SPORTING EVENTS AT HOME

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1928, Page 5

SPORTING EVENTS AT HOME

DRAWBACKS OF PRESENT DAY CRICKET

PUBLIC DEMANDS CURE FOR SLOWNESS

NEW L.B.W. RULES. CURING THE ILLS OF CRICKET. Not .only the general publift but Lite authorities at Lords are beginning to realise that there is something wrong with cricket and that a cure must be found. This season, with the turf dry and fast and the conditions very much in favour of batsmen, scoring has been exceptionally heavy and it has also been dreadfully /slow. Men have taken as long as four hours to make a hundred —twenty five runs an hour—and they have driven spectators from the grounds. In these circumstances, everyone is now tryin'g to find a way not only to speed up the game but to reduce the number of runs. The awarding of points for a lead on the first innings has been proved a huge blunder and the first step that should be taken ia tha recasting of the system by which the county championship is decided. Many matches to-day are simply a struggle for the first innings points, and so much time is used up in this that a definite result is out of the question. Again it may happen that a team are in such a position that they are actually penalised by leading on the first innings in an incomplete game, and under such conditions the cricket is farcical. Recently Staffordshire, in the Minor Counties Championship, refused to make any attempt to score, and, to force them to do so, the opposition, Leicestershire 11, actually presented them with over fifty runs by deliberately bowling wides and hurling the ball to the boundary for byes. They compelled Staffordshire to win on the first innings and their action has been applauded by every cricketer. Nothing definite has yet been arranged in the revision of the championship, but meanwhile the M.C.C. are trying to restore the balance between the bat and the ball. They have made an appeal to the elubs to leave their pitches in a more natural state. I am afraid, however, this will not do much good. The clubs are too much concerned with the receipts at the turnstiles, and a groundman who contributes to a match finishing too soon will not be appreciated. Another proposal is the alteration of the leg before wicket rule. Acting on the suggestion of the Hon. 11. H. Lyttelton, the M.C.C. have asked the counties to agree that a batsman may be out l.b.w. to a ball which pitches straight and, though first touching the hat or hand, would have hit the stumps but for the intervention of the batsman. Still more important is the further proposal that a batsman may be out l.b.w. to a ball which pitches on the offside but would have hit the wicket but for the intervention of the batsman if at tile time he is standing in a direct line between wicket and wicket. But why should this restriction be made in the cause of the off-break and not in that of the leg-break? Logically there should ba no distinction.

The appeal to the counties is that thev should agree to these new rules being tried next season, and it is probable that they will do so. There is, however, a general objection to tinkering with the rules of the game and many players support the alternative proposal of Hobbs that the wickets should be widened.

Hobbs, by the way, scored another triumph in the third and final Test match against the West Indians at the Oval. After the tourists had once more been cheaply dismissed —they had a hundred on the board without a man out and were dismissed for 238 —he opened the England innings with Sutcliffe and, for the eighth time in Test cricket, they put on a hundred. Sutcliffe was out at 63 but Hobbs went on to make 159. It was his 154th century, his fourteenth in Test matches, and his eighth this season. But it v/as not one of his best displays. In fact he was badly missed when 09 and twice later. As in the previous Tests, the West Indians were outplayed. On going in a second time they had to face a total of 438 and they were all out for 129 lea’ing England with a victory by an innings and 71 runs. THE OLYMPIC GAMES. BRITISH EMPIRE’S FINE RECORD. The Olympic Games are over, and Britain and the Empire did exceedingly well; better, in fact, than had been anticipated. America, through their supremacy in the field events, took first place, but of the nineteen races on the track they had only eight successes and the Empire claimed six, including perhaps the most important. Finland..gained three wins and Sweden and Japan one each. Germany did not secure a first but German athletics are only beginning to be organised and there is undoubtedly a great future for them. Four years hence, when the Gaines are held at Los Angeles, they are sure to place a very strong team in the field. They are even more thorough than the Americans, and they are bound to have learnt a lot from their experiences at Amsterdam. The Japanese, too, are coming on. But no runners made a bigger impression than the Finns in the distance races. They are truly wonderful. Nurmi only took the 10,000 metres, but the general belief was that he could also have carried off the 5000 metres if it had not been hie intention to leave it to his fellow countryman Rilola. Indeed his action in the straight was taken as an invitation to Ritola to come through and win. Again in the 1500 metres he fathered Larva and Purje, only making certain that no runner from any other country beat him. Larva, promises to be one of the greatest runners of all time. As one English authority said, he looks as if he can run a mile ia world’s record time any day he chooses. The one British disappointment was in the Marathon. We thought we had the men to win this race, but the pace was too much for them. Ferris tried to keep up with El Ouafl, the ■ winner, but had to let him go and could only hope that the young Algerian would break down. The latter, however, ran an amazing race, and, despite the pace he set, never turned a hair. Another Englishman, Harper, was prominent for a long way but he was seized with cramp. After the track events al Amsterdam

were over, the American runners and those of the Empire came to London and engaged in a team contest. It aroused remarkable interest, fifty thousand people being present at the Stamford Bridge grounds. All the races were in the form of relays and of these the American eracks were successful in the first three. The last two, the four miles and the two miles, were gained by the Empire. Each of four men had to run a mile in the four miles and we owed our success to the superb performance of C. Ellis, the English champion. Running last, he was opposed by L. Hahn, the American champion. Ellis started a few yards in the rear but he made up the ground add went ahead to resist a strong challenge. Ellis ran his mile in 4min. 14 4-ssec., and there was no better performance during the meeting.

The Empire's win in the two miles relay was made easy by the Canadian coloured runner, Edwards, who ran third and gave Douglas Lowe a start of twenty yards. The latter did no more than keep this distance ahead and he was slowing down a long way before the finish.

There were field as well as track ev nts, and in the former the" Americans carried all before them. It is very curious that weight putting, the jumps etc., do not make the same appeal to the British athlete as racing on the track. In the broad jump, the American E. B. Ham set up a new British record of 25ft lin. The contest, as a whole, comprised fourteen events and the Americans won eight to six. .. . TENNIS. LAWN TENNIS TOURISTS. The four British lawn tennis players, Gregory, Austin, Higgs, and Collins, have set off on the first stage of their world tour. First they are to compete in the American championships in New York and afterwards they are to go to Australia. It is not, of course, the first time that an official team lias gone abroad but former tours have been in quest of the Davis Cup. This trip, however, has largely been promoted in order that the four players may gain experience. Gregory is the captain and an optimist; his choice for the position is excellent.

An indication of the hard time the players expect is given by the fact that they had between them as many as ninety-six rackets. It also shows how the game has increased in severity. When the last British team went to Australia in 1912 the players did not think it necessary to equip themselves with more than six rackets each.

Austin has been sent out with great hopes, not only that his game will develop but that he will acquire the essential stamina to withstand the strain of a severe five sets match. At the present time he can hardly do this and his physical weakness is his biggest handicap. He showed during the Wimbledon championships that he is within an ace of the other crack players of the world. Indeed he is undoubtedly the best player English lawn tennis has produced since J. C. Parke. Against Rene Lacoste, the finest player in the world, he played shot for shot until his strength gave way. The team are not expected to return until the early spring and will be in Australia at the same time as the M.C.C. cricketers.

BOXING AND BOXERS. THE BRITISH IN AMERCIA. When 1 think of the nature of the attack our boxers are iikely to make upon America this coming season, I feel very happy (writes Eugene Corri). I have lived a long, long time in the world of athletics, and nothing has been more disheartening to me than the failure of those of our lads who have tried so genuinely to win back for the Old Country some part of our lost fortunes in sport. I think, for example, of Tommy Milligan’s visits to America; of Roland Todd going across boldly to challenge their best; of the tragic journey of Elky Clark, whose courage and grim Scottish tenacity, when receiving a thrashing from Fidel La Barba, will never be forgotten by' those Americans who saw it. These and others, in greater or lesser boxing degree, have endeavoured in the true British way to achieve something for us. Of course, lam well aware that they are professional boxers; but do not tell me that the purse is the beginning and end of all things to them. 1 know otherwise. I know the bitterness of defeat which has been felt by our boys—a bitterness which had nothing whatever to do with money. We wanted another Kid Lewis, and there was not one forthcoming. But latterly there has been a perceptible change in our national boxing outlook. Phil Scott achieved a little. He may yet achieve more. Ernie Jarvis, that rattling little London fighter, has during the past two or three years made most of the best American flyweights look upon him warily as an opponent. But best of all was the visit of Ted •Broadribb’s party, which you will remember consisted of Teddy Baldock, Jaek Hood, and Alf Mancini. All acquitted themselves splendidly, and I know that all three would be very welcome in New York again. THE RIGHT MEN. It is highly probable that an even stronger force will invade New York this autumn. Both Mancini and Hood are likely to go, and I do expect that Mancini will perform exceptionally well. He failed against his old colleague, Jack Hood, and would always fail. He could reproduce nothing of hig real form against Harry Mason. But in America lie will meet no Masons; and certainly none like Hood, 1 think. Mancini is the type of fighter-boxer particularly severe against the mere lighter. The man who stands still, and endeavours to out-punch him, will be on the floor before one could say ‘‘knife.” For this London-Italian has a lightning hook with either left or right, which is deadly in accuracy and power-

He will meet many in America who are little more than “sluggers,” and I feel that he will beat them all. They are made for him. I know Mancini’s limitations. To be frank, he can be outwitted by the clever boxer, who concentrates upon points scoring. He has not the temperament for chess-board boxing, and is apt to get bemused by the Hood type of opponent. What he wants is a fight. He will get it in America; and he will thrive Upon it. Kid Berg, the East End lightweight, is already in America, doing exceptionally well. He seems to stand more than a sporting chance of fighting for the world’s championship, for he has greatly impressed the experts over there. Berg is young, very strong, well grounded in style, and possesses a punch which is a good deal more severe than it appears to be. We are not hearing as much about his exploits as we could wish, but I have been told by private letters from American friends that his form has astonished America, and that he is regarded as the best man we have sent over for five years or more.

Harry Corbett, our featherweight champion, may go with Hood and Mancini. This lad has changed considerably since Broadribb took control of him. I cannot even now bring myself to believe that he can fight his best at featherweight, even though he so splendidly defeated Cuthbert for the title last spring. But, from the start of his career, Corbett displayed genius of a type which is exceedingly rare —■ genius shown just here and there in the history of the ring by such as Driscoll. Several times Corbett disappointed us, but he appears now to have settled down to his true form. His skill will delight America, and his only danger—of which I take this opportunity to warn him —is that he may forget his true purpose in the ring in his satisfaction of fooling an opponent. With the inevitable end —a sudden clout on the side of the jaw. GENIUS WITH MOODS. Corbett is a young fellow of curious moods. At times he is smitten with a spirit of excessive caution. At others, he is brilliantly daring, and, in fact, plays with fire. What he needs is a little of the businesslike thoroughness of Johnny Hill, to complete a victory in the shortest time compatible with safety. But Corbett is a good one io represent us in America. Have no fears for him.

I also hear of the possibility of Len Harvey going across, and, if this should be so, he would appear to be our strongest card. Hood, Mancini, Berg, .Corbett, Scott, and Harvey —-that a fi..e string! What an army to invade America! Every single member is not only a keen boxer, but, as a man, a man of the best type. Yet I confess to feeling some uneasiness about Harvey. I have considered for the past two years whether he would profit by a visit to America, and have never been able to persuade myself that he would. I think the fact of the matter is that I am secretly nursing hopes that this strapping son of Plymouth will be the best heavyweight, or light heavyweight, we have had in my time —which is a long time.

I do not want to see this youngster among the world’s class one minute before he is ready'. He is brawny of arm, but slender in the middle —the slenderness of youth. I feel that a man of the type of Micky 'Walker, for instance, would, if he got the better of Harvey, do such damage as might affect Harvey’s future.

Yet I know that Harvey has regularly meeting the toughest which Europe could produce, and lias for the most part done as he chose with them. I admit, too, that I have seen him take a punch on the jaw, and not turn a hair. I know in my heart that the boy is solid pluck with a skill which, for a biggish fellow, I can compare only on this side to Jack Bloomfield, and on the other side, to Tunncy. Harvey, I rejoice to know, is being guarded in his career with the wisest possible management, and, if he do 1 go to America this coming season, I shall be assured that he will do so without any of the risks which cause mv uneasiness. They know, do Harvey’s people, that they have a world-beating cruiserweight within a year or two. America is beginning to respect us again in the world of boxing. And I believe that, before next winter is out, our stock will be higher than it has been since the heyday of Jimmy Wilde.