DUNDIN CRICKET CLUB SPORTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2092, 19 October 1868, Page 3

DUNDIN CRICKET CLUB SPORTS.

In a recent issue wo stilted that it had been resolved by the members of the Dunedin Cricket Club to hold some sports, the proceeds of which would b« devoted to" the liquidation of the debt witj which the ehi1- is at present burdened. Though bnt little time intervened between the formation of this resolution and the day fixed for the sports to come off, the Committee entered into the matter with spirit, and a large number of entries were made. Even the most sanguine, however, could hardly have been prepared for tlio complete success which attended their efforts when the sports came off in the South Recreation ground on Saturday afternoon. As the hour appointed for the commencement of the day's proceedings drew near, people began to collect from all qtiar era, and their numbers increased as the day -wore On, until at one time there could not have, been less than 400 persons present, including a good number ot ladies, who watched the proceedings with marked interest. The weather, regarding .which many fears had been entertained, was favorable; as, though dull and cloudy, it was dry and warm until about five o'clock, when a strong brotze sprang up. Some little delay took place before tho proceedings commenced, which was about half-past two o'clock, the first itora on tho programme being an

80 Yat:t>s hack Fon Juniors op the Club.—For this race there were six entries and five st-rtf d. A good s*nrt was effected, and nu excell'-nt race took place between A. Cairns and J. Fulton, resulting iv favor of the former by about a foot.

100 iAIiD.H HACK FOR itKMHnRS OF TFfE CIJJn. — F<>r this ra:e there were 10 entered, but only ei^ht started, the absentees being Turton aud Glasgow. A ft'r start wa* effected Winter having, if anyhing. the best of it, nn advantage which he maintained throughout, though clcjb ly prr-sied i.y Kerapthoriie,.who was a good atcjnd, aud Brewer, close u| j. third.

440 Yards Hack for Mkmbkrx ok the Clou —*'f the eight, entered fur this race, only H. W. Cairns and .1. K«'npthorne started Cairnn took tho l'-al till tho oi^rmin^ of th'? second l»p when Kernpth mi*, who had bepa «oitig wr-ll within hi nself, cosed up and passed him, and from t kis moment it was evid-nt tint the raco w.ishi". About Soynrdn from horn» I'uima put »n a (.'raid npurt, but it w.is to • 1-tii, and Kempthome camo iv an easy winner by six feet.

Timowo t::?, Cricket Bam*. —This companion like thou-j which preceded it, was nl^o co fined to members of the Club. Three throws each wore id.owed, an I of the gix entered liv<; ompoted. At fir-it the throwing wbb a little wild, but in thu second and thin I thrown a marked improvement ■wan visible, tho result bumg — l»t, <-laMgow, 04iydi ; 2nd, Lambert, 89yds 2ft 3in.

100 Yards Kace fou All <"'ombrs — There were «'X C'tn-s f>r this men, and nil started. A good start wns t-fTee'ftd at the fist attempt, and alter the lir«t few yards Winter w-*r. to the font and made the running, followed hyTullyand Kempt homo. 30 yard* from h"me Wint'-r Bcmcil to be ■winning eaniiy, but Brewer put on a plucky ■pnrt and passed K-mpthorno «nd Fully, but failed to qu te reach Winter, who won by % foot. T'i lv, cl >bh up. was th rd, and the rest finiih'd t<>nc:h<;r. Time 12 seconds.

440 Yahd.s Race for All-oomf.iis. —Of the five ent>rud for ihin race, only Statbarn, Wyeth, and Kempthorm etirted. A good race ensued, Kempthornc having rather the best or it n'l iho way. and coming in au cany winner by nix fe>;t, Wyeth be ng second, aud Statbani third. After the race uu objection ■was lodg'd a-^a-nst femiithorne and Wyeth by St;ith.iin on th« ground that they had not kept the proper eo> rso The mitter m etill in abeyance, but will, we understand, bo do cided a.t ii meeting of the otowairds, to be held this evening.

3 Mile Walking Race. —Thin was looked upon a» the event of the clay, ami many and varied were the opinions expro-fced ns to the provable winner. Roberts was the i \vouritc, but many of the coi/noxcenli declared themselves strongly in favour of Lambert, nor wens the other two who started without their supporters. A go'-d stirt w;>b made, A. K. Cairnss leiding, and Harper bring ng up the roar Lambert and Roberts being about lev I between the two. In thi; middle of- the fifth lap Cairns fiave up. and Eobcr:s shortly after increased the pace. Harper then went to the front, and maintained tho lead till the middle of the ninth lap wh- n he too gave up. The race was m>w confined to Kobeits and Lambert, and the fxeit.-ment mc eised as the former took a tilij:ht 1 ad, and increased the paeo. Litrl-J variation toi k placi -n their respectivepositi ni. HobcrtH keeping his lend, except, for a few paces vow and then, when Lambert passed him. on wh eh occasions the former spurted and regained his position. At the last two lai'B both men w.-ro evidently somewhat fugged — I ami) rt thi mo»t s>, but hhcld on with treat pluck, and ihu rxcitim ut increased, recoiling itH highest when a, few yards from horn.*, I amburt made a final though ii.eflV-ctiiiil effort to re-icb Roberts, who won by t»n feet. The lirst mile was done in f'i minutes, the next half-mile in six minutes more, and the whole distance was accomplishes in tfl>4 minutes. Mile Rack Yon Au, Comers. — Four wen: entered for thin race, and all started. Kemp! homo made the running at »n easy paw, and at trio end of tho nfcond l"*p. Brewer gave up. In the 4th lip Wyesh t>ok \ij> the. 'niMim^' at a strong pace closely followe I by Stitham, Kempthorne bringing up ibc rear. Tbis order remained almost unaltered t» tho end of the race, Wyeth coming in an easy winner by six yards. A capital r;ic«i for sfcond place eutued between K.nipthorne and Statham. resulting in favour of thu former by a foot. Time, six minutes.

In conclusion we would say a word regarding the arrangements of what was on the whole a capital day's sport. The C3UI-R0 was not indicated with sufficient clearness, nor w.is it always kept as free from the pressure of the crowd as might have bren desired. No facilities, moreover, were all'onled to tho Press, and it was impossible in consequence 'o take the time of itll tho races. Doubtless, considera le excuso must bo made for the necessarily hurried way in which the affair was got up, but we would simply draw tho attention of the Committee to these points. We understand it is their intention, owing to tho unexpected success with which these sports have been attended, to hold a second series of them towards the close of the season; and judg ing from the interest evinced in them on Saturday, there is every reason to anticipate that they also will prove an entire MICCUSS.