Sport And Sportsmen.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19268, 3 January 1931, Page 6

Sport And Sportsmen.

In a junior cricket match in Victoria recently two bowlers dismissed the opposing side for 30 runs. Each performed the “hat trick,” and, curiously enough, finished with the same average, five for 14. The British Lawn Tennis Association’s official ranking list places Mrs Ifolcroft Watson first, Mrs Mudford second, and Miss Betty Nuthall third. Miss Joan Fry is classed as eighth. Singles matches only, of course, are taken into consideration. Two new challenges are likely to be made for the America Cup, one qf which may come from the Royal Yacht Squadron. Cowes, presumably on be- ( u * rs Benjamin Guinness, and the second from a famous French car manufacturer. In addition. Sir Thomas Lipton, with the pertinacity of the Celt, is going to be in the field again. The Oxford-Cambridge boat race has been fixed for March 21. Cambridge has had a great run since 1914, when it broke an Oxford series of five years, having lost only once since then, the war years being left out of the reckoning. Nevertheless, the score is 40 wins to each university, with one dead-heat, in 1877. Not many of the younger golfers in England are much superior to F. L. Callender, a Britisher, 74 years old, who, by means of three remarkable matches, reached the final of the Jubilee Vase tournament at St Andrews. In one match he met L. G. O. Hutchinson, 54 years his junior. In this he finished square, and by the rules of the tournament both players went into the next round. Walter Lindrum has been styled the Bradman of billiards, but it looks as if the whole family could come under the category. In * Melbourne recently, Horace Lindrum, an eighteen-year-old nephew of the champion, ran up a break of 1324. His previous best was 998, while a snooker score of 103, which is claimed as a world's record, also stands to the youngster’s credit. * * * * The United States Golf Association has intimated that employment as an instructor in putting, either by salary or direct fees, or giving instructions in driving at a miniature golf course, means the surrender of the amateur status of the person most mmediately concerned. In other words, if an amateur accepts any such position with payment for his services he at once becomes a professional. Several families in Victoria have placed cricket elevens in the field and won competitions, but the prize must go to the Harrisons, of Waubra, who have bettered the record of the Richmond Maconchies by fielding a football team during the season just finished, and a cricket eleven the season before. Seventeen of the Harrisons in the football team were related, and the others possessed the same name. M. J. Turnbull, captain of Glamorgan County Cricket Club, who was in New Zealand last season with the M.C.C. team, has notified the club that in all probability he will shortly enter upon a business career and consequently will not be able to continue the captaincy. The Glamorgan committee discussed the matter before Turnbull sailed for South Africa with the M.C.C. team, and it is now awaiting 1 definite news from the player. The Wairarapa Amateur Athletic Centre is using every endeavour to make a success of its big meeting on January 22, when the American trio will make their first appearance in New Zealand. Invitations have been sent to R. A. Rose, J. W. Savidan and all other Dominion champions in the various sections of athletic sport and cycling. The Masterton track is a very fast one, as was proved by Rose’s performance on March 4, 1926, when he defeated Lloyd Hahn, of America, over a mile in 4min 13 3-ssec. The Wairarapa meeting should prove an ideal opening to the tour.

J. Langridge, the young Sussex allrounder, who was coaching in Auckland two seasons ago, is now acting as coach to the Christian Brothers’ College, Kimberley. He is finding both the South African climate and the matting wickets much to his liking. In his opening game he took seven wickets and scored a century, while he has written home to state that he never felt fitter. Many Sussex cricketers—including Tate and Bowley—have held this coaching post in recent years, while the present Auckland coach, A. F. Wensley, has also spent seasons in South Africa.

The match Canterbury v. Auckland certainly showed how faulty fielding can handicap a good batting side. The New Zealand Cricket Council has instructed its selection committee to make good fielding a necessary qualification for players selected in the team to tour England next year, and it seems that some of the candidates for selection would do well to take this intimation to heart (says the “New Zealand Herald”). No nets or care-fully-prepared pitches are necessary for fielding practice; an individual can improve his work in this department by spending half an hour a day in the back yard with a hard rubber ball.

Fights under the old London prize ring rules are regaining popularity in Monmouthshire, England. Sunday after Sunday hundreds of people gather secretly on a lonely mountain side to watch bare-knuckle fights, which often last more than an hour. There are no rounds. If a man is knocked out, half a minute is allowed for his seconds to drag him to his corner, and another tire seconds for him to come up again. One of the promoters said the men are tired of modern boxing and the red tape connected with it. Otago’s Swimmers.

Otago’s representation at the national swimming championships (senior section) at Wanganui is likely to be extremely limited, and there are still doubts as to whether Roy Calder, five times winner of the men’s diving championship, will be able to compete. He has not yet been able to attempt anything on the diving boards as his back is still troubling him, but he has been putting in a good deal of time coaching Mick Walker, who last won the title when the championships were held at Wanganui in 1924. Miss M. Morrison, who carried off the ladies' event in 1924, is essaying a come-back, but there are one or two younger girls who are likely to trouble her greatly at the Otago championships. B. Kerr, who was second in the New Zealand men’s backstroke championship last season, has shown fine form this season, and it will not surprise if he breaks 2min for the 150yds at the Otago championships on February 12. Unfortunately, he is not likely to be available for the trip to .Wanganui.