Sport And Sportsmen.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19035, 2 April 1930, Page 9

Sport And Sportsmen.

R. Worker, the former Canterbury and New Zealand representative cric-

keter, has been having a lean season in Hawke’s Bay, where he is now domiciled, but later he has come back to his best form. A couple of weeks back he compiled a flawless 170 not out in a club game, and last week-end he made 160 without a chance in the final champion ship R. Worker. match of the year. Worker captains the High School Old Boys’ team in Napier, and has led his side into a position from which it cannot be displaced so far as the championship honours of the 3'ear are concerned. « By appointing C. S. Dempster, a member of its own Plunket Shield team, as its professional cricket coach, the Wellington Cricket Association has done something quite unique in postwar cricket. Hitherto provincial bodies have always shown a disposition to go overseas to find tutors to teach their cricket youngsters, and the Wellington experiment of trying out the local product will be watched with interest. After all, there is perhaps no reason on earth why Dempster should not be a success in the job. He has the ability, the experience and the knowledge necessary for such a post, and the personality that is necessary for a good coach. His appointment recalls the fact that in 1928, when New Zealand associations were feverishly endeavouring to engage ptos. from England, the Queensland association invited Roger Blunt, the former Canterbury player, to go to Brisbane at a lucrative salary and coach there. No one in New Zealand had thought of* offering Blunt a post in the Dominion, which shows how little honour a prophet has in his own country. Perhaps it will be found that the Wellington association has not done an unwise thing in deciding to carry out the collective advice of Sir Charles Fergusson, Sir Joseph Ward and Lord Bledisloe to “ support New Zealand products.” Johnnie Leckie, New Zealannd featherweight champion boxer, has resumed training again in Napier, where he now resides, with a view to a match with Tommy Donovan. Taranaki's “ Fighting Fireman.” Leckie damaged a hand some time ago, and then the nasal organ stopped one of Pete Sarron’s most vicious rights. Leckie’s medical advisers say that he is now fit to resume fighting, so the Dunedin lad is doing skipping, light sparring and road work in Napier. Leckie, a plasterer by trade, is in charge of a bowser station in one of Napier’s leading garages, supervising the benzine purveying operations of a bevy of young maidens known up Hawke’s Bay way as " the bowser girls.”

A London paper of January 31 says: —Women must not play tennis on Sundays—in the covered courts of Queen’s Club, Kensington! This old rule was discovered to be in existence when Miss Betty Nuthall and Dr P. D. B. Spence tried to engage a court there. Dr Spence, who is on the staff of Richmond Hospital, is too busy to play on week-days. He and Miss Nuthall motored to Dulwich on Sunday, but found all the courts occupied. A telephone call to Queen’s Club was made, and Dr Spence was informed of the rule. In view of the necessity for practice before the season opens, representations may be made to the committee of the club to remove the restriction.