GENERAL SPORTS NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22145, 26 June 1935, Page 20

GENERAL SPORTS NEWS

RECORD lIOLINCMN-ONE W. HAMMON OUT OF RUGBY WICKETS NOT IMPROVED University A maintained its unbeaten record in the Otago Rugby championship last Saturday by defeating Pirates by 14 points to G. That Soccer is " international " in every sense of the word was further illustrated in Rome on May 21. In the qualifying round of the World's Cup competition. United States played Mexico, and the referee was Youssof Mahomed, of Egypt. A fine record has been put up this season by the Richmond Rugby League fifth grade team. The team has a lead of four points in the grade championship, and, after playing eight games, lias an unbeaten record. Points scored bv the team to date total 1 11, comprising 30 tries and 12 conversions. Points scored against the team total 23.

T). S. McKenzie, of the Yokine Golf Club, Perth, and formerly of New South Wales, recently created an Australian record by holing his 14th hole-in-one. He has a long way to go, however, to match Alex. Herd's world's record of 17 ones. H. T. Armstrong holds the New South Wales record with ]0 ones, including the feat of holing two ones during the same round.

Sydney's Rugby Union competition continues to be very even with several teams possessing strong chances of taking the honours of the season. Handwick, leading the table, received a shock from St. George, a side occupying a more modest position, on Saturday week. The standard shows a weekly improvement so that the Maoris, soon to arrive in Australia, will find New South Wales as hard a nut to crack as did the All Blacks last winter.

Alan Kippax has a theory for the number of illnesses suffered by Australian cricketers when they tour England. In an address at the SydneyClock Club he said that in England there are no hot and cold showers in any of the dressing rooms —just cold plunge baths. After an innings, or other exertion in the field, players arc disinclined to jump into an icy cold bath. They just sit about the dressing room with the perspiration drying 011 them, a circumstance conducive to chills and other ills.

Indications are that the Kirk-Windeyer Cup golf contests have been abandoned. It is New Zealand's turn to visit Australia, but no invitation has been issued so far. Asked last week as to the position, Mr. R. J. Withyeombe, secretary of the New South Wales Golf Council, said: "So far as we are concerned the Contests are off. It was decided last year not to continue them, and nothing has happened in the meantime to alter that view. The matter has not since been considered, and, so far as I know, will not be."

J. Pike, one of Australia's leading jockeys, continues to disclose form on tho links, which entitles him to bo regarded as Sydney's best jockey golfer, says an Australian writer. Taking up the game witli the idea that it would aid him in keeping down weight, he has become an enthusiast. His handicap in the Jockeys and Trainers' Golf Club is 11, and recently he won the competition held at Long Reef, with a net score of 73, his gross score of S4 in a strong westerly being, in the circumstances, quite a goad effort.

It comes as a real shock to me—and I know it will to most followers of the game in Australia—to find Frank Kilby omitted from the All Black side to tour Great Britain, writes S. J. Malcolm, former Australian Rugby captain, in the Sydney Referee. I confidently thought the snowy-haired half would lead the side, so good was his form and captaincy here last year. It makes one wonder whether the New Zealand selectors have committed as grave an error as did the Australian selectors in the omission of Towers from the Wallabies!

Tho Scottish tradition in All Blackteams is maintained in the side to visit Great Britain shortly bv FT. F. McLean. of Auckland, and R. M. McKenzie, Manawatu, two forwards. However. tho team will be the first to undertake a tour abroad without a McGregor. The 1905 All Blacks in Great Britain included D. McGregor, ,of Wellington, a threequarter: the 1913 team in California had A. J. McGregor, of Auckland, a threequarter, and the 1921 team in Great Britain and the 1928 team in South Africa included N. P. McGregor, Canterbury, a five-eighths.

The Australian cricket team for India is to be governed by reasonable Board of Control conditions; the board must approve personnel; equal allowances to players; net profit for Indian board to distribute; team to be known as Maharajah of Patiala's team of Australian cricketers; 110 tests; half of £'3oo allowance to be paid before players leave Australia. Players already invited are: —J. Ryder, H. Ironmonger, J. Ellis, A. Allsopp. T. Leather, A. F. Kippax, C. G. Macartney, H. L. Hendry, H. S. Love, H. C. Chilvers, L<\ Bryant, R. K. Oxenham, and J. Morrisby, and two others. The team will leave ou October 8.

The Victoria Rugby selectors' plans have been very badly upset by injuries to the players who were regarded as certainties for the team to meet the Maoris in August. W. Hanimon, the former Aucklander, who played as fiveeighths against New South Wales, is out for the rest of the season. Hammon is suffering from a weak heart, and lias been medically advised to stand down until next year. C. Minnis met misfortune in Tasmania, in the form of a broken collarbone. R. Dorr is suffering from an injured hand, and it is problematical whether Westfield will be able to play.

The practice of "poaching" the best players of a club was bitterly condemned bv-the Seatoun Football Club in a letter placed before the management committee of the Wellington Football Association. The letter was directed against the attitude of the Petone Club, members of which were alleged to have attended Seatoun games with the express intention of enticing away members of the Seatoun Club. It was decided that the Seatoun Club should be written to saying that while "pouching" was against the interests of the game, the association had little power in controlling it. The association, however, intended to draft a notice of motion to go forward to the annual meeting strengthening tho laws in this respect.

Wickets have not improved since my time as much as is so loudly imagined, writes J. H. Ho libs in a London paper In these days of finaiico it is necessary that wickets should, it' possible, last three days, and methods have to be adopted to ensure I his, such as covering the wicket. 'Where i do notice a marked change is that you seldom see a really "sticky dog" of a wicket, as was tho case in jjiy early days. This is duo to tho dressing introduced. There is nothing wrong with tho game, but the press is constantly singing out for brighter cricket, and the public is upset. Some of our writers are too readv to indulge in destructive criticism. Cricket in no way stands in need of "brightening" by mixing it up with military bands, Aunt Sallies, coconut and miscellaneous sideshows.