Sport and Sportsmen

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17781, 26 February 1926, Page 4

Sport and Sportsmen

NEWS, GOSSIP AND COMMENT,

BT

“ONLOOKER."

Congratulations to the Betty. Dacre struck trouble in the Plunket Shield match. He only made none and two. ».j ♦.* , Rumoured that a movement is afoot to have a sole Rugby selector in Canterbmv- this year. A good idea—if you can get the right man. Of a heavy punter, we heard it Mid last Saturday that Glentruin's defeat would have meantruia. :: "England has not got cold feet,” says *'Plum” Warner, talking of the coming cricket tests. No! But he may get very tired feet once those tests start—tired with leather-hunting. K K K After looking at Hahn racing in Dunedin last Saturday, a bewhiskered Scottish farmer was heard to remark that the laddie would aye earn his keep cow-spanking anvwhere. •* t • Beaten by Borotra in the indoor tennis championship this week, Tilden magnanimously told the pressmen that the French representative at his best was a great tennis player. Which sounds like a slap on the back—but not too hearty a slap, not too hearty! 1 The motor-cyclists who speed through certain New Brighton Stieets, endangering youngsters* lives, should be yarded up by an "efficient traffic control squad and given a term at the Government’s Paparua mansion. They're bringing the name of all motor-cyclists into disrepute. » . Tennis critics agree that Ollivier’s defeat by Smythe at Wellington last Saturday just about settles all remaining chance he had of getting into the New Zealand team. And yet Ollivier is New Zealand champion. Yes, tennis is a peculiar game. tv ' The fact is that of all the Australian bowlers played against us after Macartney’s illness, Gregory, Mailey and Grimmett were the only ones who could be depended upon to get wickets (says Hobbs). The others were largely of the useful variety, used with the idea of keeping things going while Gregory, Mailey or Grimmett were rested. Cricket nowadays has all the elements of a powerful mystery play. We read of intrigue going on behind the scenes at Home —not low intrigue to get Smith-Jones in the team, but intrigue to get Browne-James on the special committee so that Wright-Grey will be one of the, selectors, so that ultimately Smith-Jones will get into the team. Deep, isn’t it? x x x Auckland’s only chance was to JCortlapg earlier. A tour of England, with its strenuous play every day for four months, is only for young men, except they have been inured to Marathon cricket such as Australian (says the “New Zealand Times”). The educative value must be paramount in the minds of the selectors, as it is only the younger players who develop by such a period' of regular play. A search will have to be made for bowlers, and all promising trundlers should be tried out during the next couple of seasons. :: x x It is quite interesting to look back over the records of the various touring teams in England since the first Australian team of 1878, and note the progress Of course, everyone knows what these tours have meant for Australia, but everyone, perhaps, does not know what they have done for cricket in South Africa and the West Indies. :: The fuss made by various Australian State officials because the selectors failed to pick Kellewav to go Home is about the worst possible advertisement for cricket. A letter by a prominent Victorian spoke of the selectors as a Black Hand Gang. Others said worse things in a different way. One wonders if the critics themselves had ever been taught Cricket, with a capital C. The selectors are appointed on a democratic basis, and even if they made a mistake it is probably a small mistake compared with the blunders certain to result from power being placed in the hands of one-eyed busybodies. Fair criticism is one thing. Abuse is another.

The South Australian, is said to be the greatest cricket colt since Victor Trumper. He has freedom, dash, versatility, and skill. Mr Peake’s New Zealanders will never forget the century he made against them. Alexander topped South Australia’s figures in the Sheffield Shield fixtures with an average of 61.

Badcock “ got in amongst ” the Auckland batsmen—three for 46 and 7 for 55. S 3 X X Rose’s new record for the mile at Masterton last Saturday—4min 17 3-5 sec. He must have scorched the cinders. x x “Suzanne collapses,” the cables say. Everything Suzanne Lenglen does is done well. Her latest, imitating popular Royalty, is to have an accident while horse-riding. Twenty-four shots to the boundary marked B. J. Kortlang’s fine doublecentury innings against Auckland in the Plunket Shield match. He was at the crease 426 minutes and his masterly defence took a lot of the bloom off the bowling. Probably unique in the history of lawn tennis is the holding of a tournament at which the competitors will be entirely natives or their descendants. At Rotorua on April 3 and the succeeding four days a tournament will be held at the Government Gardens under the auspices of the Arawa tribes. The gathering is called the New Zealand Maori championship and handicap tournament, and in conjunction with it will be played the Marumaru and Hinerapa challenge cups.