OUT DOOR SPORTS

Observer, Volume XXVIII, Issue 27, 21 March 1908, Page 10

OUT DOOR SPORTS

By Harrier.

THE result of Saturday's senior pricket matches leaves the Eden Club a long way in the lead, and with only two more rounds to be played, it will be impossible for Eden to be displaced from its position of vantage. The points scored for the championship are as follows : Eden, 18 points ; City, 10 ; Grafton, 10 ; North Shore, 9 ; Parnell, 8 ; and Ponsonby, 3.

Ponsonby having made 60 runs in their first innings, Eden replied with 163 runs. Ponsonby batted a second time, aaid when time was called had made 86 runs for the loss of four wickets. Eden thus won on the first innings by 103 runs .

Against City's 119 in the first innings, Grafton made 242 runs, and then sent City in with the object of securing a three-points win. In this they were successful, City making only 70 runs — a total of 189 for the two innings. Grafton therefore won by an innings and 53 runs.

With S3 runs already on the Hooks for three wickets. North Shore continued batting against Parnell's tota\ of 90. Shore declared their innings closed at 200 for wickets, and sent. Parnell in again. The Parnell men playe>J ont time, however, with 51 runs f^" eight wickets, and so stopped three-points win for North Shore.

Hemtis made only 8 in City's second innings. and " Cherry " Barry was dismissed without scoring. R. Sloman. the Grafton colt, justified his inclusion in the senior team_ by making 16 runs in an attractive manner. W. Stemson played a useful innings of 27 runs on Saturday *or TJden. " Murdoch and Hayward, however, did not stay long. Ellis was top scorer for City in their second innings, with 24. Beechev (18) and McCormiek (10) were the next best. P. "White wound up his bowling against Edeln's first innings by securing eight wickets at a cost of 47 runs. Five of his victims were clean bowled. Howden gave the Parnell fieldsmen a busy time of it on Saturday. He hit out in great style, and at the close of the dav was unbeaten with 65 not out to his credit. The Parnell batsmen failed to make any showing^ against the North Shore bowlers in their second innings. Only one man obtained double figures — F. Murray with 17 . He played in his usual rapid style. Woods played quietly for a score of 32 runs in Ponsonby's second innings, and was not inclined to take any risks. He was well backed up by Robinson, who made 23. Young also helped on the Ponsonby score, with a nicely contribut d 16 not out. "Ike" Mills played a patient innings of 40 runs for Eden, and was eventually caught by Corner off White. His brother, G. Mills, made 22 runs by oareful cricket, and he was also dismissed by a catch, made by Gallaher. From 29 not out, D. Hay carried his score to 67 before he fell a vie tim to Eairburn. It was a fine in nings, and for a time he partnered S. Jones, in good style. _ The lafc. ter's contribution was 47 not out, played with his customary careful

Glem Efill will not become a member of tKe next Australian Eleven to visit England in 1909^ : Mason : again did: well in his bowling against City on Saturday, taking four wickets for 29, while D. Hay secured three for 23. "Wallace (27 not out) and Dacre (24) were a pair of North Shore batsmen who did well, and Woodward made 15 by sound cricket. Howden was very deadly in h ; s bowlinlg for North Shore against Parnell, winding up with four wickets for 24 runs. Hadden got two for 17, and Wodoward none for 15. „ The Parnell • bowlers got pasted about on Saturday by the North Shore batsmen. OlifFs one wicket was obtained at a cost of 58 runs. Fairburn did best, with four wickets for 59 runs. It is announced that A. C. MacClaren will not play regularly for Lancashire in 1908. At present he is acting as private secretary to Ranjitsinhji. who, under his new title of Jam of Nawanagar, has taken Lord Winter-ton's Sussex seat, Shillinglee Park. It is further stated that though Ranjitsinhji is not in particularly good health, he intends to bat once or twice for Sussex in the coming season.

The removal by the committee of the "Wellington Rugby Union of the disqualification placed upon A. H. Baskerville, promoter of the All Black professional team, as regards attendance at their grounds, has paused some stir. There seems to be n fear that it may be the precxirsor of a wider movement for the general r/hitewashing of the- money-making team. Any such proposal would be warmly or^osed by well-wishers of football all through the colony, and would undoubtedly cost the game some of its staunchest. supporters. So far as I can gather, however, apprehension i nder this head is needless. The rules as to professionalism are perfectly plain and exceedingly stringent. If the New >aland Rugby Union were so illndvised as to venture upon reinstatement as amateurs of men who havo chosen the professional path •^nd Pocketed the profits of their defection, it would incur ostracism by the English Rugby Union, and that is a penalty which it would not venture to invite, however friendly might be its disposition towards the men personally. Besides, there seems to have been «ome ground for cancellation of the ban placed upon Baskerville, which applies to him alone. It is stated that a legal opinion has been given that in excluding Baskerville from the grounds — in nearly all cases public grounds — on which fnotbail matches are played, the "Wellington Union exceeded its powers, and rendered itself liable to an action f or damages, hence its rescinding of that part of its previous decision before Baskervillo returns and tests the question. * * ♦

M. E. Champion made a successful onslaught on the N.Z. mile swimminc record last Friday night in the Albert-street baths. There were only three starters — Chamnion, Kernott and Bonner, and the lastnamed dropped out early in the race. Champion was in splendid form, and did the distance in 27n»in. T-S 2-os^c., thns reducing the New Zealand record — 28min. 17 l-ssec. — hy lmin. 3 4-ssec. Kernott went the whole distance, and for a young swinimer. Mit up a srreat performance. His time was 28min. 43sec, and was thus well within the standa rd tim e — 29min . The - ew Zealand Amateur Swimming Championship Meeting sta:ts to-day (Thursday) at Napier, and will be continued next Monday. The 100 yards, 880 yards and breast stroke events will be decided on the first day, and the 220 yards, 440 va¥ds and one mile on the second. M. E. Champion and Kernott are representing Auckland. Both these men should prove hard to beat, particularly the foraier, . who is swimming right vp H to' TSis best -form. Mr J. Mulvihill, s^oretary of the Waitemata SwimJnirig v Cliib, accompaMied the: Aiicldan^ men. to Napier, and will look ; after their interests while there. •