LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19433, 15 September 1926, Page 15

LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

PONSONBY THE CHAMPIONS. THRILLING PLAY IN FINAL. DOMINION TEAM'S FIRST WIN. The Ponsonby Club is to be congratulated on its success in winning the club championship for the season. Although Ponsonby has had some lucky wins, its success is deserved on the score of most consistent football.

Tho club championship has this year been invested with exceptionally keen interest, and the standard of play, particularly in view of the absence of many Aucklanders with the Dominion League team, has been very good. The success, from a playing point of view, is due in no small .measure to the keenness displayed by the clubs in their preparation for the games. Without serious attention to training the players would not have been aMe to give such brilliant expositions of the code as have been witnessed at C'arlaw Park on the last two Saturdays.

The Auckland Rugby League cau look upon these two fine club games with a great deal of pleasure., and consider itself fortunate in having under its jurisdiction such fine teams as thoso representing Ponsonby, Devouport, City and Marist. A continuation of attention to the players will no doubt be the aim of the Management Committee, and in this direction it is pleasing to record that harmony and co-operation exist between those managing and those engaged in playing the game. Ponsonby's Win Popular.

Ponsonby last won the senior grade championship in 1920, and since then the present champions have on many occasions fonnd City to be the stronger combination. The club championship lias since 1920 been. confined to City, which was victorious in 1921, 1922 and 1923, Marist, which won in 1924, and City, which won again in 1925. The victory of Ponsonby against City was a most popular one, and memorable scenes followed the dramatic finish. It is to be expected that another big crowd will watch next Saturday's games, when the two teams will meet again in the first round of the Roope Booster competition.

Grey, who came out to assist Ponsonby late in the second round, has shown excellent form, and on Saturday when played at fullback he was an outstanding player. The wings, Littlewood and Godley, did not get much to do, but they played well. Usher played a useful game at centre, and made somo good openings. Feeling Among Forwards.

Riley was perhaps the best of the inside backs, and he was the pivot of the attack, while K. Peckham, a promoted junior, showed good promise. Behind the scrum T. Peckham again gave a clever display. He combined*well w r ith his forwards, and as a result the altered stylo of attack often beat City's solid defenders, Wetherall and Lewis.

Ponsonby's forwards gave their best display of the season. The members of the vanguard remembered City's great display against Devonport's forwards, and their keenness to crush the opposition was soon apparent.

At times the feeling among the forwards ran high. It was, no doubt, the tense battle that was waged that caused the players to overstep the mark, but it was not by any means a rough game, and excuses under the circumstances are easily accepted. Payne played a great game for the winners, and his admirers have good grounds to express regret that he was not included in the New Zealand team. Hutt was always prominent, and played well in the open. Good support was given to the backs by Moore, Ward and Pagan. Alterations in City Backs. Comment has been made regarding the alteration in City's back division. The replacement of Bass, who played id the scrum, by Brown, at centre, has been particularly criticised. . Bass against Devonport played a spienrtul game at centre, and, although usually a forward, he showed remarkable abiluy among the fastest backs. Brown was moved to centre to give way to Austen at fullback, but the formor was not at all impressive, and the attack was held up. Wetherall was again in brilliant form and made many great saves. Lewis proved a sound defensive fiveeighths, and in this department he was outstanding. Crewther made a reappearance with City and, although he has been absent for several months, he played really well., Austin, a convert from Rugby, did not make many mistakes and showed promise. His kicking was well judged. Mitchell and Mackie were the best of City's forwards, who were not so good as on the previous Saturday. 5 Now that the B section is almost completed a suggestion that a representative team be selected and opposed to an Auckland A grade B team was put forward at the last meeting of the Management Committee. It was claimed that some good talent was hidden in the "rinks of the B sectiorii teams. The ability of List, of Kingsland. was cited, and* it was contended that other players of equal merit onlv awaited a chance to make good. It is probable that the match will be played at an early date. Few Zealand Team's Tour.

The New Zealand League team made a successful opening by defeating Dewsbury by 13 points to 9. The details to hand show that the visitors, like most other teams on tour, were frequently puzzled by the different interpretations of the rulings. The news that the team lost the ball from the scrums does not make pleasant reading. Success to the team depends to a large extent upon the gaining possession of the ball from the scrum, and if Carroll does not improve, it is difficult to see how another hooker is to be educated when so many important games are close at hand.,. The Dominion team has had only one week's training and its victory will no doubt give' the players encouragement.

An inquiry from the New Zealand Council elicited the information that the gate receipts at Dewsbury were £960, as against tbe assurance from the English League that £6OO would be taken—a very fine financial opening. The New Zealand team will play Leigh to-day.

MILESTONES IN CRICKET.

HOW GAME HAS DEVELOPED,

Outstanding dates in the development of cricket as it is known to-day are as follow:

1746.—The good length bowling of David Harris, who bowled under-arm, a sort of lob, caused the shape of the bat to be .altered from its ancient hockey stick form to the present straight blade. 1773.—The batsman was out for the first time, "Hit Wicket," Hambledon v. England. 1777.—Three stumps were first used, Hambledon v. England. 1827.—The first wide was recorded, Kent v. Sussex, at Brighton. 1830,—The first no-ball was scored M.C.C. v. Middlesex, in London.

1849.—The first leg-bye past batsman and stumper, at Sheffield. 1862.—Over-arm bowline was established.