ITEMS OF SPORT FROM BRITAIN

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 April 1949, Page 5

ITEMS OF SPORT FROM BRITAIN

Egyptian Wins British Open Championship LONDON, April 29 (Rec. 7 p.m.)— Egypt’s Mahmoud el Karim, today acknowledged as the finest squash racquets player in the world, won the British open championship for the third time in succession this week when he defeated the Middlesex champion, B. C. Phillips, at Lansdowne Club London. Although he was beaten in a fourset match Phillips succeeded in doing what no other British player has succeeded in doing against Karim, taking a set from him and extending him very thoroughly. Karim won the first two sets 9-4, 9-2, but Phillips, playing with great accuracy and determination, took the third set to 6-all and then went on to win 10-9. Karim, whose endurance is a byword, set a terrific pace in the fourth set which he won 9-4. Many New Zealanders will remember seeing Karim play in Egypt where he is a professional at the Gezira Club. He has long been the protege of King Farouk, who has assisted him financially to participate in overseas tournaments. GOLFER ALEX MURRAY. Alex Murray, New Zealand professional golf champion, had to work for his rounds of 73 and 74 which enabled him to qualify for the final stages of the Daily Mail tournament. The final rounds of this tournament will be played at Glasgow from May 17 to 19. Murray is using a new set of clubs and it is obvious that he has not yet quite accustomed himself to these, and to the conditions in Britain. He is still not getting full power from his wooden clubs, but reclaimed the errors in his long game by very accurate work with his irons. Murray's 147 for the 36 holes test at Fulwell was ten shots behind the leader, Ken Bousfield, who led the qualifiers, As a qualifier, however, Murray won his first prize money in England—£lo —and established his claim to compete for the first prize of £525, one of the biggest of the British professional season. . Jack Solomons, the leading British boxing promoter, has carried out his threat to enter the American promotion field. He is putting on two tournaments at Miami, Florida, in December and January next when he will match five leading British boxers against Americans. Solomons will continue to promote in Britain and South Africa. He has already booked dates for seven matches at Harringay next season, and is now making arrangements for the Mills-Woodcock fight on June 6, and a subsequent bout between the winner of that contest and Lee Savold as part of the .world heavyweight championship elimination series. DON TAYLOR AT THE NETS. The “News Chronicle’s” cricket writer, Crawford White, says that the New Zealander, Don Taylor, created a very good impression at the nets where he had his first trials for Surrey. “Taylor is a quick footed and forceful batsman and a first class field,” says White. “He looks just the type Surrey need to replace their rapidly retiring stock of senior players. , “A snag for Surrey is the official ruling that State or international players from overseas must be resident here for two years before they can qualify for any county. This able young player looks so good that if Surrey cannot bridge the two awkward years, perhaps Sussex, Kent ,or Hampshire might be willing to invest for the future.” CAMERA USED.. For the first time in a classic race in Britain judges used a camera to decide the Newmarket Two Thousand Guineas in which the favourite, Abernant, with the champion jockey, Gordon Richards, up, was beaten by a ten to one chance by Numbus, ridden by E. C. Elliott. Numbus, who was bought for £5500 at the Newmarket. July sales as a yearling, won two of his five races last season, but was well beaten by Abernant in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster. In the Two Thousand Guineas the favourite just failed to stay the distance. Most, of the crowd expected the decision to be a dead-heat but the camera showed that Numbus won by a short head. — N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.