SPORT AND SPORTSMEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18901, 28 October 1929, Page 9

SPORT AND SPORTSMEN.

jft.B m~m ■ ma Batsmen, fieldsmen and spectators watched the soaring leather, speculating whether it would clear the trees at the end of the Sunnyside grounds. The occasion was the match between Sunnyside and Shirley on Saturday last, and H. Hill had just made what appeared to be the biggest hit recorded on the ground. The ball, however, failed to reach the boundary, dropping three yards short and bouncing about two yards. By the time the batsmen had started to run the ball was being returned, and only one came off a hit that had looked a certain six. The drive must closely approach the altitude record as it made up in height what it lacked in length. j.j j* j.; E. D. Blundell, the Cambridge University Blue, who will be back in Wellington early in the New Year, took 53 wickets at an average of 23.67 in this year’s first-class cricket in England. He was fifth among the amateurs who took over fifty wickets. 2$ M 2*2 Eighty batsmen succeeded in passing the 1000 mark in this year’s first-class cricket in England, but there were only twenty-eight bowlers who took 100 or more wickets. It is reported from Auckland that Cleverley, formerly of Wellington, is bowling faster than ever this season. Messrs E. C. Beale, N. C. Snedden, and W. J. Smeeton have beep reappointed to act as Auckland’s cricket selectors this season. James Lillywhite, the Sussex cricketer, whose death was reported on Saturday, was connected with the game for over forty years—for the first half of the period as a player and later as an umpire. He visited Australia six times between 1873 and 1888 as a professional player. In 1878 the Australians sent their first representative team to England and Lillywhite arranged their programme. In his old age Lillywhite settled down at Weston, close to the place of his birth. Ilis memory carried back to the first visit of an English cricket team to Australia —that of H. H. Stephenson in 1862. The tour was a great success—a fact which probably fostered the test match idea. Advancing age did not diminish Lillywhite’s interest in the progress of the game, and he always had a good word to say for its modern developments. :*: 2*: « According to news from Australia, it appears that Jean Borotra, the famous French champion, is practically certain to visit Australia this season on business, and wherever he goes tennis can always be found time for. If he does visit Australia he is almost sure to coriie on to New Zealand, but when cannot at present be stated. It is just possible that William T. Tilden, accompanied by Wilbur F. Coen, who is a protege of Tilden’s, will also be in the Southern Waters this season. If these players can be induced by the New Zealand Association to visit this Dominion and play in ths New Zealand championships, what a feast of high-class play spectators would have. 2*2 2$ 2*2 Competing at Bloemfontein against an Achilles Club team in September, J. H. Viljoen set up a South- African record for the long jump, beating S. J. M. Atkinson’s figures of 24ft liin by six inches. W. B. Legg equalled the South African record of 9 4-ssec, in winning the 100yds, and also won the 220yds. The Achilles team were troubled by the high altitude, several of them having attacks of nose-bleed-ing. Incidentally it is mentioned in files to hand that the track was of gravel, and one of the hardest in the country. It must have been!