Short Runs And Ryes.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 300, 18 December 1931, Page 11

Short Runs And Ryes.

C. F. W. Allcott, who captained the Auckland team in its representative matches last season, is not available for any Plunket Shield fixtures this season. ♦.* j.; j.j The South Island tennis championships and handicap tournament, to be played at Timaru on January 1,2 and 4, amid the pleasant surroundings of Maori Park, the twelve grass courts of which overlook Caroline Bay, should be a popular fixture. j.j j.j The Springboks will play their second international match in Great Britain against Ireland at Dublin tomorrow. Curiously enough, the South African cricketers will be engaged in their second test match against Australia at Sydney on the same day. Max Schmeling, reigning heavyweight boxing champion of the world, called on the Berlin chief of police last month and presented him -with a sum of money enough to feed 150 poor children for six months. It was Schmeling’s offering of thanks when his-' injured eyes responded to treatment. 55 55 55 Miss B. M. Knight, a well-known North Island tennis player, by defeating Miss Marjorie Macfarlane last week in a long match (6-4, 3-6 6-4), assumed the top position on the Auckland women’s ladder. Miss Macfarlane is now second, Miss Ramsay third, and Miss Newton fourth. 55 55 55 Playing in a flag match at Corstorphine, Dunedin, on Tuesday, Miss Kay established a new record for the course with a wonderful round of 70. The previous record of 72 was also held by her. Miss Kay played magnificent golf, as the following figures testify: Out: 4,3, 3,5, 4, 4. 5,4, 4—36 In: 4,4, 5,3, 4,4, 4,3, &-34 Total, 70. « 5*

Australia has seen no better bowler on true wickets for a long time than Alexander John Bell, the genial giant with the South African cricket team, says a Sydney writer. His in-swinging perfect-length ball has sorely troubled opening batsmen in Sydney and Brisbane, including Woodfull, Ponsford and Bradman. 55 55 55 Horace Lindrum, a nephew of Walter Lindrum, recognised as the world’s billiards champion, is the new Australian snooker champion. Horace Lindrum, not yet out of his teens, defeated Frank Smith in Sydney recently by no fewer than 637 points in a two weeks’ match. To-morrow’s senior cricket should be particularly interesting, and there is bound to be a big crowd -watching Riccarton’s fight against the competition leaders, Old Boys. The games are:—Old Bovs v. Riccarton, at Hagley No. 1. St Albans v. West, Hagley No. 2. Collegians v. Sydenham, Sydenham Park. Lancaster Park v. East, Lancaster Park. 55 55 55 11. E. Walker dived brilliantly in the men’s diving championship at the Otago swimming centre’s meeting, giving one of the best displays of his career, but the surprise of this section of the programme was the defeat for second placq of R. C. Calder, the Empire Games representative, by R. W. M’Lay, last year’s New Zealand intermediate champion. Calder was well below form and there was not the slightest doubt that he was still feeling the effects of the injury he sustained at the Empire Games (says a “ Star ” correspondent). It was just a little tragic to see the former brilliant exponent unable to master dives which previously would have been of the simplest for him. Messrs G. Ilele, of South Australia, and G. Borwick (N.S.W.), umpires at the first Test match in Brisbane, have been appointed umpires for the second Test match against the South Africans beginning in Sydney to-morrow. One of the best performances of the night at the Otago Swimming Championships this week was that of Brian Kerr, who was runner-up in the New Zealand men’s 150 yards backstroke championship a few years ago. In the backstroke event he won as he liked and incidentally was the first Otago swimmer to break two minutes, his time being lmin 59sec. Kerr is a marvel in view of the fact that he has a disabled leg but he employs a remarkably powerful arm action, and is expected to be prominent in the New Zealand championships at Timaru (says a “ Star ” correspondent). Victoria play Queensland at Melbourne to-morrow in a Sheffield Shield match. In the absence of Woodfull, J. Ryder will captain Victoria. He will have with him a new slow bowler, S. Smith of Richmond, who has been doing extraordinarily well in. club games.

Heeney “ Knocked ** NEW YORK, October 30. Tom Heeney, former challenger for the world’s heavy-weight boxing championship, having been “ knocked out ” by the stock market, where he lost £40,000, is now taking on all comers at £2OO a night in a last attempt to recoup his fortune. “ This stock market thing is nothing for a boxer to fool with these days,” Heeney told an interviewer. Two years ago, when all the financial world went mad, Heeney’s fortune was, like most others, beaten and battered. It took a nine-count. Only £IO,OOO was left when the Wall Street debacle ended. Heeney, diving recklessly into high finance, tried to recoup his losses by “ playing ” with his residue. But the dazzling punches of the stock market finished the fighter’s fortunes. Heeney, however, is still a popular figure in the American boxing world, and his fights at small New York clubs draw large crowds.

The following tennis ranking matches are to be pla> r ed in Wellington to-mor-row:—Singles: D. G. France v. N. R. C. Wilson; E. A. Roussell v. A. E. Sandral; R. M’L. Ferkins v. A. L. France; Mrs H. M. Dykes v. Miss D. Nicholls; Miss D. Howe v. Mrs W. J. Melody; Miss M. Williams v. Miss F. North. Playing in Dunedin last Saturday, a primary schoolboy, Bruce Barnes, put up an extraordinary performance. Green Island had been undefeated and were playing the final match for the B Grade Cup. They lost the toss to Ravensbourne, who elected to field, Green Island declaring when the score was seven wickets for 103. Bowling for Green Island, Barnes secured eight wickets for no runs—performing the “ hat trick ” with his last three balls. Green Island maintained its record by winning by 103 runs to 7. The larger wickets are being used in Wellington for the first time to-mor-row, and the trundlers of the windy city will have a moral assistance in bowling at the far more adequate looking target. The Canterbury Cricket Association fell in with the new stumps ruling at the beginning of the season, but, so far, though the extra inch makes the wickets look considerably larger, the scoring in senior games does not seem to have been affected to any appreciable degree. The selection of J. L. Powell is the only unanticipated detail in connection with the picking of the Canterbury side to meet Otago. As Jacobs was not available, there had to be another batsman picked, and Mr Whitta has evidently been influenced by some of the excellent performances that Powell has put up in club cricket this season. While Powell has proved erratic in the past, he has also given ample evidence of his ability to score when set, and should he play himself in quietly before going for runs, it is likely that he might add a big score to his representative performances. It is good to see that the Timaru left-hander, I. M. Hamilton, is avail-

able for the representative side this season. Hamilton learned his cricket at Christ’s College, and soon after leaving school won a place in the Canterbury side, then in a New Zealand team. Hamilton is a sound rather than a brilliant bat, endowed with plenty of patience, an ideal man for the open-

ing position. He had fine performances for the province last season, his batting in the games against Wellington and Auckland being invaluable. “ I think that if the boys want a swimming bath, they will have to follow the example of Mr Squeers’s pupils, and dig it themselves,” said Dean Julius at the Cathedral Grammar School prize-giving last evening. Killed in a motor-cycling accident in the Yass district. New South Wales, a fortnight ago, Constable Roy Denison, of the South Australian Traffic Department, had a notable record as an athlete. At various times he was welter, middle and heavy-weight boxing champion of the South Australian police force. His bravery received official recognition on two occasions. He was awarded the King’s Police Medal for conspicuous bravery at Nailsworth last year, when four armed prisoners escaped from .the Yatala labour prison. 55 55 55 Supporters of the Wellington cricket team are hopeful that in B. Griffiths a slow bowler has been discovered who may serve to checkmate Billy Merritt or H. G. Vivian (says a writer in the “Dominion). Griffiths’s leg-breaks have the merit of coming fast off the pitch, and so far this season he has bagged nineteen wickets for 263 runs in senior championship games, his hauls including six for 57 against Wellington, five for 51 against Old Boys, and seven for 74 against Hutt. It is a common error to suppose that a man must necessarily be in the prizebullock class to play Rugby (says a well-known Sydney writer). A few hefty forwards, given the brains and agility so many giants lack, are certainly useful in a side, but the great majority of first-class players are rarely out of the middle and light-weight classes. The finest scrum-half the writer ever saw was A. L. Humphries. He weighed only 9st 71b, but it is doubtful if New Zealand ever produced a better in his possie.

In a cricket match Boon’s v. Stacey and Hawker, Stacey and Hawker made 62 (Robinson 19 and Taylor 15). Borland five for 30 and Clarkson three for I 9 bowled best for Boon’s. Boon’s made 88 (Clarkson 50 retired, Cotton 17. Cave 16). Evans, Apperley and Robinson bowled best for Stacey and Hawker, who lost by 26 runs.

Famed Footballers. The names of two of the greatest backs that New Zealand has produced, Billy Wallace and Freddy Roberts, are being carried on by* their respective sons, who are playing for Ilataitai School, Wellington. It is a curious fact that the half-back for the school is Billy Wallace, whereas the All Black whose name he bears, was one of the most brilliant full-backs New Zealand has produced. The position is just the reverse with Freddy Roberts, who capably fills the position of full-back for his school, while his father made ; his name in the Rugby world behind . the All Black scrum. 1 Back to the Fold. ; It is interesting to notice that the . Wellington representative team selectors have brought

Mat Henderson, the Institute fastmedium left-hand bowler, back into the eleven. This bowler has many admirers, and not a few detractors. He got his chance in 1927, when he was selected to accompany the New Zealand team on

the tour to England. On that grand crusade,

in first-class matches, he captured 33 wickets at a cost of 799 runs, an average of 24.21. In all matches of the tour he secured 47 wickets for 1126 runs, an average of 23.95. Of these, 12 were bowled, 22 caught, 12 caught at the wickets, and one trapped lbw. Henderson, to be effective, requires strong support in the slips, and Northerners hope that Massey, Dempster and Hepburn will hold every one of the snicks which the fast left-hander makes visiting batsmen send into the slips in the coming shield contests. Swimming Notes. Auckland followers of swimming will have something to think over after I>. P. Lindsay’s great swim on Wednesday night. Gordon Bridson has to better sixteen seconds to beat the Canterbury man over 880yds, and will have to turn on an exceptional swim over 440yds to take that title at the New Zealand championships at Timaru next February. Canterbury have a great chance of annexing the Dominion championship. Stokes is going better than ever, although well behipd Lindsay, and the water polo team should be a hard proposition for the other provinces. It is interesting to note that the world s record for 880yds is lOmin 20 2-ssec, done by C. Crabbe (U.S.A.) in 1930.

The diving troupe is a popular feature at most carnivals, and the absence of T. W. Thomson, the Canterbury champion, will be missed this year, as he is still recovering from a broken ankle. G. Tipler is back in Christchurch again, however, and is diving right up to form. The Canterbury diving championship should be fought out between him and C. R. Riordan.

A promising exhibition of racing was given by the schoolboys on Wednesday night, the outstanding performer being R. Riramer, of the East Christchurch School. He has a fine natural stroke and with proper coaching and consistent training should be an asset to the pro-

Miss S. Campbell was giving away big starts on Wednesday night in the length handicap, but showed a good turn of speed. Several other women swimmers are in good form, and Miss A. Morris, of Elmwood, showed that she has improved a lot since last year.

Elmwood have another promising swimmer in K. Armour. Although he was outclassed in the 880yds championship, he has pl_enty of strength. He moves along something in the same style as Bridson and with hard training and hints from a competent coach should give the best something to think about in a year or two. M. Rattray (United) is another who has improved since last season and with an easy stroke lie should be among the winners later in the year.

D. H. Symes turned on a great turn of speed over 50yds in his successful attempt on the record, and should be able to beat his 26sec, as he could have improved on his start and turn. E. M’Conville (Somerfield) should break 26sec when he has an official go at the record, for he covered S 3 l-3yds at the Tepid Baths in 16sec on Wednesday night.

Some swimmers will. . or should, receive considerable attention from the handicapper before the next carnival, for improvements during the off season were obvious on Wednesday night. One man was going nearly three seconds under his handicap time, while, others were one and two seconds better than they had been handicapped to do. One man on a middle mark found he would have to do 15 l-ssec for a length to beat the winner of a heat.

Guardsman’s Debut. (Special to the “ Star.”) LONDON, October 28. The boxer Jack Doyle, a young Irish giant of 6ft 4in in height and weighing nearly 16st, has had his first public contest in England. He met Guardsman Murphy, the former heavy-weight champion of the Brigade of Guards, floored him four times, and sent him fiving through the ropes with a righthand punch which travelled no more than six inches. A number of people in the boxing world attended the fight, and intend to seek Doyle’s immediate release from the Army to launch him on a boxing career. Although Doyle has never had a single lesson, he is regarded as too much of a fighter and too destructive for most of our heavy-weights. He is remarkably quick and light on his feet.

Best Golf Story. The best golf story for some time was told by the secretary of a North London Club to the correspondent of the “Daily Mail”:— A middle-aged man joined a club, never having previously played golf, and asked the secretary for a card of the course, announcing that he intended to count all his strokes. After the round the secretary asked how he had fared. “I went round in five over bogey,” said the man proudly. The secretary inspected the card for a moment and then said with a smile, “I’m afraid you’ve made a mistake. Those are not the bogey figures—they show the length of the holes.”