SPORT and SPORTSMEN

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 281, 26 November 1931, Page 11

SPORT and SPORTSMEN

JJEFERRING to the New Zealand cricket tour, Mr A. T. Donnelly, interviewed on his return, said the weather was the worst that had been experienced in England for many years. All county clubs had suffered severely in their gate returns. At the Oval usually about £12,000 was taken for the season, but last year the takings were only £4OOO. The team, he said, had proved to be an excellent draw with the public, and if only there had been ordinarily good weather, the tour would have shown a substantial profit. As it was, however, he was afraid there would be a loss. The gross gate takings had amounted to £BOOO.

Poor N.Z. Bowling. Interviewed on his return from England, Mr A. T. Donnelly said: “The main deficiency in our bowling was the absence of men who could spin the ball. A right-hand break bowler would have been invaluable on soft wickets. Unfortunately, neither Merritt por Blunt produced their 1927 form. They got about 250 wickets between them on that tour. The failure of the other bowlers made it very difficult to get opposing sides out. From all accounts the fielding was very much improved to that shown by the 1927 tearti, and Page made a reputation for himself as being one of the finest slip fields playing to-day. James did fine work behind the wickets and was ranked by the best judges as a keeper very little behind Oldfield. The younger members of the team had all done very well.” Cycling Notes.

The sealed handicap scratch race which was held at Malrehau on Tuesday night was an interesting event and a change from the usual handicap races held on the road. The first lap wets ridden in 20sec faster tin;® than that recorded by the Sutherland brothers, the scratch men in the novice race. R. S. Weir was unfortunate in not being aware that the race was being held over a nine-mile course. S. A. Jordan staged a great "comeback by winning. Jordan has done little racing during the past two years and only recently started training in earnest. On his riding on Tuesday, Jordan should be the prize-winner at Rakaia on Saturday. A short time ago Jordan, in company with his brother, was a scratch man in road races. L. Welsh, second place, actually finished third, 7sec behind Jordan. Welsh is a good all-round cyclist who does not meet with the success he deserves. However, he is a much-improved rider who should be prominent in the coming holiday fixtures. L. Pither, third place, rode his usual hard race. With his track experience and his recent good form, it was surprising that he should have been beaten by Jordan by the big margin of 3sec in the dash for the line. „ The Mafrehau junior branch received a big entry for its thirteen miles road race held on Tuesday night. With the exception of the first three riders, the finish was a thrilling one. with a big bunch riding full out to cross the line. S. Hampton, the winner, is an examateur rider who has had little racing experience. Since he commenced racing a few months ago Hampton has been fairly successful and has proved that he ■will develop into a useful performer. K. Sutherland, who gained fourth place and fastest time, has been riding exceptionally well during the past few weeks and has beaten his brother on two occasions and deadheated with him once. The Sutherland brothers team together well and ride a hard race from start to finish. L. Kench, who finished second, has done a fair amount of racing this season without meeting with much success. Hampton was too good for him in the final sprint. V. Rills, third place, rode well from the limit mark. He left his co-markers early and rode a long distance by himself and, with five miles to go. had a lead of 20sec on Hampton and Kench. The table below gives a comparison of the riding times for the three laps, each about four and a half miles, as ridden by S. Hampton (limin). the winner, and that recorded by R. Sutherland (ser), who gained fastest time:—

The Rakaia Athletic and Cycling Club s annual sports will be held next Saturday in the Rakaia Domain. The handicaps for the cycling events are as follows: Two-mile Rakaia Wheel Race—E. A. Frandsen, A. C. Ritchie. W. J. Lamberton (scr). a. R. I’Anson (30yds), L. Pither (40yu>), L. W. Hill (45yds), W. T. Weir (50yds), H. J. Crofts (70yds). N. H. Goodman (80yds). S. A. Jordan (100yds), W. F. Wilcockson (130yds), L. Welsh (140yds), G. Mugford (160yds), N. H. Steele (160yds), A. C. Hill (165 yds), W. J. Sparks, E. C. Pearce (180yds). R. B. Daly, A. R. Hawke. S. A. Pluck (200yds), F. Hart. A. D. Williams (210 yds), H. Santy, A. Mugford (220yds), J. Ede (260yds). Four I*aps Handicap—A. C. Ritchie, E. A. Frandsen, W. J. Lambert (scr), J. R. I’Anson (15yds), L. W. Hill (20yds), L. Pither, W. T. Weir (40yds), H. J. Crofts (60yds), N. H. Goodman (70yds), S. A. Jordan (85yds), L». Welsh (100yds). W. F. Wilcockson (110yds), N. H. Steele (115yds). A. C. Hill (120 yds), G. Mugford (130yds), E. C. Pearce _Cl4syds), R. B. Daly (150yds), W. J. Sparks, A. R. Hawke. W. Good (160yds), F. Hart (180yds). S. J. Samuels. G. H. Stephenson, A. D. Williams (190yds), A. Mugford, G. Gluestein (200yds), J. Ede, E. S. Dixon (2JLoyds). One-mile Handicap—W. J. Lamberton, A. C. Ritchie, E. A. Frandsen (scr). J. R. I’Anson (20yds), L. W. Hill (25yds), L. Pither, W. T. Weir (30yds). H. Crofts (50yds), S. A .Jordan (70yds), W. F. Wilcockson. L. Welsh (90yds), N. H. Steele (100yds), A. C. Hill (110yds), E. C. Pearce (115yds), G. Mugford (120 yds). R. B. Daly (140yds), A. R. Hawke, W. J. Sparks, W. Good (160yds). A. Mugford, F. Hart (165yds), A. D. Williams. S. J. Samuels (170yds), I. G. T. Dalton (175yds), E. S. Dixon. J. Ede (190yds). Two Laps Handicap—E. A. Frandsen, W, J. Lamberton, A. C. Ritchie (scr), J. R. I’Anson (10yds), L. W. Hill, L. Pither. W. T. Weir (15yds). H. J. Crofts (30yds), N. H. Goodman (35yds). N. H. Steele (50yds), A. C. Hill, W. F. Wilcockson (55yds), L. Welsh, G. Mugford (60yds), R. B. Daly (70yds). E. C. Pearce (75yds), W. Good, A. R. Hawke (80yds), F. Hart, J. F. O’Reilly, W. J. Sparks (90yds), S. J. Samuels (100yds), I. G. T. Dalton, A. D. Williams (110yds), A. Mugford (115yds), J. H. Kaan. G. Gluestein (120yds), J. Ede (130yds). E. S. Dixon (140yds). The handicap of G. Morris is withheld. Definite arrangements have been made by the Mairehau Sports Club for the use of English Park on Christmas Day and, subject to the committee’s consent at the meeting on Tuesday night* the sports will be held. Exceptionally good entries have been received for the four handicap races to be decided at the Rakaia sports next Saturday. The back-markers are

strong and the racing should be particularly interesting. The scratch men are! A. E. Fransden (who distinguished himself at Southbridge on Labour Hay by winning three events), A. C. Ritchie (New Zealand track champion), and W. J. Lamberton. Other prominent backmarkers are: L. W. Hill, J. R. I’Anson, L. Pithter and W. T. Weir. Over thirtyfive riders have nominated. Derby riders are reminded that the New Zealand Derby road championship will be decided over a twenty-miles course, at Mairehau, on December 14. The race is open to riders under the age of eighteen years. Entries close on December 10. At a recent meeting of the Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association the following resolution was passed: "That after December 17 all unregistered riders or any ridter taking part in an unregistered meeting, shall be automatically suspended.” This means that any rider who ip suspended for competing in an unregistered road race or sports meeting, will have to ‘apply to have his suspension lifted before he can ride amateur. 8 8 8 Novice riders who ride in the races conducted by thte junior branch of the Mairehau Sports Club, and who have not yet registered, are advised that they must register at once. The registration fee is Is 6d for the season for mad racing and 2s 6d for the rdad and track. Congratulations are extended to Arthur A. Morwood, the w r inner of the 1927 Timaru-to-Christchurch road race, who was recently married. Morwood is a most. popular rider, and is spending his honeymoon at Timaru. 8 8 8 A pieeting of the Management Committee of the Mairehau Sports Club will be held at English Park next Tuesday night, at 6.30. The Christchurch City Council has granted the club a permit to hold a sports meeting on Christmas Day. 8 8 8 The Sumner Cycling Club will hold a road race for novice riders next Monday evening over an eleven-miles course. The club will also hold a sweep stake race for cash riders, and a road race for schoolboys the same night. The novice race will be the last race for the Butler Cup. Owing to insufficient entries, the track races which were to havte been held at Halswell on Saturday afternoon, have been abandoned. The Halswell Amateur Sports will be held in the Halswell Domain on Boxing Day. The following cycling events are on the programme: Half-mile handicap, one-mile handicap, one mile and a quarter handicap, one mile and a half Halswell Wheel Race (M’Tlroy Cup), onemihe consolation race. Entries close on December 15. 8 8 8 riXTURES. November 28—Rakaia sports (cash). November 30—Sumner road race. December B—Mairehau novice race. December 19—Cheviot sports (cash). December 26—Novice championship (Riccarton to Doylteston). December 26—Doyleston sports. December 26—Oxford sports (cash). December 26—Temuka sports (cash). December 26—Halswell sports (amateur). January I—Dunsandel sports (cash). 'January I—Timaru sports. January 2—Oamaru sports.

First Lap . . Second lap .. Third lap Hampton, min. sec. 12 55 13 35 14 10 Sutherland, min. sec. 12 50 13 25 13 25 ' s 40 40 39 40