Out Door Sports

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 36, 21 May 1881, Page 390

Out Door Sports

—The Ohaupo cricketers were victorious in a match at Kihikihi last Saturday.

—Raffles for several well-known sailing boats are on the iapis.

— A cricket association at Hawkes' Bay is proposed.

— Harrison has completed the two batswiws ordered for Farndon, Hawkes Bay. °

— Five of the Kihikihi team were caught out in the match against Ohaux)O.

—The "Madge," "On Dit," and several other crack sailing boats are, I hear, open for sale.

— Messrs. Hewson and Melville have completed a new yacht to order, and are engaged in the construction of another.

— Captain Barclay lias been appointed president, and Messrs. J. C. Galbraith and E. G. B. Bloss vice-presidents, of the Taurangu Athletic Club.

-—The Tauranga Athletic Club intend to hold their next sports on Saturday, June 18th. The local Domain Board has promised the use of the grounds under their control for the occasion.

— Maguire assisted the Ohaupo team very considerably in their match against Kihikihi last Saturday. His score reached 36, and was successful in catching two of his opponents out from his own bowling.

— Elias Laycock Avas presented publicly in Sydney with a silver model of a racing 1 boat about 18 inches long, occupied by a figure supposed to represent Laycock himself in rowing attitude.

— The Civil Service Cricket Chib has lost one of its best members through the exceedingly sudden disappearance of Mr. Ivens. He will be an acquisition to the cricket club of Levuka.

— We understand that the yacht "Sybil," the property of Mr. 11. Fairs, and which was the winner in the late Ponsouby Kegatta, is now for sale. She is a smart, well-built boat, and shoul find a ready purchaser.

— I hear that it is proposed to have another sweepstake open sailing boat rnce on Tuesday next (Queen's Birthday). Of course the "Imp" will not take part.

— The cricketing interest in Hawkes' Bay does not appear to be strongly developed. A match between Petane and Port A.huriri was to have been played last week, but only four members of the former club put in an appearance.

— "W. \j. Ashmead Bartletfc, whose marriage with, the Baroness Burdett-Coutts created so great a stir in fashionable circles, was a well-known athlete while at college, and won the Freshman's quarter at Oxford in 1872, while his brother was a fair mile-runner.

— Since the formation of the Australian Eleven, Murdoch has played 67 innings, has been 5 times not out, and has scored 2367 runs, or an average of 25 runs per innings— a truly splendid performance. This is exclusive of supplementary matches played in England to fill up time.

— Laycock's ledger stood as follows when leasing England : — He lost £1000 on Tricket in liis race with Hiinlon, which put him £150 in debt. He won the Hop Bitters, £500, and gave Trickett £250 to help him over his losses ; then he paid his debt, and had £100 remaining.

— -The owners of the "Hattie May" say they are quite willing to race their boat against the " Imp " for any sum up to £10, and I believe them. This statement was made in reply to the assertion that they were afraid to deposit more than £3 in the proposed sailing boats sweepstakes contest.

— Private advices from England state that satisfactory arrangements nre being made regarding the formation of the cricket tesnn which is to make a tonr of New Zealand and Austin lia next senson. The first colonial match will be played sit Auckla nd, and the chances tire ten to one that the local cricketers will he found almost wholly unprepared for the contest.

— There again some talk of an Auckland footteam proceeding on a tour through the Southern cities, but the matter is being gone about in such a half -hearted manner that I question whether the proposal will be carried into effect. If nny thing is really to be done, a meeting should be called at once and the question practically considered. Auckland possesses the material necessary for the formation of a team of which she not feel ashamed.

— The opening football matches of the season have shewn some comparatively good play. Considering 1 that last season was a short one, and the number of matches very small, the x^rospects for the present season are certainly encoumging. The number of young- men engaged in the healthful pastime last Saturday proved conclusively that the youth of this city are not disposed to sacrifice the game to the cry of " danger to life and limb," which has been raised against it.

— "W. Midwinter, the well-known cricketer, sniled for England by the Orient steamer " Lusitania," which left Siindridge on 2Gth April, to fulfil his English engagements with Gloucestershire county. Midwinter intends returning, after the close of the English cricket season, to Australia, and settling in Melbourne. He may probably become a boniface at Emerald Hill, and play with the South Melbourne Club.

— The Cuckoo of March 11th says : — "There is every probability of a firs l --class team of professionals, led by Alfred Shaw, Arthur Shrewsbury, and James Lillywhite, going on a big tour as soon as county cricket is over. They will play live or six mutches in America, about as many in New Zealand, and then sail for Melbourne, where they expect to arrive next Boxing Day— the big of the Victorian season— and will play as much cricket in Australia and Tasmania as they can, to get home again by May Day, 1882."

The Saturday Afternoon Recreation Club intends to commence operations next season on a nrncb. larger scale than lias yet been attempted. An order has been sent to England for a complete set of bows and arrows for archery purposes. Lawn tennis materials have also been sent for. The lawn at Vauxkall is to be enlarged during the winter months, and made more suitable for croquet and lawn tennis than it is at present. The club has flourished exceedingly in the past, and the members intend that it shall be even more successful next season.