SPORT and SPORTSMEN

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20458, 9 November 1934, Page 11

SPORT and SPORTSMEN

M. Patrick, of the Sydenham team, bowled in workmanlike fashion against Old Collegians last Saturday. Bowling more than thirty overs during the afternoon, he kept an excellent length and maintained his pace to the end of the innings. Although the wicket was not fast, Patrick made pace off the pitch and at times got the ball to lift shoulder high. An occasional sharp swerve to the off or to the leg further increased the batsmen’s difficulties. Patrick seems to be showing the benefit of coaching and should be given a trial in better company at an early date. He is a son of Mr W. R. Patrick, the well-known former Canterbury and Xew Zealand skipper. Latest information is that E. T. Spillane, the Christchurch player who went to England to play for England, and last year was transferred to Keighley, where, as captain, he revolutionised the top side, threatened to leave the club. but is now player-coach again. His control on the field made a power of difference. Burland, the popular Bristol and England centre three-quarter at the Rugby football game, is giving up the game owing to an injured shoulder. Gaining his first International caps against Ireland, Wales and France in 1931, Burland was in the English fifteens the following two seasons, until he was superseded by R. A. Gerrard, the Bath player. A. J. Shaw added the professional championship of New’ Zealand to his long record after taking the open (says a writer in the Sydney “Bulletin”). As a golfer, he stands by himself in New Zealand, and he is to come along and see what he can do in the big events at the Melbourne Centenary tourney. Some years ago Shaw tried his luck at the Australian championships—in Adelaide, I think—but could strike no form at all. Three New’ Zealand mates, Watt, Douglas and Lambie —all Scots names, please note—will chase the Centenary siller with him. Hu The Loose Stuff. A tall left-hander, T. A. Ilarpur. one of the new recruits to the Old Collegians team, gave a convincing display against Sydenham last Saturday, hitting any loose bow’ling in delightful style. The Sydenham attack was steady but this batsman during his spell at the crease did not find any difficulty in dealing with it (w’rites “Bagman”). Being a good judge of the pace of the ball off the w’icket he meets it with the bat at the last fraction of a second and strokes it powerfully with speed to all parts of the field. Ilarpur scored his runs at a very fast rate and executed some very good full-blooded drives, landing the ball over the boundary for hefty sixes on more one occasion. Although his footwork is somewhat slow, he counters this shortcoming cleverly by the pace at which he brings the bat on to the ball when making the stroke. William Pollock, the English cricket writer, has fluttered the dovecots by placing Bradman third to Trumper and Macartney among Australian batsmen. Comparisons of the kind are more than odious. Bradman has yet to meet bowlers of the calibre of Hirst, Briggs, Braund, Bosanquet, Rhodes, Barnes j and F. R. Foster, with Woolley and ! Tate at their best, to name only a few. i Bradman’s most formidable antagonist to date has been Larw’ood, and that only on Australian wickets. « :: A Tennis Incident.. Harry Hopman provided the Victorian Tennis Umpires’ Association with an interesting sidelight cn an umpire’s duty, as seen through Czechoslovakian eyes, w’hen he told of the incident in the Menzel-Crawford match at Prague in this year's Davis Cup tie. The crowd’s continuous yelling until a linesman w-as replaced was reported by cable, but there was more than mere crowd psychology behind it. Honour among the tennis adjudicators in Prague is more or less sacred. The president of the association has power to replace any linesman who has given two wrong calls As the populace at the Stade Stvamiu at Hetzinzl get their Davis Cup tennis at the world’s cheapest rate (about Is 4id a day), the officials realise the futility of trying to keep the crowd quiet. To prevent any serious outbreaks, linesmen are in honour bound to leave their positions if they make two wrong calls. The president sends a substitute on to the court if the offender fails to see the error of his judgment. The replacement in the MenzelCrawford game, which the tall Czech won 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, S-6, was ordered by the president, and not, as the “ fans ” in the outer thought, as a concession to their din. That alleged abo. tornado Gilbert is to be given another trial by Queensland (says an Australian writer). At one time it was hoped that he would witch the world with gory bodyline and effectively dispose of Jardine, Larwood and Co. However, an accident and an outbreak of leprosy at his abo. station cut him out of the game for a couple of seasons. The spell is said to have improved him greatly, and he is to play in Country Week.

Sarazen Tells One. One of Sarazen’s after-dinner yarns ought to *be true, if it isn’t. When he began touring “ the smalls ” in America he found the tournaments in the hands of a close corporation of players, all of whom were Scots. These travelled in a band round the bigger towns where golf was then beginning to boom and made good money. Sarazen tried to join, but was spurned whe lie tol hisd name. By an inspiration he rechristened himself “ MacSarazen ” and, jumping a train, rejoined the circus. This time, as he was already a good player, he was accepted and told that the spoils would be divided equally among all after each tourney. There were two good purses at that show, and “ MacSarazen ” won them both. When it came to dividing, the elders tried to take advantage of his youth and fob him off with a few dollars. Sarazen simply says, “ There was a fight, and I got my money,” so let’s leave it at that. His First Century. An essentially correct player is C. V. W alter, of Old Collegians, who scored his first century in senior grade cricket last Saturday, reaping the reward for his tenacity of purpose in acquiring a sound technique for his game (writes “Bagman”). Although this right-handed batsman is not spectacular, he plays a very fine shot between extra-cover and mid-off and also a good forcing shot past square-leg. finding the boundary on numerous occasions past these positions. Walter follows the ball very closely and in addition possesses a good temperament, making him an extremely hard man to dislodge. If he could cultivate some of the other strokes of a defensive batsman, such as a forcing shot between square-leg and mid-on, he would score more quickly and be of more value to his side. A Good ’Keeper. The progress of C. K. Jackman, of Old Collegians, will be followed with interest this season for although a ’keeper of class he has not yet caught the eye of the selector. At present he is showing considerable improvement in his batting, and, provided he maintains form with bat and gloves, his claim for inclusion in this year's representative team should be good. During the course of the recent match against Sydenham. Jackman was particularly smart behind the sticks and his stumping of King on the leg side was exceptionally fast work. A lefthanded batsman, he drives powerfully on both sides of the wicket and al§o uses a very effective square-cut that keeps the fieldsmen in the covers busy cutting off the ball as it - speeds towards the boundary. Jackman’s defensive w’ork, too, is good in the main, but he is not quite at home to the ball which swings in towards his legs. However, he w’ould soon overcome this defect by getting behind the ball and showing it the full face of the bat. Tumult and Noise. Whenever an English team comes to Australia, even people like Warner cry that they have never heard in England barracking approaching the prevalent in this country (comments a writer in the Sydney “Bulletin”). I who have lived for some years in Southern Lancashire, have asserted j time and again that the barracking at grounds like Old Trafford and Bramallj lane in Yorkshire is not only inI credibly vicious but often tends to the obscene, this last a tag I defy anyone to fasten to a Sydney “ hill ” barracker. Bowler Hunt, just returned to his native Sydney after a year with the Lancashire Cricket League, has the same story to tell as regards the tumult and noise. Hunt says that his salvation was that he was unable to learn the language of the aborigines, and never knew whether they were for or against him. Value of Rugby. Speaking at a smoke concert at Tuakau recently to celebrate the winning of the Massey Cup, Mr J. N. Massey, M.P. for Franklin, said he had always encouraged boys to take the Rugby field, and if all young men took a keener interest in the game it would take the “ corners ” off them and also make them better citizens. “ We in New Zealand take football very r seriously’, and we realise the All Blacks have shown the whole world how the game should be played,” added Mr Massey. “To have football teams travelling j all over the world is, in my opinion, the greatest commercial agent that i could be sent abroad, as the team is j recognised b\ r everyone.” continued j Mr Massey. “ All New Zealanders love 1 sport, and while they are playing abroad they are advertising every part of the British Empire.” Women Scullers. The women’s sculling championship : of England, decided oyer the full boat | race course from Putney to Mortlake on September S, resulted in Miss A. Gentry (Weybridge L.R.C.) scoring her third successive victory in 2omin % 4ssec. Miss B. Innes (St George’s L.R.C.), beaten by 34sec, was second and Mrs Bowers (St George ? s) third.