ENGLISH SPORTING NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 30 December 1929, Page 13

ENGLISH SPORTING NOTES

ENGLISH TEST PLAYERS.

DIiLEEPSINJHI’S PROSPECTS.

(Special to News.) London, Nov. 7. The Jam Sahib of Nawanag-, who has been staying in Ireland, has just ed to India. Ho has Ballynahinch Castle in Ireland, where there is much good flyfishing, and, having become a most enthusiastic angler since ho retired from cricket, ho hopes to return next year. Should it then bo a choice of hshmg oi watching the test matches with the Australians, I think he is more likely to be seen in Ireland with his rod than at lords. To the cricketing public of the world the Jam Sahib will ever be remembered as Ranji. I am afraid, however, that he has lost interest in the gameHo told me on the eve of Ins departure that he had not had a bat in his hands since 1912, and that he had not seen a match for nine years. But, of course, he is interested in the career of his nephew, K. S. Duleepsinhji, who is a-t present witn tlie M.C.C. team who arc on tour in Australia and New Zealand. _ The question has arisen in a ratnei curious way as to whether Duleepsinhji will be picked to play for England m the tests against the Australians, as though his qualification to do so were in doubt. But, as Ranji pointed out, he has learnt all his cricket in England. He was at Cheltenham school, got his blue at Cambridge, and, of course, played in the hist test°ag- in the South Africans last season. It was surprising, too, that he was dropped after this. It is true that he did not come oil in the first innings, and that he did not make many-runs on going in a second time, but on the latter occasion ho played to orders. That is to say, England wanted runs in a hurry in the attempt to force a win, and Dulcepsinhji really sacrificed his wicket by taking risks which only the conditions could justify. He has, 'however, proved his ability up to the hilt. Jack Hobbs declares that he is the best of the young players, and this view is shared by other experienced judges. But the M.C.C. declined to play Ranji in a test match at Lords in I9OG because he was not English born. The next test was at Manchester, and in those days the team was picked by the county committee on whose ground it was played. Lancashire chose Ranji, and after that he played regularly for England. My own opinion is that there is no doubt that t 1 Australians will have to contend with Duleepsinhji. He has the eye of a •hawk, and is unsurpassed as a fieldsman in the slips, whilst ho had much of his uncle’s brilliance as a batsman. He played some of the finest inning's of last season.

PREMIER BRITISH GOLFER.

ABE MITCHELL REINSTATED.

The .competitive golf season is at an end. Until next spring the amateurs will have to be content with their club medal competitions, and the professionals with their Alliance tournaments, which are of recent origin. They were instituted to relieve the dullness of the winter for tho professionals, who play for small prizes, and on occasions are joined by amateurs. They provide an interesting day’s golf, and help to keep tho men in practice. Unfortunately, tilicy have not the opportunities of the Americans, who are able to exploit the n r golfing El Dorado on tho Pacific coast as soon as winter sets in. For about two months they go from tournament to tournament, and compete for the richest prizes offered. Last winter the young player, Horton Smith, won seven of them in a row, and collected £3,C00. It was by this wonderful string of successes that ho gained his place in the Ryder Cup team which visited this country. Here he did not realise expectations, but he is unquestionably a great golfer, and his Jack of success was l-o be attributed to tho strangeness of the conditions.

It has been an uneventful season at home. At tho beginning Charles Whitcombo displaced Abo Mitchell as the premier British golfer, and led the team against tho Americans. Moreover, in this event ho played superbly, gaining a crushing win over Jothnny Farrell, the American champion. But ho has done nothing since, and Mitchell has climbed back on his pinnacle. Whitcombe unfortunately still suffers from his war experiences, and more than once ill-health has prevented him doing himself justice. On tho other hand, after his customary disappointing display in the championship, Mitchell has played as well as ever, and. for the third time holds the professional match-play championship. Duncan has done little or nothing. For half tho year lie has been playing with the A'ga Khan, and giving lessons to the latter’s friends in Paris. That, of course, was not good training for tournament golf. Archibald Compstou made his best effort in the French championship, in which ho tied with Aubrey Boomer, after making a sensational score, and then lost the play off. Corapston has the highest ambitions, but on tho big occasions die is fatally inclined to mako a ruinous blunder.

So far as next season is concerned, the only arrangements made outside the championships are for "a tournament to bo held at Sout-lqxnt. The prize money to be awarded is £1590, which is a record for British golf, Southport is the centre of a wonderful stretch of golfing country on tike Lancashire coast. Within about five miles there arc four first-class courses, and I understand that it is the intention to use all four for the. competition.

ENGLISH LEAGUE FOOTBALL.

SCOTLAND BREAKS SEQUENCE. The superiority which has been conceded Scottish Association football over English has not been rellected in the matches between representative sides of tho national leagues. The Scots had not, in ‘fact, won this game prior to this season for fifteen years. There is a ready explanation for this record. Most of the best players have been transferred to English clubs and are available only for tho international match. In these circumstances, it was something of a surprise when the Scots broke this sequence of reverses.

Unfortninaicly for England Camsell, tho Mkldlcsbrougih centre forward, had to withdra\v at the last moment, and ns 1 Jack, the Arsenal insido right, was the only forward in reserve, he had to (Hl of

played as a centre before, but he does not like the position, and, though in many respects he played well in Glasgow, he did not show tho essential dash to force home the attack. It was to his credit, however, that ho obtained the Knglisli side’s goal. This was tho first score of the match, and for twenty minutes the Scots were overplayed. Then, however, they seized the initiative, and. gave a delightful, display, revealing that craft and understanding in team work which are rarely seen in English football. It was not long before they equalised, and then went on to obtain a second and winning goal. It was thought that tins Englisli League team would in the mam bo’chosen for tho international match with Wales, but it was shown that there were weak links, both in the half-back and forward lines, and I think that changes arc now sure to be made.