ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume X, Issue 11, 18 March 1893, Page 246

ATHLETICS.

SATURDAY was a most day for cricket in Auckland. A high cold wind was blowing, and the turf was sodden with rain, although the surface dried very quickly. Bowlers had all the best of it under the circumstances, and few decent scores were compiled.

As things were, it was thought very unlikely that Parnell would get the runs necessary to beat Gordon, and results proved the correctness of this view, as Parnell could only get 74, batting oue short. Gordon fared just as badly in their second innings, losing 7 wickets for 43 runs. Gordon thus won in the first innings by 41 runs, the bad weather spoiling what promised to be a close match.

Ike Mills played a valuable innings of 28 for Parnell, showing his usual souud defence, while he scored freely all round whenever a fair opportunity offered. He gave a chance at the wickets during the innings but it was not accepted.

Holle was the only other Parnellite who reached double figures. The wicket was not suited to his style of play, but he batted in good form and made several telling bits, his total reaching 17. He and Mills made a capital start for Parnell, but the others could not keep it up.

Gardiner, for only, the second time this season failed to come off, cutting a ball into his wicket when he had made 2.

Kelly found the wicket suit his bowling admirably and he accomplished another brilliant performance, taking 8 wickets for 32 runs, the remaining wicket falling to Moiesby. When Gordon bowling averages are made up this season, it will evidently be a case of ‘Kelly, first, the rest —nowhere.’

D. Meldrum played nice cricket for 14 in Gordon’s second innings, while Ansenne after batting very patiently for 10 ran himself out.

J. Young repeated his success of the first innings-with the ball, and got rid of 5 Gordon batsmen for very few runs.

Lawson also bowled very steadily and kept the runs well down, but the ground was too slow to suit his bowling.

The Auckland-Onslow match was very uninteresting. The former concluded their first innings for 139, and Onslow, who were some four men short, were dismissed in the second innings for 40 runs.

J. Arneil added five to his last week’s score, before he was given out leg before wicket to Lundon, his total being thus 64.

Holland, who was a failure when playing with Auckland 11., shaped very well in his first Senior match, and was not out with seven to his credit.

D. Clayton made his first double figure score for the Seniors, putting together 14 in good style.

Lundon worked his hardest for Onslow, and took most of the Auckland wickets, and he also scored 10 luns with the bat in each innings.

H. Walton was top scorer in Onslow’s second innings, pulling together 15 in good form, but he did not come off with the ball.

Harkness took 3 Onslow wickets in the second innings for 15 runs, and his performance in this match must bring him about to the top of the Auckland C.C. bowling averages.

Harkness was no-balled several times on Saturday, the umpire alleging that his light foot was off the ground befoie he delivered the ball. It is a moot point whether this could be so. The best authorities seem to agree that it is impossible for a bowler to deliver with any pace or accuracy with his hinder foot raised, but there are not wanting ciicketers who dispute this.

Gordon 11., who seemed to have hopelessly lost their match with I’itt street Mutual, played up in great style, and won at the finish by 1 run, their opponents collapsing in the second innings. One of the latter left the ground, thinking it impossible lie would be required, or the result might have been different. I’itt-stieet scored 98 in their

first innings, an advantage of 55 over Gordon. The latter then scored 73, leaving Pitt-street with 19 to get to win. However, they could only reach 17, and Gordon won by 1 run. Dr. Egan’s bowling was the cause of the collapse, he taking 6 wickets for 5 runs. The fairness of his delivery was a good deal questioned, however.

Dr. Egan also batted well in Gordon’s second innings, scoring 12. Cotterill (17), Kissling (15), and Howard (10), also materially assisted the score, while the latter took 2 wickets for 12 runs in Pitt-street’s second innings.

Wanderers maintained their advantage over Parnell 11., winning on the first innings by 19 runs. The former’s second innings was a great improvement on their first, the total reaching 118, while Parnell, who plajed up very pluckily, had 83 for 6 wickets when time was called. I. Clarke (25) was top scorer for Wanderers, while Hobson and Wakerly (19 each) and Thomas (16) also scored freely.

W. Speight bowled in great form for Parnell, taking no less than 8 wickets for 33 runs, and he was also one of the chief contributors with the bat.

The second junior match between Belmont 11. and Koller Mills, resulted in a win for the former by 7 wickets. Roller Mills closed their second innings with 8 wickets down for 65, leaving Belmont 57 to get to win. The latter were equal to the occasion, and scored 61 for 3 wickets, thus winning comfortably. The result of this match leaves Belmont IL, Koller Mills, and Grammar school a tie for the championship, and the three teams will have to play off.

Gallagher played very well for Roller Mills, getting 27 in good style, while Cromwell (36 notout) made the bulk of the runs for Belmont, hitting out very freely indeed. Tolman and Kydd also batted well, while Gillespie was very successful with the ball, taking 6 wickets at small cost.

A most interesting cricket match was played on the Napier racecourse between the Married and Single of the county team. The single men won after a bard fight. At the commencement of the match the wind blew very cold, but later on in the afternoon it dropped, much to the satisfaction of the ladies who were present, amongst whom I noticed Mesdames J. N. Williams, Fitzroy, Lowry, Braithwaite, Vickerman, and Mieses Williams, St. Hill, Green, Lascelles, Lowry, Hewson, Seale, and others. Some of the gentlemen on the ground were Messrs Dudley Hill (who has just arrived from England and is looking so well), Arnold Williams (who has been laid up with a sore foot but is much better), H. Williams, Cottle, T. W. Lewis, H. G. Warren, and numbers more.

The Athletic and Nelson Clubs tried conclusions at the Nelson Park last Saturday, when the la'ter Club proved victorious, after a fairly close game, by 16 runs, the totals being—Nelson, 104 ; Athletic, 88. As usual, the Athletics turned up three or four men short, and were thus compelled to play the Graham brothers (United Cricket Club) as substitutes. For the Nelson Club Harkness (25), Wood (24), and Haiden (12), played good cricket, while Levien hit out merrily for his 20 not out. Of the Athletics, properly so called, Jickell was the only one to reach double figures with 16 to his credit, the two Grahams putting on 51 before D. Graham was disposed of. Sadd, for the Athletics, bowled fairly, taking 6 Nelson wickets at a Cost of 42 runs, while Wood, for Nelson, took 6 for 39.

The annual bicycle race from Waipawa to Napier, unde r the auspices of the Wanderers’ Bicycle Club, was held on Saturday, March 4th. The weather was not very good, the wind being high. The road was in fairly good condition. The starts were as follows : T. W. Trigg, 1.30. o’clock ; E. Newman, 1.53 ; R. P. Patterson, 2 o’clock ; J. D. Swan, 2 30. ; J. Bissell, and J. Cowell, 2 40. ; W. R. Howard, 2.15. Trigg kept ahead until he reached Havelock when he was passed by Patterson, Cowell being a mile away. At Farndon Cowell passed Triggs, and went after Patterson who was leading by about 600 yards. Cowell gained upon the leader, passing him about a mile and a half fiom the Court House, and running in an easy winner, two and a half minutes ahead of his plucky runner up. Howard, the scratch man, who caught Triggs at the South end of the marine parade, finished thiid, five minutes after Patterson, and a minute and a-half ahead of Triggs, who finished fourth. The only other competitor to finish was Newman, who reached town an hour after Cowell. At Havelock, Newman was second, and going well, but an attack of cramp

put him out of the race. It is lucky there was no accident, as a mob of horsemen rode up quite close to the riders. If there had been a spill, the riders would most likely have been trampled on. The first prize was a handsome electro-plate coffee service given by Mr H. Williams, and it was strange it should have been carried off by one of the employes. Patterson gets a trophy for second prize.

Ernie Cavill, the champion swimmer of Australia, gave a very interesting display of his powers in the Auckland Graving Dock on Saturday. In spite of blustering weather, a large number gathered to witness the exhibition, and were well rewarded for doing so. Mr Cavill, who is on his way to England, via America, to compete for the World’s Championship, proved himself as amphibious as a duck, perfonuing some of the most difficult tasks in fancy swimming with an ease and grace that won the admiration of the knowing ones. Among his other feats the Australian Champion gave an illustration of Siamese swimming and the best method of saving life; and, together with several members of the Auckland Swimming Club, took part in a water polo match. In order to give our local men an opportunity of testing their powers, Mr Cavill raced Mr F. Hedges for 100 yards. Both reached the goal simultaneously, the time being lmin. 19sec., or about a quarter of a minute over the Champion’s record time.

H. J. Bailey, the Auckland swimmer, has distinguished himself at Lyttelton by carrying off the Christchurch swimming championship of a quarter of a mile. The contest took place in the Lyttelton Dock last Saturday, when Bailey won easily in 7min. 3sec. J. R. Murphy, of East Christchurch, came second, and E. R. Murphy, of Gisborne, third.

Athletic circles are looking forward to the summer meeting of the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club, which takes place in the Domain on Saturday, and promises to be a big affair. Should the weather be favourable the meeting will be one of the most successful the Club has yet had. The Government House party are expected to be present in the afternoon, and the Committee havearranged for an afternoon tea for the ladies. The running events comprise races of various lengths from 75yds. to a mile, including the quarter mile contest for the championship of the club. In addition to these there will be races for the college, the public schools, and the Maori schools, and hurdle races of 120yds and quarter of a mile. Lovers of cycling will have plenty to interest them in the wheel races, which vary in length from one mile to five ; and a good deal of fun is anticipated in the half mile mounting and dismounting races. The entries have now all be6n received, but the handicappers have done their work so well, that it is said to be impossible to ‘ spot ’ the winner in any event.

Of the three yachts in our sketch of this week, the Rita has undoubtedly distinguished herself the most. She is one of the best-known yachts in Auckland, as well as one of the fastest. She was built in January, 1882, by Mr C. Bailey, for Mr T. Henderson, the Auckland Manager of the Union Steamship Company, who still presides at her tiller. She has a long record of successes. During the first month she was on the water, she won the Auckland Regatta, beating the Toroa and Winona. In the same year she competed at the North Shore Regatta, and was second to the Arawa. In 1883 she was again second in the Auckland Regatta, the Arawa being again first. In 1884 at the Auckland Regatta she came first, beating the Muritai and Arawa, but in the following year, at the same regatta, the order in the same race was Muritai 1, Rita 2, Arawa 3. In 1886 and 1887 she won the Yacht Club races, beating the Arawa, Matangi, and many other fast boats. In 1885 the Rita and Arawa engaged in three races of unusual length, which were severe, tests of the sea-going qualities of the boats. In the first race, round Tiri, the Arawa won. The second race, on the same course, the Rita won, and the third race, round the Watchman, off Cape Colville —a distance of fully a hundred miles—the Rita won. The same year the Rita was match’d against the island schooner Flora, the course being round the Drunken Bay buoy. This the yacht won with ridiculous ease. In one season the Rita’s log book registered 2,031 miles, and she made the tiip once from Auckland to Whangaroa, a distance of 160 miles in thirty-one hours.

The Rita rates 12 98 tons. Her dimensions are : length over all, 46ft; l.w. 1. ,39tt; keel, 36ft 6in ; beam, 9rt 2in ; depth, 7ft 2ir ; draught, Bft 3in. She carries nine tons of lead ballast, all moulded.

The Tawera was built by Mr LogSp for Mr C. B. Stone who sold her to Capt. D. H. McKenzie. The latter sold her to Mr Wiseman, who, in turn disposed of the boat to her first owner. She afterwards passed into the possession of her present proprietor, Mr H. Horton. Although not a very fast boat the Tawera is one of the stiffest crafts in Auckland, and is excellently adapted for a cruiser especially if there is any fear of heavy weather.

The Winona is one of the oldest yachts in New Zealand, having been built by Mr G. Waymouth, of Auckland, about twenty years ago for Mr Street. She is about 15 tons rating. After the latter gentleman sold her she passed through the hands of several yachtsmen, among others Mr R. S. Reynolds, the well-known yachting enthusiast, until she came into possession of Mr H. Whitaker, who did a great deal of cruising in her. On bis departure for Australia he disposed of her to Mr Harris, and she was sailed to the Islands. She did a good spell of work there till last year, when she journeyed to Wellington, where she now is.

The weather was all that could be desired for the polo sports, which were held on the Riccarton Racecourse, Christchurch on Saturday. The grandstand and lawn presented quite agay appearance all theatternoon with the vari-coloured gowns of the ladies, who mustered in great force, thereby testifying to the popularity of these sports with the fair sex. Certainly it was a delightful afternoon’s outing for everyone, and everything passed oil' most successfully. The ponies seemed to be in the pink of condition, and they appeared to enter into the fun quite as much as any of their riders, who one and all were thoroughly •at home ’on the sturdy little beasts. The Polo Cup race was won by Mr R. H. Rhodes on Jack o’-Lantern, and the same gentleman also won the bending competition. The most amusing item on the programme was the ‘costume’ race, which kept the spectators in fits of laughter all the time it lasted. Some of the costumes were too funny for anything, particularly Mr W. Buckley’s, who was wheeled on to the course in a perambulator, dressed as a baby in long clothes of white, and knitted bootees and rattle all complete. Mr Clarke’s get-up was ‘Sweet Seventeen,’ in blue silk and chiffon, and he looked truly ridiculous on horseback, although doubtless that was the effect he inintended to produce. Hon. E. Parker rode as a French Cook ; Mr A. G. Rhodes as Jack Tar ; Mr Heaton as Little Red Riding Hood. All the costumes jumbled up together during the race presented one of the funniest sights ever seen on the Riccarton racecourse. The Ladies Bracelet was won by Mr Bennett, who was nominated by Miss Loughnan. The cigar and umbrella race was also very funny, the poor umbrellas coming off very badly in the contest, nothing much being left of them except the sticks. There will only be one more game of polo in Christchurch before the team go up North to try their luck at the forthcoming tournament. We all hope (writes our correspondent) they will come away with a good many laurels and keep up the reputation of the Canterbury Polo Club.

The aquatic sports at New Plymouth on March 2nd were very successful, the day being perfect and the Recreation

Grounds looking their best. There was a very good attendance, including a fair sprinkling of ladies. The Band was present, and gave added attraction. The Waitara Regatta was held on Thursday, March 9th, and was a brilliant success as regarded attendance, but the regatta itself was voted somewhat slow. Over three thousand people were present. Of course it is the ‘ red letter ’ day for Waitara, and the town on this occasion presented quite a festive appearance with all the Hags flying. Very little cheering was heard excepting in the Champion Whaleboat Race, then the crowd roused up and great excitement prevailed. The crews were certainly a fine-looking lot and pulled well. The ladies also shaped well, and sent their boats through the water in quick time. The Maori Canoe Race was very good, the natives keeping splendid time. Even though they get so madly excited, it is remarkable that they never lose the time for an instant. The Waitara Band played during the day. Of course it is small, but it performs very well indeed. Mr Hughes is a very good bandmaster.