Sport and Sportsmen.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18629, 5 December 1928, Page 9

Sport and Sportsmen.

In the first test, none of the English batsmen were clean bowled. The scores in the first innings show that six fell to catches, three went lbw and one was run out. In the second innings, there were also six catches, while two batsmen went out on lbw decisions.

A sporting appointment, almost certainly unique in New Zealand records, was made to-day from Wellington, when Captain Findlay wired to a Christchurch friend: “ Available for tennis this afternoon if required.” The wire was put in at Wellington at 10.22 a.m. this morning, and Captain Findlay will be playing tennis this afternoon in Christchurch, in confirmation of an engagement that was broken into by his unexpected call to Wellington yesterday morning. Now that he has started the ball rolling, it may be no time before interprovincial teams, let us say. will do their travelling by air between Christchurch and Wellington.

The lighter golf ball is not to come into use yet. At the request of the United States Golf Association, the Royal and Ancient Club has deferred its introduction until experiments in the United States have been completed.

While Maurice Tate is in Australia with the M.C.C. team, the firm of Maurice Tate, Ltd., of Brighton, England, is in voluntary liquidation. The firm, which started operations only last March, retails sports requisites.

Mr Arthur Henderson, a former member of the Canterbury Yacht and Motor Boat Club, has presented the club with a cup for a race tJ be held between yachts of the Takapuna class. SI IS X In the match, Institute v. Old Bovs, at Wellington on Saturday, the outstanding performance was that of W. S. Lambert, who played splendidly for a century. Also meritorious was a fine effort by Browne, who assisted Lambert in putting on 141 runs for the fourth wicket. Wellington’s position over Petone in the match at Petone was strengthened in the hope of securing a full win, but the town team had to be content with a decision on the first innings. Whyte was again to the fore as a batsman, and he had bad luck in not reaching the century, being dismissed lbw when his total was only one run short of the 100 mark. University passed the 400 mark before declaring their innings closed in the match with Midland at Kilbirnie, and the latter team was disposed of in time to give University a win on the first innings. S. Lawton carried off the batting honours for the day in this match. x There has been some severe comment in Sydney regarding the tour which will begin next month of an Australian bowling team which has planned an extensive visit to New Zealand. This team is far from representative of Australia, yet it will take with it the banner of a fully accredited test team, and will play a series of test matches with New Zealand. The tour has been described in some quarters as farcical, but the point at issue seems to be the arrangements of test matches. Nobody objects to a number of bowlers clubbing together and going to New Zealand for a holiday—with a few games of bowls thrown in just to pass away the hours—but there is a very distinct objection to the fact that this particular team will regard itself as an Australian test team. Only six members, maybe fewer than that, are good enough to create a slight breeze on the weakest bowling green in and around Sydney.

The first reference to cricket being played outside England is contained in “ The Diary of the Rev Henry Teonge,” who was vicar of Spernall, dated May 6, 1676:—“This morning early (as it is the custom all summer longe) at the least 40 of the English, with his worship the Consull, rod out of the cyttv about 4 miles to the Greene Platt, a fine vally by a river syde, to recreate them-selvefc. Where a princely tent was pitched; and wee had severall pastimes and sports, as duck-hunting, fishing, shooting, handball, krickett, scrofilo; and then a noble dinner brought thither, with greate plenty of all sorts of wine, punch, and lemonads; and at 6 wee returne all home in good order, but soundly tyred and weary.” The “ cytty ” alluded to was Aleppo.

An Australian cricketer who had been selected in a test match was striding through the reserve at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the match when a small boy, with auto-graph-book in hand, asked him for his signature. The player refused, brushing the youth out of the way. Clem Hill, who was one of the selectors. w»b standing close by, and remarked quietly: “You had better do what the kid asks. You might never be in an Australian team again.” X X X From all accounts the fishing at Taupo this year is better than last. Mr C. C. Odlin, of Wellington, who has returned from a visit to the thermal regions with a party, speaks very highly of the fishing at Lake Taupo, where his party was successful in securing as one day’s catch twenty-one trout ranging from 51b to 1011 b, averaging about 7£lb. Mr Odlin states that the roads throughout the district are well surfaced, but owing to their narrow and twisting nature much caution is necessitated on the part of the motorist during the busy season. X X X Joe Kirkwood had no sooner set foot on dry land at Sydney than he was on his way to the links (says the “ Bulletin ”). In America he has been playing seven days a week for some years past; he came to Sydney for rest and change. On the way across from the States he played at the two stop-ping-places, Honolulu and Suva, and if there had been any chance of golf on board ship he would probably have indulged in a similar busman's holiday there. It was hoped that he would be able to figure in the N.S.W. professional championships in Sydney at the end of this month, but prior engagements in Melbourne prevent him from doing so. XXX When A. P. F. Chapman goes in to bat there is no sign of nervousness about him. If there is any anxiety it is likely to be found among those who have to field his hits. On a golf course Chapman does not seem to be quite so much at home, but he is a very fine player. At Manly on a recent Sunday he did a 78. Ilis partner afterwards remarked that Chapman’s putting was remarkably good. But he is not a big hitter as he is on the cricket field. He appears to be content with moderate drives. When the English captain drove off there was a crowd present and he appeared to be decidedly nervous.