LACROSSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11986, 7 June 1902, Page 7

LACROSSE.

The championship matches under the New Zealand Lacrosse Association will be continued this afternoon, tho contests set down for decision being:-—Parnell V. North Shore. Ponsonby v. City, and Grafton v. Eden and Epsom. The last-mentioned match should be brimful of interest, and fought out to the very finish, as the winners are likely to eventually make a very powerful bid for the championship honours. It would be just as well if the gentleman in charge of this match kept a keen eye on any player prone to roughness, as this undesirable phase of the game must be eliminated. The following, from a Home paper, should be interesting to lacrosseurs: Something like a revelation was the form shown by the Toronto lacrosse team in the opening match of their British tour, against Kent, at the Private Banks Ground, Catford, on May 14 (says the Sporting Life). Canadian teams which had previously visited this country had played finely, but they had played the English game of long passing and running with the ball. The Toronto twelve, 011 the occasion under notice, gave a display of short passing which was nothing short of marvellous. Unless left absolutely free, or having a chance of running into goal, not one man on the side tried to keep the ball. It was going from crosse to crosse the whole time in I the most bewildering fashion, and the passl ing invariably short, was executed with ! machine-like precision. Instead of being ali lowed to drop on to the crosse the ball was ! literally snapped up with a lightning twist : of the wrist, and was scarcely ever missed. ; As a fact, Kent were simply outclassed, and i had they wished the Canadians could have 1 compiled more than 14 goals to 2. It was little more than a practice game for them, but they will be more severely tested m the future. It was recognised at the start that Kent -would probably be their weakest opponents.