SPORT AND SPORTSMEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18311, 12 November 1927, Page 2

SPORT AND SPORTSMEN.

Referring to the fact that in their match with New Zealand the eight runs required by the New South Wales eleven to win were all extras, a writer in the Sydney “Referee” recalls the following incident;—Years ago New South Wales required four runs in a match against South Australia. Clem Hill, after instructing the bowler to bbwl a wide on the leg side, walked out to the fine leg boundary. The ball, of course, went to the fence, and Hill picked it up and put it in his pocket, amid much laughter. The gate takings at the match between the New Zealand cricketers and New South Wales in Sydney totalled £7BO 13s, made up as follows:—Friday, £250 10s; Saturday, £459 18s 6d: Monday, £7O 4s 6d. For a large city like Sydney, with its big cricket following, this is regarded as a very poor return, and it is attributed chiefly to the indifferent display of the New Zealanders, and also to the fact that little publicity was given to the match. According to thp cricket writer of the Auckland “ Star,” Langridge, the young Sussex cricket professional, who came out to New Zealand with Bowley, made a most impressive first appearance for Ponsonby, the club to which he has been allotted. The writer says of Langridge:—He is a clever lefthanded batsman, who knows the value of the straight bat, and most of his runs come from clever placing and wristy shots. With the ball Langridge keeps a fine length, and, on a wicket that suits him, be has all the lefthander’s facility of bowling the awkward ball, which to the right-handed batsman pitches about the blind spot, and then goes sharply away to the off. a a a The first Sheffield cricket match of the present season will be played at Brisbane between New South Wales on November 26. As the Australian eleven to meet the Englishmen next season will be picked largely on this season’s form, the coming Shield matches are being looked forward to with more than ordinary interest. The well-known Auckland cricketer S. G. Smith has started off the present season well, as far as bowling is concerned. In the opening match of the season for Ponsonby, he took four wickets for 43 runs and six for 33, a total of ten for 76 for the match. Though getting on in years. Smith is undoubtedly a very fine slow bowler, and up Auckland way at least he is regarded as one of the best, if not the best, bowler of his type in the land. Smith has played for Auckland on numerous occasions, but he did not represent his province last season, room being made for some of the younger players. His last appearance in Christchurch was in the 1924-25 season, when, against Canterbury, he took six wickets for 48 runs and five for 105. He has the honour of having made the highest individual score ever registered in Plunket Shield matches, 256 for Auckland against Canterbury in January, 1920. Smith played for New Zealand in the two tests against the Australian team in 1921, in the first against MacLaren’s team in 1923, and in the two against the New South Wales team in 1924. «£ M Vi The Waikato Cricket Association has not yet definitely decided to accept a match with the Canterbury team early in the new year. The proposal is that the Canterbury team should play Waikato at Hamilton on their way back from Auckland after the Plunket Shield qiatch there at New Year time. At a meeting of the Waikato Association this week it was decided to hold over the question of accepting the match until the .next meeting. The Canterbury association has asked the Waikato association for a guarantee in connection with the extra expense that will be incurred. Taranaki consider that they have a promising j r oung fast bowler in L. Petty, who is receiving coaching from the North Taranaki association's new coach, B. B. Wilson. Petty has a fine physique, and it is stated that Wilson has been favourably impressed with his possibilities. The Auckland rowing men who recently visited the Henly-on-Yarra Regatta, state that the control of the regatta left nothing to be desired. There were races at intervals of a few minutes, and the spectators were kept interested throughout. There was no delay at the starting post, all late arrivals were immediately disqualified. In this direction New Zealand regattas should adopt the same practice. On the third floor, at a height of 60ft above the footpath, and facing Elizabeth Street, is an unique swimming bath in the new Tattersall’s clubhouse, which has just been completed in Sydney at a cost of -£150,000. This bath is the first of its kind to be erected on the upper floors of an building in Australia. Great though has been given to the construction an finish of the pool. In making th pool a steel tank manufactured by th Sydney Steel Company, and put tc

gethcr on the job, is carred on four stanchion girders. On the inside reinforced concrete walling is built, then two layers of asphalt, over that cement, and finally tiles are fitted. The walls and floor of the pool have been laid with white ceramic tiles, and the walls and floor of the pool room have been tastefully decorated with tiles. The length of the pool is 60ft, with a width of 25ft. The depth ranges from 3ft Oin to 7ft 6in. A springboard, electroplated steps, and every convenience for swimmers are provided. Adjacent to the pool are hot and cold water shower rooms and the steam rooms. The balance of this floor, which is to be known as the “ athletic floor.” has been allotted to a gymnasium, massage room, rest room, locker and dressing rooms. M. P. Byrnes, the Auckland wheelman, by winning the one mile provincial championship, becomes Auckland's representative in the New Zealand championships at Christchurch next month. At the Auckland athletic championships J. W. Savidan had an easy victory in the mile event. The New Zealand champion set a merry pace and won by thirty yards. Savidan is in good form at present, and he is keen to contest the Dominion mile championship. According to reports cricket is experiencing a “ boom " in New Plymouth. The cricketing writer of the Taranaki “Daily News” says:—A visit to Pukekura Park any evening this past week has been such as to bring delight to all true lovers of the game of cricket. Five nets have been in full swing, and the members of each club have indulged in solid practice. Whereas in former years one might see some dozen or so ardent enthusiasts practising on anything but a perfect wicket, now the scene has changed, and cricketers are there in their dozens participating in practice which will surely produce good results. There are several obvious reasons for this new condition of affairs. Firstly, there is the presence of the Yorkshire coach, B. B. Wilson, who at his own net takes each club in turn and gives instruction in all the arts of the game: secondly, the advent of daylight saving renders it possible for all players to have sufficient time for a satisfactory period of batting, and, thirdly, the excellent practice wickets which have been put down. It is a testimony to the added interest in the game to see so many players in action, and to.note quite a number of interested spectators gathered behind the nets each evening. » » « It is stated that Auckland will have considerable difficulty this season in finding a wicket-keeper capable of taking R. W. Rountree's place behind the stumps. Rountree, who is at present on a visit to the Old Country, is an excellent wicket-keeper, and there were quite a number who thought that he should have been in the New Zealand team for the Home tour in that capacity, though, as events proved, the selectors could not very well have made a better choice than that of the Wellingtonian, K. C. James. « « Ces Dacre, who, on account of illness, was unable to play in the match between the New Zealand eleven and The Rest, is suffering from a slight internal complaint, and it will probably be three weeks before he is able to play cricket again. The club that he plays for in Auckland, North Shore, were hopeful that they would have the benefit of his services immediately, but the doctor ruled otherwise. The Otago Cricket Association is not losing any time in getting players who aspire to representative honours this season into practice. The following players have been selected for representative practice, which is to begin next Thursdas r :—G. R. Dickinson, W. Douglas (Carisbrook). R. Cherry, R. White ( wicket-keeper*. W. Strang. R. C. Torrance (Dunedin', J. Blair, the Rev E. O. Blamires. S. Duncan, J. Shepherd. W. Vorrath (Albion), A. W. Alloo, A. Knight, A. Galland. J. M Mullan. Elmes (Grange). Otago's first Plunket Shield match this season will be against Canterbury in Christchurch at Christmas time. Seeing that Otago has got so quickly off the mark, what about Canterbury following suit? West Australian cricket this season will hold more than ordinary interest for cricketers of the eastern States, South Australians in particular, because of the fact that Arthur Richardson is now located in Perth. Although, perhaps, it is improbable that Richardson will again secure inclusion in an Australian eleven, the former South Australian champion a’l-rounder is the mos* important addit’ v *-» to Western Cficl BU For serf •’ ;■ nc'r. -* in t. V been o. pro- / i. ’ her »t 'ung :ayer.% Ic.-cha- jo --uoutd •• a -1.-. in lit' ,• t*. star i■ s c.i the r;r- v P jv'iar.e • a: will (ause the c-- .t~ ?•> con ider ;r;OUSl>* h!*V-.;U, air". tO fein ti.* S’-,, -j. sr*» nec.