HOCKEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14453, 20 August 1910, Page 9

HOCKEY.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. The game between Auckland and Unltcc! was in a great measure ruined by the ram which fell about midday, it was a great pity the match was not played, in fine weather, a:s a brilliant exhibition of hockey would have resulted. Auckland started off attacking in great style, and had a good deal the best of tho argument for the first; half hour. United woke up towards tho end of the spell, and played something like their true form. The red and blacks were leading by ?. goals to 1 when the second ilia If commenced. The (remaining portion, of the game, was very evenly contested, till, near tho close, United attacked in 110 uncertain manner, but did not 'take advantage of their opportunities. Ir -was a difficult day to judge individual play, the field being in yuite an impossible state for hockey. Far United, Bloomfield showed up well in goal, and used his fveb to more advantage than is his wont. Shirriffs started off in poor form, but played up well in the second half. In tho Auckland team Allen was not tested much in goal, baker kepi, tip his form at full. Kavanagh was the beet iuu-k on the ground, ajid broke up the United! attack with clever stick play. Welhant played his best game of the season, and l>eat the United backs repeatedly -with his clever stick work. Mather was going groat guns while tho turf was good, and has evidently returned to form. Brooke-Smith, .Murdoch, and Mason all got through their work well, and proved a hot lino. Tho representative trial mat. h, which is to be played on Victoria Park to-day, should prove an exceedingly interesting game. There are so many first-class players t<> choose from this season that the selectors have had a difficult task, and there is littlo difference between the two elevens.

Auckland is strong in right-wing players this season, having no less than four, any one of wflora could well represent the pro. vincc with credit. D. Smyrhe. H. O. Williams, N. 11. Jac-obsen, and H. Willis aro players of more than average merit. The conoert given by tho association on Thursday , veiling proved a very enjoyable one, and considering the wet night, tho attendance was very satisfactory. The ladies' representative team for the New Zealand tournament will bo chosen after the trial match to-day. The Tauranga ladies' team, which visited Auckland la.st Saturday, to play the local representatives, put up a splendid performance-, and it took Auckland all their time to win. the margin being one goal to nil. The Tauranga girls seem to revel in too mud, and they displayed remarkably good! form. A number of the Anoka ud- tea in played a good deal below* form. Misses Culling and Steele especially did not show to advantage. .Miss Weston was sadly missedin the half line. Club secretaries are requested to hand match and concert tickers into the secretary and treasurer of the association without delay. Most of the A and B representative teams put m a very useful practice in tho Parnell training sited on Wednesday evening, under tho able tuition of Mr. MeGeinness. Another practice will lie held in the shed next Wednesday, and when the team, is chosen practices will bo arranged in Victoria Park in the evenings. The Cambridge Association is sending a representative team to Auckland r.oxr. Saturday to play the Auckland representatives. I hear that Cambridge have an exceedingly good team this season, and tho match will be good practice for the representathe .team.

In the event of Unitarian and University being successful iu to-day's matches these two teams will have to play off for the> junior A grade championship. The d ate for the shield match has now l>oe 11 definitely fixed, and at the request, of the Auckland Hockey Association the. Wellington Association have agreed to play the match at. Wellington on Saturday. September 10, instead of September 3." This will give the representative team another week to get into good fettle. The. will p.-iav Cambridge next. Saturday, August 27. and meet the rest of Auckland on September o. The 'Sr. (leorg-e-Lnr.versify match provided a very even contest last Saturday during the? first spell, the former team per- s haps having the letter of the deal, bus in ,'he second spell the blues took charge, and the. reds very seldom gained their opponents' circle. Oilrnour, in goal for iho Saints, gave a brilliant exhibition, using both hands and feet with great "effect. Cowdrey, ar fallback, was very solid : ho has acquired an illegal backhand stroke, reminding one somewhat of a wood-chop-ping contest. Waters, a right half, played a fine game, and was well supported 'by Gossctt. _ In the vanguard Tattley grafted! hard, bis acrobatic, turns being ospeoallv neat. Allen showed promise on the left wing. Stone was perhaps the best of the forwards, his goal from a comer hit being a very clever piece of play. It is hare! to understand this player's exclusion from those chosen for practice, in view of the Southern tour.

I urn kali, in goal for I niversiiy, gave; hi™, best display of the season. Robinson showed up prominently at fullback, but the tine work of the Kiwi lialf-line prevented the fullbacks from being overburdened wif.lt work. Alderfon, who turned out for his club after a few weeks' retirement, .showed! good form, his goal being a beauty. Norman dacobsen gave the opposing hacks little peace, and King seemed very much at. home on the heavy ground: he had had luck with his shot., which struck the liar. Spurdle was playing at a disadvantage, having just recovered from a severe attack of influenza. L. (J. Jacobson. though showing somewhat of a roaming tendency, was always to the fore, his stick work and! centring being very noticeable. At a meeting of the committee of the Canterbury Ladies' Hookey Association, bold last-_ week, it was decided that the funds available did not warrant sending the Canterbury team to compere at the Nelson tournaments and it was settled that the team should journey to Invorcargill to play the return match wbh Soiviiland there. A meet ing of ihe Hex-key Referees' Association will be held on Monday evening.

CAMBRIDGE V. WATKA7O. [from orn owx corhespoxdext.] The match between the Cambridge ant? Waikato Associations' representative was plaved on A'ictoria Square, ar Cambridge, on Thursday, and after a very tough fight resulted in a win for the visitors by four goals to three. The teams were composed its follows;—Waikato : Goalkeeper. Harvey;: fullbacks. Smith and dames (captain): halfbacks. Blamires, Peria. and Bond: forwards. Connolly. Alenzies, Hughes, .lames, and Chambers, the last-mentioned being ienfc by the Cambridge men to fill the place of Spragg. who did not turn up. Cambridge: Goalkeeper. Anderson: fullbacks, .1. Chambers and Hay smith : halfbacks, R. .Johnstone, .1, Cox (captain). B. Lyons: forwards. Keeley. T. Cox. Crickett, and Giep,*>ll Mr. Armor was referee, and Messrs. Court and Connolly line umpires. _ The "ame was a fast one. but the shooting- of the homo team was very poor or the result would have been different: they also missed the ball very frequently. On tho contrary their opponents were sure hitters, and were better combined than the homo team. Those who scored were; YVaikato-'-Iluirhes (2), .lames, and Bond. Cambridge-— T. and J. Cox and F. Hicks cach bit on» goal.