CRICKET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4908, 26 March 1894, Page 3

CRICKET.

j Wellington Averages. { [Per Pekss Association.! .WELLINGTON, Uaech 26. Cresi bezids the ba*tlng average for the ctickft eeasou with 30, ■ E. Btaeklock 25, HoMghip iM.Wynytird 21, A. Blacklwfc and I B'li'ton 20 each are nexc. 1)3 C'np matches j only, Croaa has fin average of 39, R. Blßck]ook and Holdship 30 eaob. Bedbow heada fcho • Howling with '43 wickati' tor ' 7'2, Ashbolt 64 for -11-8, Upham 81 for ll'l.

j AQUATIC.

! llie Championship Reg&tta.

[FROM ODB OWN CORPKBPONDENT. ! PIOTON, March 24. Everything prorniees well for the championship regatta on Monday. So far the weather has beea excellent, with the exception of b northerly breeze on Friday, which broke up the water, but not sufficiently to prevent the crews practising. The course is, to all appearances, a splendid I one. Looking from the wharf at Picton at i which the finishing flags are placed, there i9 seen a small woodad island about & mile away, and apparently right in the centre I of the course, but this island forms the 1 intersection point of a sheet 0? water shaped like the letter " X," and it is down the left diagonal that the crews will row, giving b c!eur rjw of over two miles. The practices of 1110 crev/e have been eagerly watched, and the toim shown by j the Auckland representatives in the F'oura haa caused them to come w^ll to the front ae a popular fancy. At tho iime of writing Canterbury ha3 not; been out,, but in its absence the northerners are favourites for the big evenc. The men have a very powerful 3trok'.«, and row a long sweep, with a fair catch und good body swing. I saw them do a row ou Fridtty quite good enough to win, but in the evening the work wao faulty and the pacj poor. The Lyttelton men are working a short, snappy stroke, and it is noticeable that the boat runa down very badly at the bow. They have not finished at al l woll in any j 0° their rows, but get good pace at the start. Union's first row wa? very ordinary, but afterwards they showed a clean, crisp stroke, smart catch and fine swing that created a very favourable impression. The Stats are very uneven, and to my mind do not row ag well as when in Christchurch, though they themselves regard their work as considerably improved. The Nelson, man, I think, are out-classed. Only twj of the Wellington ciewa are here at present. The Union men are regarded a3 cartaintiea foi 1 the Pairs and Double Seulls, though tbe otirs are expected to giv» them a hot time for some distaie? ia the Double Sctille, a3 the Unions will have com ceted in the Pours. On tine work shown Union ia j much above tie orhera .in the Pairs.: , M'Grath and Keefe are expected to fight ' oat- tbe Single Sculls. The &tyle of thia ! p=iir is very d ffsrent from tfca'. yhown by j ilia others, the stroke being ot appirantly 1 extraordinary length, while the Scullb are put in on & slant and whipped home to the body with a wrench, i M' Grata did a series of spurts at my requ?sb, and tb.3 pace was a revelation. Were Keefe and BT&iath to meet fresh, I fancy the former; but as he will have had two revere r*:c3s, thi3 will more than counterbalance his superiority in weight and atrengtn. Amongst boating men tae Fours 13 regarded as being between Canterbury, Auckland, TJnion and Lyttßlton. j Canterbury 13 the favourite on reports j brovg-ht, hera from Cbristchureh, but mea of loog experience were very highly impressed by the pace of the Auckland men, and m.vny openly assert they will go no further for the winner. For my own part, lam tatisfied that if ths Auckland mart can row as well on Monday as they did on Fridey morning, tho race ie a foregone conclusion, tor tbe a) ; but I think that; being new to oufriggsr work, they are unreliable. Earring accidents, aud providing the Union men do not have too much taken out of thetn in the Foura, the Double Sculls and Pair3 should be as ea*y for them as they were last year. M'Grath should win the Single Scull?.