superior play, far more than made up for this disadvantage, and the maroons secured the victory by 13 points to 3.

The Parnell fullback, Burrows, had little or nothing to do, but he did the work which fell to his lot in a satisfactory manner. Jervis was certainly the best man on the ground, and played in excellent style, running and kicking exceptionally well. I cannot understand how he managed to do so little in the recent interprovinchil match. Ronayne also played a really dashing game. He is as quick as thought in seizing an opportunity, and, given an opening, he generally manages to score or come very near to it. Another very fine Parnell man is Edmonds. He has played a consistently good game throughout the whole season. He is ever cool, and never loses his head, aud shows up to special advantage in frustrating rushes. Besides this, he plays a good offensive game. He was all this last Saturday. Elliott came to himself again on Saturday, and always proved a source of danger to his opponents. He played a strong and dashing game. As I said of Jervis, I cannot understand his disappointing play against Canterbury. Kissling showed up well at three-quarters, but Mitchell wa3 not at his best.

11l the Parnell forward division perhaps Anderson and Wright showed up to the best advantage, though Twinarae, Geard, and one or two others are also deserving of a word of praise. Of the City three-quarters, both Blewdeu and Mercer played very pluekily, and did good service for their side; but Pilkington'a Form was decidedly poor. He seemed quite incapable of taking the ball. I was pleased to see Peter Mackie upon the football field once more. Notwithstanding his want of practice, he proved a very useful half, and played with considerable dash.

Keegan and Moore were fairly good, but both have played much better. O'Connor, Carr, and Cole proved the best of the City forwards. Carr is becoming famous as a place kick. The match between Ponsonby and the Shore proved a very interesting one, mainly on account of the adoption by the Ponsonby team of the passing tactics indulged in with such success by the visitors in the late Auckland-Canterbury match. Against the Shoremen the passing came off very well, but the Ponsonby players will have to improve considerably to bring it off with equal success against a strong club like Parnell. However, the Parnell men will have to wake up in the same direction, or their Ponsonby friends will have a very decided advantage over them, especially it they meet on a fine day I wonld not be at all surprised to see Ponsonby wrest the cup from the hands of the maroons. It will prove a huge blunder, however, if Auckland teams, in taking up the passing game more thoroughly, completely neglect dribbling and forward rushes. After all, it must be remembered that football is a winter pastime, and wet weather is to be expected almost as often as fine, and with a wet ground and a wet ball the old game generally comes off the more advantageously. Sticbbury at fullback showed up in something like his old form. He proved a very useful man.

Masefield was simply surprising in the unqualified way in which he took to the passing game, and Riley was as good as ever, being always where he was wanted. Roberts played a brilliant and dashing game, but did not seem quite at home in passing. Brauud went heart and soul into the new style of play, and was sometimes wonderfully clever in passing out. Airey was very good in the forward division, as was also Flynn, and Green. Langsford showed up very conspicuously, and played a dashing game. Harvey was a great source of strength to the North Shore team. He was good in his tackling, and equally so iu his running and kicking. Breen was also in fine form, and caused the Ponsonby men great trouble at times. Lankham and Tanfield did some good work, but have been seen to greater advantage. Amongst the Shore forwards were two Association men, Chamberlain and Burgess, and both of them proved of great service to their side, but perhaps Gerrard and Harvey were better than either of them.

If Ponsonby next Saturday week defeat Parnell, these two clubs will be practically equal, and an interesting finish between them in the shape of a final mutch may be expected. The match this year is the first occasion on which Canterbury has beaten Hawke's Bay. Judging from the remarks of a correspondent of a Wanganui paper there was something amiss with the decisions of the referee in the Cauterbury-Taramiki match. He says —" The match ended in a well-deserved win for Taranaki. I say well-deserved, for Taranaki won in spite of the worst refereeing that ever disgraced a football field. This is no reflection on the Canterbury men, for it was the referee chosen by the Taranaki men themselves that was the culprit. The red bask saved by falling and lying on the ball, but the referee refused to give a free kick. He took no notice of most palpable side play on the part of the red forwards either, and so many similar incidents now occurred that the spectators began to hoot him. The Taranaki men had to play against the most cruel refereeing ever seen in Taranaki. The Taranaki efforts were simply neutralised by repeated free kicks, while pass forward after pass forward on the Canterbury side remained unnoticed. Appeals were vain."

There was absolutely nothing in the Uni-versity-Zealandia match in. the way of a contest, as the University men won by 20 points to 5. The noteworthy feature of the game was that five goals were kicked off the five tries.

One of the party of Canterbury footballers writing to the Canterbury Press just before the Auckland match said :—" In the afternoon we drove out to Potter's Paddock at Epsom and indulged in practice, a number of Aucklanders being present as spectators. The scenery en route to the ground was ! really pretty, and the ground is one of the best I have ever seen for football purposes. It is a ground just suited for our style of play and the team seem confident they can againlower Auckland's colours, but not by much. I anticipate a splendid contest, with our boys to come out of the fray victorious by a small margin. I am judging by their good form against Taranaki, with the extra advantage of a dry ground and fine weather, which at the time of writing seems to be assured. The team picked to play against Auckland is, I consider, the strongest yet played. Mendelson, at full back, is showing good form, while the threequarters are in good fettle." The play of his man,, evidently, surprised him. He goes on to say : —" The Wellington match takes place on Monday, ■ and, on their recent form, the Empire City ! reps must prove hard nuts to crack. Still, j should Canterbury prove capable of lower-? ing the Aucklanders' colours, they should! also just about defeat Wellington; but,f should the Aucklanders win, 1 shall be quite prepared to also find Wellington too strong for the travelling reps." Here our friend proved to be out iu his calculations. |

CRICKET. j Surrey is the champion county this season with 13 wins, two losses, and one draw. Nottingham takes second place, and Somersetshire third. Surrey held the premiership in 1887,1855, 1890, and 1891. |

F. R. Spofforth, the demon bowler, scored 61 for Humpstead against Ealing, at Hampstead, on July 9th, and also captured four [of his opponent's wickets. A. E. Stoddart, ton the same side, scored 72, and took the other six Ealing wickets. . j N M. Mooihouse, the ex- Wellington player, scored 104 for Merton against Ewell at Morton Park. Surrey, on July 10th, besides which he took three wickets. Merton won by 1200 runs and five wickets. 1 They are commencing the cricket seasqn in Chriatchurch. A contemporary states— "De Mauß was showing particularly good form with the bat, while Barnes, of the Midland Club, also displayed good form with the willow." Both of these gentlemen played in the last interprovincial match with Auckland, e With the view of lessening the practice of " stonewalling" Mr. F. Walsh, of Leichardfc, has offered to the local club a trophy for the I

batsman who secures the lowest time average—that is, makes the best average oni the basis of the total score divided by the time occupied at the wickets, during the coming season. This j will! necessitate a little extra trouble on the scorer's partjn taking the time, but on the other hand; the vigourous and lively play which it is calculated ,to encourage should have a very beneficial effect on cricket as a whole. >. '"."*< ... • «„j A meeting of the ; principal senior and junior cricketers 1 of the Glebe (Sydney), was held recently. 'The convener, Mr. Lewis fa. Abrams, explained that his object in calling the players together was for the purpose of forming a local cricket club to play other electorates or borough clubs this season, lne matches would be played on holidays only, owing to the localisation movement having been started too late to admit ot their being played in their entirety this season, Believing that the premiership. matches would be between the various boroughs or electorates the following season, he considered that the Glebe should have their lOCal-club m working order, so as to be able to hold their own when these desireimatchea are inaugurated. After a little discussion, showing how local interest would manifest itself in these matches, Mr. Abrams proposed, and Mr. Barton seconded, " That a local club be formed, to be called the Glebe CO. This was carried unanimously. , ~'. The annual meeting of the Auckland Cricket Association will be held x>n the £ird inet. I ha>o been requested to draw attention to the following rule :—" No delegate will be allowed to vote until the ( club he represents has paid its subscription.' _ The Auckland cricket authorities intend to celebrate the opening of the cricket season on Saturday afternoon next by a cricket match between a local team and a team representing the Opera Company, now in our midst. There will also be a drop-kicking competition, and a competition in placekicking. Another attraction will be a contest in throwing the cricket ball. The fathering, which will take place in the Domain Cricket Ground, will be under the auspices of the Auckland Cricket Association. The proceeds of the afternoon will go to the funds of the Association. The public will doubtless turn up in large numbers, and a very enjoyable afternoons sport may bo expected. It ought to be mentioned that the company contains several very good cricketers. ATHLETICS. At Durham, Bradley won the hundred yards handicap in 10s., and the scratch hundred in 101-5 9. W. H. Morton won the four miles, Sid Thomas being third. Dr. W. G. Grace and the presidents of the leading University athletic clubs are joining the Pan-Britannic Committee. The annual report of the Dunedin A.A.C. states that during the year 53 members have joined the club, and the total number is now 105, made up as follows, viz. :—Eight life members, 17 honorary, and 80 active—a total gain for the year of 30. The year was begun with a credit balance of £25 14* 6d, and there is at present standing to the club's credic at the Colonial Bank of New Zealand the sum ot £30 17s 3d. The assets, consisting of a cup and medal, are valued at £13. At the Salfdrd Harriers'- sports, Manchester, on July 16, in an exhibition throw, J. W. M.Barry broke the amateur record, throwing the hammer (161b) 133 ft 6in. Morton won the mile scratch race in 4m. 363., Bucon second, Kibblewhite third. In the three-quarter mile Steeplechase Kibblewhite finished second to Bacon. The contest between the Dublin and Cambridge Universities' representatives came off on July 11, at Dublin Honours in both the athletics and cycling fell to the Dubliners. L. Q Bulger won the Hundred in 10 l-sths., and the shot putting with 34ft 9in, no one competing against him. His brother, D. D. Bulger, the champion, carried off the 120 yds Hurdles in 16 1 sth s., equalling the Irish record; but could only clear 19ft llin in the Long Jump. F. R. Carr won the Two Miles in 9m. 595.; J. P. Butler the Mile Bicycle in 2m. 52 l-sth s., and the Two Miles in 6m. 95.; C. Dickinson the Quarter Mile in 515., equalling the Irish record. The only events secured by Cambridge were the Long Jump by R. G. Leaky with 20ft 7fin, and the Mile by W. R. Lutyens in 4m. 30 l-sth s. CYCLING. J. Wass and C. E. Newland lowered all existing world's tandem records for from 25 to 46 miles, at Heme Hill, on July 21st. S. F. Edge made a successful effort to re- : duce the 190 miles safety record at Heme Hill Grounds, on July 11th. He covered 50 miles in 2h. 23m. 575., and at 64 miles was in ! front of previous best performances. He j finished up with a fine spurt in sh. 6m. isl 3-sth s. The previous best for 100 miles was sh. 30m. 12& ; so Edge broke the record ! by no less than 23m. 20 2 sth s. I The balance-sheet of the North Otago ! Cycling Club showed the receipts to have been £85 53 6i| and; the expenditure £77 18s 6d, which must be considered very-featisfac-tory when the heavy expenses of the year are taken into account. The membership roll numbers 1 103, which is an increase of 40 over last year's number. Eleven new members were elected. The French rider Stephane. concluded a 24 hours' ride on July 13, and succeeded in breaking the world's record for this time. He covered 631 kilometres, thus beating the English record by 491 kilometres and the American by 46|. When he had completed his self-imposed task Stephane was asked if he would cane to continue a little longer, and break the English 400 miles record. This the bicyclist agreed to, and he completed the 400 miles in an additional 36min. 3sec. The weather wat not very favourable, and Stephane had' to dismount and wait for one hour. Holbein's English record for 24 hours is 361 miles, made at Heme Hill last November. Stephane covered 392 miles 892 yards (English) in the 24 hours, and 400 miles in 24hr. 24mif. 36isec. In the last hour he rode 21 miles 670 yards. • Cycles and cycle materials to the value of £333,741 were exported to the United States from Coventry and Birmingham for the quarter ending June 30. ' ■< Twenty five thousand persons were present at the Sheffield Charity Cycling tournament on July 18. Osmond won the Three-mile Handicap, from scratch, in 7m 44 ii-ss, which is near record time. The Fifty Miles Championship of England, for ordinaries, was decided at Heme Hill, on July 21:. there being five starters. In the end, J. H. Adams (holder) won easily by a mile from A. Schutte, who finished over half-a-mile in front of U. L. Lambley. The winner's time was 2h 44m 53 2-ss. i A large number of records were lowered in ) England about the middle of July. On July 11 S. F. Edge successfully essayed the task of beating the 100 miles safety record at the Heme Hill Grounds. The previous best was sh. 30m. 125., made by C. L. Newland in October last on the same path, and not only did Edge succeed in beating this, but likewise beat all records from 64 . miles to 100 miles. He completed the century" in sh. 6m. 51 3 sth s. The distances covered in each hour/were as follow; — f Miles Yards Miles Yards Ist hour .. 21 15 4th hour .. 10 1655 2nd a >ur .. 41 1061) 6th hour „ 97 1335 3rd liour .. 61 1126 At Heme Hill, A. A. Zimmerman and F. G. Bradbury, on a tandem, lowered the onemile record ior that class ol machine by 13 2-sth s., doing 2m. 17 2-sth s. against 2m. 30 4-sth s. They then attempted to break the five miles record, and succeeded, lowering NeVland and Wass's time of 13m. 11 l-sth s. y f s *' PUGILISM IN AMERICA. ! In the fight between John L. Sullivan and Jim Corbett for £9000, which took place at New Orleans on September 7, Sullivan was knocked out in 21 rounds. The fight lasted 78 minutes. In the last round Sullivan was twice knocked down, the second time being too weak to rise. Lynx.