Sports Commentary

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26777, 21 May 1948, Page 8

Sports Commentary

.... By The Sports Editor

Combination Lacking A Soccer correspondent writes: “ Otago’s young team, playing together for the first time, was soundly beaten by Canterbury in the Jones Cup match last Saturday, but in the circumstances it was not disgraced. At no time did the players appear to settle down, and their ball control was faulty and too frequently passes were intercepted. To some extent this may have been because of the greasy nature of the ground, but Canterbury did not seem to suffer in the same way. It is obvious, therefore, that further concentration on the fundamentals of the game—ball control and actual passing —is required before the Otago team can be expected to perform creditably. Berry, the youthful Otago centre forward, was well marked by M. Gordon, the Nevsf Zealand representative, and did not get many opportunities to show his paces. Meehan, at centre-half, played an excellent defensive game, but his distribution of the ball lacked accuracy. F. Naumann, om the left wing for Otago, made the most of the opportunities that came his way. Martin, in goal, played an excellent game, and the six goals which beat 'him would have tested any keeper. It would be difficult to single out any Canterbury player as more outstanding than another because their team work and understanding were the main factors in their success.” Veteran’s Success ‘ The Civil Service Harrier Club’s Railway Cup Race last week resulted in a triumph for one of the club’s keenest members, A. R. Geddes. who ran a steady race throughout. Geddes has been one of the Civil Service Club’s outstanding men for many years and he twice represented the Dominion in Australia, but, although fastest time honours came to him on several occasions, he had never previously won the Railway Cup. Eighteen years ago he was runner-up to L. C. McLachlan. but in the meantime had not been able to run into a place. Racing strongly into second place, the Postal Cup winner, G. McMillan, a junior, gave indications of the makings of a topnotch cross-country runner, and ie may be hard to beat when the championship events are held later in the season. Without being fully extended. G. C. Nelson recorded fastest time. A younger brother of the New Zealand distance champion, W. H. Nelson, at present on the way to England for the Olympic Games, Garnet Nelson won the Otago Cross-country Championship in 1944 and 1945, when his brilliant brother was serving in the Pacific. When the latter returned to New Zealand. the younger member of the family lost form, but he is striving hard to retain the cross-country title in the family during Harold Nelson’s absence at the Olympic festival. / Lights and Judges A further demonstration of coloured lights to give the decision of the judges was made at the Christchurch Boxing Association’s tournament last week, when Canterbury beat Wellington in matches for the Excelsior Shield. Alan Maxwell, formerly well known as an amateur and professional boxer, who was manager of the Wellington team, regards the idea as one of the best introduced into the judging of fights, and thinks it will not be long before all associations adopt the idea. The working is simple. One corner post is painted red and the other blue. Directly above the judges are lights, red and blue, and after the judges have given their verdicts to the referee, each switches on a light to show which boxer in his opinion has won the fight. If the judges agree, both show the same coloured light. There is then no work for the referee. If one judge shows a red light and the other a blue, then the referee decides. The public knows whether the decision is made by the referee or both judges. In many matches the public has not been given tills information.

Entertaining Rugby Crowds About -10 runners how entered for (he Ness Cup rare, of one mile, which will be held id t'arlsbrook to-morrow. This is not as big a Held as the race usually draws, but several of the clubs will be competing for the Kennott Cup in Christchurch. The absence of those teams, however, should Improve the race from the back-markers' point of view, because on some occasions unwieldy fields have raced for this trophy. The honour of running from the virtual scratch mark belongs to the Mornington Club's representative. W. N. Burrows, formerly provincial track champion ami runner-up in a New Zealand championship at Wanganui. Burrows ran a splendid " leg" in the Lovelock Commemoration Belay Race, and is evidently near Ids best form. Australian Rankings A. K. Quist is placed first and J. E. Bromwich second in the Australian Lawn Tennis Association's oilleial ranking list for the 1948 season. F. A Sedgman, who failed to gain a place in the Australian Davis Cup team, is ranked fourth, ahead of G. E. Brown

and C. F. Long, who were both included in the team. The complete lists for men and women are:— Men.—l, A. K. Quist (New South Wales); 2, J. E. Bromwich (New South Wales); 3, O. W. Sidwell (New South Wales); 4, F. A. Sedgman (Victoria); 5, G. E. Brown (New South Wales); 6, C. F. Long (Victoria); 7, J. Gilchrist (New South Wales); 8, J. Dart (New South Wales); 9, A. L. Brodie (Victoria); 10, R. McCarthy (New South Wales). Women.—l, Mrs N. Bolton (Victoria); 2,, Mrs M. Long (Victoria); 3, Miss M. Bevis (New South Wales); 4, Miss M. Toomey (Victoria); 5, Miss D. Whittaker (Victoria); 6, Miss E. Ashford (New South Wales); 7, Mrs H. Hopman Victoria); 8, Mrs M. Newcombe (South Australia); 9, Miss D.- Jenkins (New South Wales); 10, Miss P. Jones (New South Wales). Inferior Stick Work Few women hockey players to-day display the complete control of the ball that was characteristic of the outstanding exponents of 10 years ago. Of those playing to-day D. Leggett and R. Bleach, of Dunedin L. McArthur and D. Ellis, of Otago, M. Wright, of King’s, and N. Gourley, of University, alone appear to have developed the perfect balance which comes only through continuous practice. Imperfect balance and clumsy stick work lead to infringements for obstruction. The half-turn in attempting to change the direction of attack is -one of the commonest faults seen in local women’s hockey. This form of obstruction is very difficult for the umpire to assess with certainty, and often passes without penalty. Local umpires would do well to enforce the obstruction rule in order to accustom players to the stricter rulings likely to be applied at the forthcoming Dominion tournament Remarkable Effort The performance of the Australian sprinter. John Treloar, in running the 100 yards in 9 5-10 sec in an exhibition at lowa City last week must rank with Mel Patton’s world recordbreaking sprint of 9 3-10 sec at Fresno, California, the same day. Treloar, who was running on cinders for the first time, accomplished his time against a strong wind whereas Patton’s time was recorded under perfect conditions. Treloar arrived in Los Angeles on April 20 to begin nine weeks’ training on cinder tracks before going on to the Olympic Games. He planned to spend several weeks for extra training at Laguna Beach before going to the University of Minnesota, where his uncle. Mr A. E. Treloar, is professor of medicine. University Oarsmen In connection with the proposal made bv the New Zealand University Rowing' Council to send a representative eight-oar crew to Brisbane, to compete in the Australian interuniversity boat race early in June, 1949, the possibility of security the coaching services of Mr F. (“Mick”) Brough, the former Otago oarsman, of Invercargill, is to be investigated. The main difficulty in sending a team away is the raising of the £BOO required, and this amount is to be evenly apportioned among the four universities. An invitation has also been extended to the Australian universities to visit New Zealand next Easter to take part in the 1949 tournament at Wellington.

If the Australians accept, it may be necessary to postpone the visit by the New Zealand eight until the following year. Country Half-back in Form A. McGill, who attracted favourable attention last season when the combined sub-unions’ team was on tour, is again showing good form, writes the Maniototo Rugby correspondent of the Daily Times. Playing half back for Patearoa last Saturday in the Maniototo competition against RanfUrly it was mainly due to his sound play that Patearoa scored their win. McGill’s strong point is his ability to use the line with advantage, and on Saturday last many of his kicks from the base of the scrum consistently gained 30 to 40 yards With his side electing to play the defensive game on Saturday he exploited this style of play to the full. The only time he varied his play was when he threw the ball to the first five-eighth, Turnbull, who, apart from handling exceptionally well, was as accurate as McGill in his line finding. McGill, though small in stature, has also shown that he can stand up to the hardest of defensive play. He possesses a safe pair of hands and these good points coupled .with a sound football sense, gained when he played for Waitaki Boys’ High School first fifteen, stamp him as one of the coming half backs in country football.