Dominion Outclassed By Australian Team In Basketball Test

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26851, 16 August 1948, Page 6

Dominion Outclassed By Australian Team In Basketball Test

Australia netted most of its goals in the first and third quarters of the game in beating New Zealand by 27 goals to 16 in the first seven-a-side basketball test at Forbury Park on Saturday. The New Zealand team, which for the first quarter seemed bewildered by the long passing which characterised the attack, later settled down, but the work in the forward area was lacking in finish.

The game was robbed of much of its ■pectator-appeal by the easy techn’que of the Australians, who sent the ball up to the circle with few passes. When playing to the western goal in the first and third quarters the Australian shoots seemed almost infallible, netting the ball gracefully with one-hand throws. A strong cross-court wind played tricks with the eastern goal, only four of the combined scores of bofh teams heing scored at that end. At the receptive’, western goal New Zealand, too, had its pleasure of success. The team was on top for the second and last quarters, but not so the goal-scoring extent of the visitors in the other spells. The Australian captain, M. White, at goal defence, was at the base of the winners’ passing sequence, and was a constant source of trouble to the New Zealand shoots. With D. Munro and W. McKenzie, centre and attack wing respectively, playing confidently, the accurate attack goaler, L. Hornig. was usually in a comfortable position for a throw. Hornig and M. Craddock at the favourable goal made the ball a sure finder for the loop. New Zealand showed a tendency to use the attack wing, M. Sullivan (Auckland), In such 5 way that she Was crowded into the corner, leaving her the difficult task of trying to deceive the defenders between her and the shoots. In all her difficulties Sullivan, besides being the hardest worked player, was probably the most deceptive member of either team She succeeded in giving the shoots ample opportunities, many of which failed be cause of impulsive rather than calculated throws. The New Zealand goal thrower, A Clarke (Canterbury), and the attack goal, A. Hughes (Canterbury), scored some fine goals in the face of disturbing insistence The New Zealand defence, D. Turner (Canterbury), relieved her team on numerous occasions. Her anticipation was at times uncanny in predicting the beautiful low Australian passes. But the Australians were not easily found in a crowded circle, and the New Zealand defenders for the most part were slow to get round the projected path of the In the first quarter Australia denied the home' side a real share of the ball. New Zealand was playing a standstill game, and the quarter ended with the score: Australia 11, New Zealand 1. The pace livened in the next quarter, when New Zealand persisted with a wave of attacks characterised by the shorter, rippling exchange of passes. The visitors lost their original command, but New Zealand could not make up the 10-goal deficit, the score at the end of the quarter being Australia 13, New Zealand 7. The third quarter was the most fruitful for Australia, who took complete control of the game. New Zealand lapsed noticeably, leaving their opponents a clear court for their minimised passing. Before the start of the last quarter the score was Australia 26, New Zealand 7. As though inspired by the thought of the shooting into the kinder loop. New Zealand rallied jn the last quarter with a belated run. A scoring rate of a goal every 45 seconds required by New Zealand to overhaul the Australian lead was, understandably, too great, but the crowd was kept excited by a performance which realised nine goals to New Zealand. Final score: Australia 27, New Zealand 16.

The teams were:— Australia.—M. White (South Australia, captain), L. Hewish (South Australia), A. Murray (Victoria), D. Munro (South Australia), W. McKenzie (Victoria), L. Hornig (Victovia), M. Craddock (Victoria). New Zealand.—D. Cockerton (Mar.amata). D. Turner (Canterbury), J. Hickey (Auckland), O. Murray (Canterbury, captain), M. Sullivan (Auckland), A. Hughes (Canterbury), A. Clarke (Canterbury). New Zealand Rules After the test, New Zealand and Australia met in a 10-minute nine-a-side game according to New Zealand rules. The New Zealand team played spectacularly, winning by four goals to two.