ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume X, Issue 7, 18 February 1893, Page 150

ATHLETICS.

CRICKETERS had again a very pleasant day on Saturday, and notwithstanding the very heavy rain in the middle of the week the wickets were in good batting order. The grass, however, was terribly long, although the machine had been over it the day before. The machine is now almost useless, and a new one is an imperative necessity.

The United v. Auckland match was the centre of interest, and it produced the best contest of the season, the former eventually suffering their first defeat by 9 runs. At the conclusion of the previous Saturday’s play Auckland had scored 127, and United had lost 1 wicket for 9 runs.

When the latter resumed their innings on Saturday wickets fell very rapidly at first, and 5 were down for 14 runs. Stemson and McPherson improved matters considerably, and the score was 45 when the former retired. The total, however, was nearly 62 for 8 wickets when MacCormick, who was last man, owing to Miller’s absence, joined D. Hay. The United captain made a desperate effort to save the game and aided by Hay’s steady play took the score to 118—an addition of 56 runs. At this stage, however, McCormick was caught at cover point and the match thus terminated in favour of Auckland. The losers were, no doubt, unlucky in not having Miller’s service with the bat, but the good fielding of Auckland was a great factor in winning the match, several very good catches being made.

MacCoemick, who had previously failed to come off this season, played a free and determined innings, scoring 40 out ot the 56 made while he was in. He gave an easy chance of stumping about the middle of his innings.

D. Hay stone-walled with the coolness of a veteran and showed really capital defence, being not out at the finish with 13 to his credit.

S. McPherson, as usual, showed himself a first-class batsman and his useful contribution of 21 was made in good form.

Stemson rapidly put together 19, which included some fine hits, before he was splendidly caught by Arneil off his own bowling.

Yates and Lynch who were expected to do most of the scoring entirely failed to come off, their joint efforts only producing five runs.

J. Arneil bowled with most success for Auckland, taking 3 wickets for 16 runs, whilst he caught Stemson off a very hot drive from his own bowling. R. Neill also took 3 wickets for something over 40 runs, and was responsible for 2 smart catches.

D. Clayton was tried when things were looking very bad for Auckland, and was successful in getting MacCormick caught oil' him.

Harkness got two good wickets early in the day, but was unsuccessful afterwards, and was bowled far too long.

The Gordon-Onslow match proved very uninteresting. The Gordon innings ended for 257, Moresby and Kenderdine being absent. The Onslow batsmen failed to make any stand, and were dismissed for 29 and 52, Gordon winning by one innings and 176 ruus. The extraordinary spectacle was witnessed in this match of several men batting in the second innings who did not bat in the first. No doubt this was good nature on the part of Gordon, but it is simply making a farce of the game.

Lundon (12) was the only double figure scorer in Onslow’s first innings, and Grierson and G. Robinson (11 each) were the chief contributors in the second.

J. V. Kelly performed a remarkable bowling feat in Onslow’s first innings, capturing 8 wickets for only 14 runs.

W. Howard, after missing an easy catch, brought off two very difficult ones in the out-field.

The Wanderer-Belinont Junior Match was a foregone conclusion for the former, who finally won by 67 runs on the first innings. Belmont scored 77 in their first innings, Wanderers having previously batted for 134. The latter in their second innings put up 138. The result of this match leave the Wanderers’ Cricket Club winners of the First Junior Championship for the season, they having gone through the programme without losing a match. The

winners are to be congratulated on their fine record. Morrison fought hard for Belmont, taking out his bat for 27 after a good innings. He took 3 wickets in Wanderer’s second innings.

A. Macdonald, who formerly played for Auckland, made his first appearance for Belmont, and scored 16 in good style, while he dismissed 6 of the Wanderers in their second innings.

W. Smith made the good score of 42 in Wanderers’ second innings, and H. Thomas again batted well for 28.

J. Mills was the most successful bowler for Wanderers last Saturday, and he disposed of 3 out of the last 4 wickets.

Gordon 11. ran up 238 against Pitt-street Mutual, winning by 171 runs. Pitt-street scored 53 for 4 wickets in their second innings.

Bigland performed the unusual feat amongst juniors of scoring a century, his total being 109. Bigland, who is far too good to be playing junior cricket, played a fine innings for his runs. He was well seconded by R. D. Kelly, who scored 36 (not out) by very patient play. Crag 20 and Holdsworth 16 (not out) both batted well for Pitt-street.

Parnell 11. defeated Auckland 11. in one innings, the latter collapsing in their second innings.

In the Second Junior matches Grammar School just managed to beat Belmont 11. The School had an advantage of 34 in the first innings, but Belmont ran up 109 for 3 wickets in their second innings which they then closed. The School, however, kept their wickets up till the bell rang and thus won in the first innings. Kydd (37), Cromwell (36), and Parker (34), all scored heavily for Belmont, while Turner 39 not out, and Sloman 14 did best for the winners.

Roller Mills now lead for the Second Junior Championship, but should they lose their match with Belmont, these two and Grammar School will all tie for first place and will have to play oft’.

The United v. Waitohi match, played in Picton on Wednesday, Bth February, resulted in an easy victory for Picton, who won by a whole innings, and some thirty or forty runs. Rutherford, who has been practising indefatigably of late to recover lost laurels, kept the United team running all o’er the field hunting the leather. He proved a complete sticker, and ‘ slogged ’ for 60 runs. The spectators became greatly excited, and had there been a bay-tree handy, the brows of the doughty champion of the willow would have been crowned by some of the ladies on the scene. The visiting team arrived early in the day, and left again by drag at 7 p.m. amidst the cheers of the Waitohis. A congregation of small boys gathered to see them oft, and jubilantly stood on their heads and performed all sorts of acrobatic feats in delight at the result of the match.

The Wairau and Koromiko match was played on Nelson Square, Picton, and went the way of all cricket victories of late, to the credit of the Wairaus. Great expectations were indulged in from the combined efforts of the Neal family, but the sequel went to show how fallacious are the hopes based upon uncertainty. The Wairaus ran up a score of 92 for their first innings, W. Carter wielding the willow for 45, and gaining applause all round. For the second innings the Wairaus made 68 runs, total 160 ; Cawte making 16 runs, and Webb 16 not out. The Koromikos’ score for first innings was 46, and second innings 57, total 103; F. Neal getting highest score, with 17 runs. The pitch was in splendid condition, and the Wairau team had a good day’s outing. They left for Blenheim at 8 p.in. in a drag.

A match between Nelson and Marlborough representatives has been arranged for, the match to be played in Picton on Easter Monday.

The Onehunga Tennis Club played off the first round of their tournament during the last fortnight. In the mixed doubles Miss A. Singleton and Mr V. Frost received a bye from Mrs Scott and Mr L. Suttie ; Miss E. Bassett and Mr P. F. Battley were beaten by Mrs C. Frost and Mr C. Suttie ; Miss A. Bassett and Mr B. Noakes were beaten by Mrs L. Frost and Mr L. Zinzan ; Miss E. Banks and Mr T. Bassett were beaten by Miss M. Barnes and Mr A. Elliott; Miss A. Banks and Mr M. Wynyard gave a bye to Miss M.

Frost and Dr. Scott; Miss E. Gibbons and Mr Archie Snttie received a bye from Miss Dickey and Mr Alick Suttie. Miss B. Banks and Mr L. Noakes were byes from tbe first drawing. In the Ladies’ Singles Miss Dickey was beaten by Miss E. Bassett ; Miss C. Frost by Miss M. Frost ; Miss M. Barnes by Mrs L. Frost; Miss E. Banks received a bye from Miss N. Singleton ; Miss A. Bassett received a bye from Miss B. Banks ; Mrs Scott was beaten by Miss E. Gibbons ; Mrs A. Singleton received a bye from Miss M. Browne ; and both Miss A. Banks and Miss E. Browne withdrew. In the Gentlemen’s Singles Mr

L. Suttie was beaten by Mr L. Zinzan ; Mr T. Bassett by Mr Archie Suttie ; Mr P. F. Battley by Mr V. Frost; Mr B. Noakes by Mr A. Elliott; and Mr C. Suttie received a bye from Dr. Scott. The byes from the first drawing were Messrs Alick Snttie, M. Wynyard, and L. Noakes. ANNUAL CHAMPIONSHIP ATHLETIC MEETING. The Fourth Annual Championship Carnival of the amateur athletes of this colony was held at Wellington on Saturday last, and like the previous gatherings, proved very successful. The sports were held on the Basin Reserve, the track being in fine ordei, but a strong wind somewhat retarded the winners, and no doubt had a telling effect on the times in the long distances.

We generally look for a few fresh records at these now popular gatherings, but on this occasion none of the records for the winning events were endangered. One fresh record was, however, made in the Long Jump, when R. Gore, of Wellington, leapt 21 ft. iin., which beats the fresh record recently made by J. Taiaroaat the South Canterbury A. A.C. Sports.

W. L. Guru, of Wellington, accomplished the best performance at the carnival by winning the half mile in 2min. 4sec., and the quarter mile in 53 4-sth secs. Gurr ran very pluckily in each race, and was deseivedly cheered for his dogged perseverance.

p. McCormack, of Wellington, also scored a double victory by annexing the gold medals for the throwing the 16lb. hammer, and putting tbe weight 16lbs. He had very easy wins in each event. He threw the hammer 88ft 7in., and put the weight 37ft. 7in.

Another Wellingtonian was successful, asR. Gore, after establishing a record for the long jump, tied with F. Meyrick, of Manawahi. Both cleared sft. sin., but failed to get any higher.

Of course Kempton had an easy win in the 100 yards, beating his club mate, P. J. Nathan, by two yards in 10 2-sthsec. Hempton did not start in the 250 yards.

In the walking events, R. W. Thomas, of Christchuich, gained the gold medal in the one mile, but had to take second place in the three-mile event to G. Galloway, of Dunedin. Ihe times for both events were slow as compared with those registered by A. F. Burton and H. 8. Cocks at the championship meeting last year.

IN the Hurdle Race, W. J. Moir, of Christchurch, proved

successful in the 120 yards event in 16 4 sth secs, and ran second to his club mate, D. Matson, for the 440 Yards event, which was cut out in 61 4 sth secs.

C. G. Rees, the popular Christchuich runner, can at last claim a championship, having won the One Mile run almost without a struggle in 4min 41 3-sth secs. Rees afterwards ran in the Three Mile event, when he suffered a defeat from W. J. Burke, the Dunedin veteran. The distance was covered in 16 min 15 3 4th secs.

There was considerable excitement over the aggregate for the banner just prior to the start of the Hurdles, which was the last race on the programme. Wellington had a lead of eight points from Canterbury, but as the points (counting 5 for first, 3 for second, and 1 for third) would allow the latter to win, provided they filled the places, Pownall was started on Wellington’s behalf, Darcy, the other local nomination, having gone back to Wairarapa. Good, of Wanganui, and Martin, of Auckland were also running, and it was trusted by the Wellingtonians that one of these would get a place, and thus make Canterbury tie with Wellington, in which case the latter would win, having more firsts. Good led for half the journey, when he rapidly tired, and being caught by two of the Canterbury men, the hopes of the local men fell, and Canterbury, getting the desired places, won the banner by one point.

The following are the total points for the banner :— Canterbury Athletic Club, 49 points ; Wellington Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club, 48 points ; Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club, 28 points ; Manawatu Amateur Athletic Club, 4 points. The events finished at six o’clock, and the trophies were presented to the winners by Mrs Bell, wife of the Mayor.