BILLIARDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19503, 11 June 1925, Page 5

BILLIARDS.

M'CONAGIIY IN AUCKLAND. AN EXHIBITION GAME. A welcome to Mr Clark M’Conacliy, New Zealand billiard champion, who ha* just completed u tour ol Great Britain and South Africa, was extender at a gathering of members of the Masonic Institute and Club at Auckland last Friday evening. Playing a demonstration game of 750 up against H. F. Valentine, ex-amateur champion of New Zealand (handicap ICO), M'Conacliy gave a brilliant display of the intricacies of the game. Starting a lino Sequence of shots with his second stroke ho made a break of 229. The features of his play were frequent nursery cannons at the top produced witn lightness and obvious ease During the next few breaks M'Conachy gave an exhibition of all-round shots, compiling the required total of 750 to his opponent’s aggregate of 699. Although not up to form, Valentino put up a creditable display, and averaged XOp His best break was 35. M'Conacliy, who is undoubtedly the finest exponent of billiards in New Zealand, has held the championship title for about 10 years. He has returned lo New Zealand, after a lengthy lour, in which he mot all the noted English players. Ho succeeded in scoring a win against the English champion, Tom Newman at Newcastle, but found W. Smith too strong. Playing against Claude Faulkner for 16,000 up, ho lost by only eight points, and at one time was 20CO behind Ins opponent. Faulkner is expected to arrive in Auckland on .Juno 22 to meet M’Conacliy in a game of 16,000. Play will be with vitalite balls, but a return match at Wellington will bo contested with crystallite balls. During his tour, M'Conacliy was to play with ivory balls, athough ho is accustomed to use crystallite or bonzolmo. After the matches with Fanlkinor, M’Conacliy will tour the dominion giving exhibition matches.