OUT DOOR SPORTS

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 24, 26 February 1881, Page 247

OUT DOOR SPORTS

— Lankham, senr., looked inexpressibly delighted when he bowled Murdoch. —Porch's tAvo splendid catches at long field on were features of the match. ' — Another sailing match, betAveen the open boats "Madge" and " Observer," is on the tapis. — Lynch ancl Robinson divided the boAvling honours on Wednesday. —Albert White says he is willing to iw half-a-dozen Northern Wairoa men. —The "Madge" was backed 3 to 1 inthe race with the " Observer," last Saturday. — Mumford's fielding at the cricket match was remarkable good, and it was evident that the veteran is as agile as ever. — There are tAvelve entries for the handicap race for a suit of clothes, which takes place in the Domain to-morrow (Saturday). — Davies' arrival from Taranaki Avas opportune. He was of great assistance to the Auckland men iv the match with Australians. — Bindon's long-stopping in the match Avas remarkably good, only two byes being run in both innings. — Buckiand Avent in for "slogging" at the match on AVednesday. He was hitting very freely, when he hit one too freely to point, and retired. —Waikato sent doAvn a good man in the person of Wood. His batting was hard and free, and he was a good field aud fair average bowler. — Testro, Arneil, and W. Lankham, three Auckland boys, all distinguished themselves in the match. They i>romise well for the future. — Charlie Bowden, of Otahuhu, is a good allround cricketer, his fielding being smart, and his batting steady. He well deserved a place in the twenty-two. — Palmer's bowling Avas much more destructive than Spoiforth's. He changed the pace of nearly every ball. — Odds Avere offered on Tuesday evening that Auckland would make more than the Australians in the first innings. — A sculling race is being arranged betAveen Heam, of Wellington, and Albert White, of Mercury Bay. — It Avas a great pity the Auckland cricketers did not dress alike or wear some uniform at the match. They looked very slovenly in the field compared with the Australians. — Robinson did not do so well Avith the bat on AVednesday as had been anticipated. He narrowly escaped being put out three times in his first innings, and the first ball disposed of him in the second. — Albert White has telegraphed to Duncan, of Christchurch, his willingness to row him in his own water for £100, Duncan to allow him £25 for expenses if beaten. — Arneil's luck Avas Aery bad in the cricket match. He batted splendidly in both innings, but in the former he was run out, thanks to Cox, and in the second he was stumped. — Young Lankham bids fair to become an excellent bowler. Out of the first nine overs, six were maidens, and only four runs had been got off him. His batting was also good. — The Second Eleven of the West End Cricket Club intend making a tour northwards at Easter, and playing several of the country teams. They will be absent about a week from Auckland. — The Ponsonby RoAving Club Avili have a trial fours race to-morrow (Saturday) afternoon. Four crews intend to compete, but as there are only two boats, the contest will be in heats. — Ivens, avlio made the best score on the Auckland side in the cricket match, is a member of the Civil Service Club. He was undervalued, but he proved to be a very good bat. — At the Russell Regatta the other clay, the sailing boat " Imp " defeated the "Brothers" — an old Auckland favourite— and four other competitors by about a mile. — When does the Auckland Yacht Club intend to inaugurate the series of races which were announced at tne recent meeting to take place after the Regatta 'i The boating season is nxpidly passing away. — A recent cablegram to an American paper, says: — "It. vv. Boyd is willing to row Hanlan, but he wants three mouths, in which to prepare. That is rather longer than Hanlan will care to remain abroad." — A sailing match, betAveen the "Madge" and " Hattie May " takes place at 1 p.m. to-morrow (Saturday). The former is the favourite, but, should there be a good breeze, the ' ' Hattie May " will doubtless render a good account of herself. — John Lilly white, senior, brother of the late James Lilly white, the " Nonpariel" bowler, and father of the present James Lillywhite, of Sussex County cricket fame, died at West Hampnet, England, on November 18th. — A cablegram announces that Hanlan, avlio has been taking it easy in Erin's Isle, states that, as he is desirous of satisfying everybody before returning home, he will row R. W. Boyd for 25,000d015. aside two weeks after his race with Laycock. — Ike Hunt's challenge to Tom Barron to i - oav in waterman's boats was caused by the statement of the latter that an attempt had been made to foul him at the Russell Regatta. Barron professes to be, or to have been, the champion of New Zealand. — The Alpha Cricket Club scored another victory last Saturday by defeating the Young Aucklanders by nineteen runs. " Nicker " Wild, one of the Alphas, shouted "Out!" when he saw an opponent's wicket fall. Nickel was quietly snuffed out himself by the umpire ruling the men. There was an audible " snicker" at Nicker by the Young Aucklanders, but the Alphas were wild with him. — The "Madge," last Saturday, Avon the sailing race against the "Observer." She has only taken part in three contests, and hi all of these she has been successful. Her builder (Mr. Bigelow) deserves credit for the building of the " Mabel " and the " Madge," the only boats he has yet constructed. The " Mabel," on the wind, with a heavy breeze, is acknowledged to be superior to auy other boat of her size in Auckland. — An impression appears to prevail in the public mind that the paragraph which recently appeared in this column to the effect that Yates was willing to row Morpeth over a three mile course was a challenge, and the latter was afraid to accept it. With the object of removing this idea, I may state that no challenge has yet been issued by Yates, who, as the defeated party, is of course the proper person to throw down tho gauntlet. Morpeth is quite willing to row, and, if a challenge were given, it would be readily accepted. — If Judges' Bay AA r ith its miniature fleet, presents a "lively" appearance, St. George's Bay can claim to be very lively indeed, having had many recent additions to its already numerous flotilla, which now comprises the "Vestal," "Volante," "Zulu," "Zoe," "Ripple," " Edina," "Lotus," "Lily," "Linda," "Witch," "Sylph," "Wave," "Dollie," "Captain," " Prince of Wales," "Ada," and many others; not to mention the iveherable Mr. Foreman's "Rip-van-Winkle."

—This is Avhat a mean AvhiteAvashed Yankee sent the i Sydney Bulletin about the match between Laycock and Hanlan : — Elias found the " little sprat '* Too much for him and " Ned " Elias now will doubtless wish Elias less had said. Because the fact is patent now — A fact he can't assail — If Hanlan represents a "sprat " Elias does a whale. For certain 'tis that little sprats Are very good at going ; While whales are noted less for speed, Than what they are for " blowing." — The Lyttelton Times believes that the defeat of the Australian Eleven at that hole-in-the-corner place Wanganui, was a genuine affair. The Times is verdant, very verdant. If the writer of the Times paragraph had been in Auckland when the Australians were here, lie would have known that one of the team had a slip of paper in his cap on which were the names of the Auckland men. This paper, which was shown to several persons before the match commenced, indicated the men who were to be put out for duck's eggs, and also those who were to be allowed to score. Amongst the latter was Buckiand, with the exact number of runs he was to make. There is hut little doubt that the issue of many of these matches depends a great deal on how the money is placed. —The folloAving extracts are taken from a letter written by Laycock to a friend in Sydney. The letter was written before the match was made with Hanlan. Laycock says : — " While I am racing the crowds howl to no one else.' 'Go it, Laycock '' 'Well done, Laycock !' 'Go it, bushranger!' 'Go it, Shark Island!' and the greetings I get when each race finishes are something awful. They stand in thousands, and take their hats off and give me cheer after cheer. When we get back to Hammersmith Bridge it is always crammed, and then they begin again. ' Well done, Laycock,' and cheer after cheer. When we get down hero I can hardly get to the house, and the last time they very nearly twisted my wrists, for I had to shake hands with, nearly 2000. I have faced the starter's flag now six times, and mowed the whole of them down. In all cases I have been led at the start ; but that never troubled mesomehow or other I always feel quite confident I can row them down, so have never allowed them to put me out of my stride at the start. In my last encoiuitcr— the final for the Hop Bitters— l had three Yankees to contend against, or rather, two Yankees and one Canadian ; but I settled them. They got in front of me, and each m turn ran me off in all directions, but I managed to worry them down, and finally won by over 100 yards. Mr. Ross planted himself right in front of me shortly after the start, and it would have made you laugh to see the rush I made at him, and the way he scampered out of the way." Action.