All-round Sport

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 166, 28 September 1893, Page 8

All-round Sport

Cricket.

By

“Blocker.”

Cricket matters have now assumed a definite shape, and among the knights of the willow the prospects of the various clubs are eagerly discussed. Coming first on the list was the meeting of the Cricket Association held at the British Hotel club room last Wednesday evening. There was a large and enthusiastic gathering, all the clubs being fully represented by their respective delegates. The President, Mr James Russell, occupied the chair, and in his remarks gave the modern cricketers a good idea of the ‘ ups and downs ’ of cricket players in the good old days. The adoption of the report and balance sheet gave His Worship the Mayor (Mr Crowther) a chance of explaining what action had been taken in regard to the mower, and other improvements now under consideration. The cutters for the mower are just to hand, when it is expected the cutting machine will be quite equal to all requirements. The trees near the Chinamen’s gardens are to be cleared away, and the light thereby considerably improved. The slope near the pavilion has already been levelled off and sewn with grass, and at present is looking in fine trim. Another long-felt want-is that the back yard of the pavilion is to be put in decent order, as it is at present a disgrace to all concerned, and I recommend this to the powers that be in view of the early visit of a Wellington team.

One of the most interesting items of the meeting was the presentation of a purse of sovereigns to Mr C. McKinney, the Association secretary, who has gratuitously laboured for years on behalf of the cricketers of Auckland, and when the last team went South it was only through his exertions that the wherewithal was forthcoming. His little scheme, then, was to issue cards with ten one-shilling spaces, and each one issued had to be returned marked ‘ full.’ and so. successfully did this work that the ‘ indefatigable Charlie ’ this year set to work on his ‘new idea,’ viz., to get a number of enthusiasts to put their names down guaranteeing to pay one shilling per week until the team departs, each and all subscribers foregoing any claim to the amount so collected except as a member of the representative team. Some has been banked up to the present, and when the team leaves on their tour.at Christmas the question of ways and means will then have been settled to a great extent. Mr J. Russell in making the presentation alluded to the various and varied good qualities of the recipient, and said that he was not only echoing, the sentiments of cricketers in Auckland but also of those all over New Zealand who knew Mr McKinney, and they ? were: very numerous, that he would be long.spared to labour for the game of cjicket and cricketers in Auckland. Mr McKipney returned thanks in a few well-chosen words, which were suddenly cut short by

a vociferdtis yell for three cheers for ‘ good old Mac,’ and needless to say they • were given with gusto, His Worship the Mayor topping the list. The purse contained 70 sovereigns, and those collecting say that they did not meet with one J refusal.

The Auckland C.C. expect to be able to wrest the championship from Gordon this season, and while losing the services of Harkness as a bowle» they gain Lundon of Onslow, and Jacobs, a new man from Australia, is expected to strengthen the team considerably, being, it is said, a good left hand bat and fair bowler. If the Rev. I. Richards is able to play this season, the two blues, with a helping hand from Abdy, who at present is here with the warship Tauranga, certainly will be a hard team to beat. United will also be slightly stronger than last season, Robinson, the Onslow wicket keeper, and Walton, of the same club, throwing in their lot with the U.C.C. Although they will miss D. Miller’s bowling, I think Captain McCormick will have to be reckoned with before the championship is finally hung up for season ’93-4. The present holders, Gordon C.C., have lost two good men in Goulstone and Meldrum, but they have got several good juniors who can with safety come up a grade together with Fenwick of Canterbury and Rev. Williams, who rumour says is a good all-round man. So that Gordon supporters are confident of still maintaining their position as champions. ’The Parnell team suffered heavily through the departure of Gardiner, their captain, who was also champion batsman of Auckland, still they are gaining several new men in Rowe, Geo. Walker, Nicholson (of Napier), Cautley, from Gordon, and Suttie, from Sydney, so that the suburban team may have to be also reckoned with in the deciding contests. In fact, looking carefully through the teams as at present known, there is every probability of some very keen contests taking place during the summer 1893-94, and it would be a bold man that would plunge on any of the above clubs as certain winners. The committee have decided on starting clubs to practice next Saturday if the conditions are (as at present) favourable, and a good muster may be expected. Turner has been highly praised by the London Sporting Life for his extraordinarily effective bowlingin therecent match Australia v. Notts. The Australian took 13 wickets for 52 runs in the match alluded to. The Australian Eleven had a great send-off when they left England in the Germanic for America. The home men gave our boys three parting cheers, and the departing visitors returned the compliment. Up to the present it is believed the team will not play here In the English batting averages for the season just ended Gunn and Stoddart take the lead. W. G. Grace takes seventh place, and ‘ Billy’ Murdoch twelth. The Kent player W. Hearne leads the bowling returns, and Ferris, late of Australia, is nowhere. Writing re the Australian Eleven the Review of Reviews in the August number takes the players to task pretty smartly. Amongst other things the article says: — “ A peculiar feature of the present team is the extraordinary uncertainty of its play. It alternates between brilliancy and helplessness for reasons which nobody can understand, and with a suddenness which baffles calculation and leaves exasperated wonder the sole surviving emotion in the minds of the average Australian. The team romps one day over an eleven like that of the combined Universities, making a total of 843 runs

in a single innings and in ten hours, the highest record in a first-class match yet known ; it next defiles —a melancholy procession of batsmen who can neither

block nor hit, neither run nor stay —to the wickets of some second class County team, and retires leaving a record comf,posed principally of ‘ducks.’ In the second test match against All England the team made 91 runs in the first innings, playing in a pensive and absentminded fashion ; in the second innings it seemed to occur suddenly to the batsmen that they really ought to make a few runs, and accordingly, against the same ’ bowling which had just overwhelmed them, and on a slightly worse wicket, they ran up 349 runs in four hours, an exhibition of very brilliant batting follow ing a display of feebleness which might move the pity of a decent school eleven. Individually the players are of a high

quality, but plainly the team has never bees gelded into a . compact and disciplined unit. It is apparently disorganised

by overwork and by mere bad temper and personal jealousies.”

The New Zealanders who have been taking part in the Sydney Bicycle Clubs 12 th Annual Intercolonial Amateur Championship Meeting, have not been doing so badly. On Saturday last W. J. Hayward reduced the Australian mile record to 2min 25 l-ssec (the world’s record is 2min 15secs), and 0. E. Hall lowered the five-mile record to ISmin 6 2-ssec.

The International Gold Cup, which was won on the 7th inst. by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales’ Yacht Britannia, is the property of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, Ryde, Isle of Wight, and one of the conditions of the race is that any foreign competitor must be constructed in the country to which she belongs, and must also sail across to engage in the race. The American yacht Navahoe, which suffered defeat at the hands, or rather the sails, of the Britannia, was built by her owner for the express purpose of winning the Cup. Her principal dimensions are :—Length on water line, 84 feet; length over all, 128 feet; forward overhang 20 feet, and aft 24 feet The Prince of Wales built the winner, the Britannia, which is a sister boat to the Earl of Dunraven’s American Cup challenger Valkyrie, in order that England should be efficiently represented at the race.

James, the cyclist, has broken the world’s record for 25 miles in Melbourne, having wheeled the distance in 61 mins. The mile record is held by W. Windle, who did the distance in America in 2min 15sec.

The 24th annual meeting of the Auckland Rowing Club was held on Monday night last at the Harbour Board offices, Mr T. Henderson in the chair. The committee’s annual report congratulated the club on the successful operations of the past season, and alluded to the fact that at the Judge’s Bay and Auckland regattas their representatives had won the race for juniors under 10.0, maidens, maidens under 10.0, and seniors. The annual match with the Poverty Bay Club, in which Auckland was represented by a junior crew, was lost. It was stated that during the season new boats had been obtained, and a 21 years lease from the Harbour Board secured. The balance-sheet showed the total receipts for the year to be £467 3s Id, and the expenditure £390 13s 2d, leaving a credit balance of £76 9s lid, The assets were £456 17s 7d. and the liabilities £320. This left a balance of assets over liabili ties of £136 17s 7d The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year :—President, Mr J. Marshall; vice-presidents, Messrs. H. Brett, W. Ledingham, J. J. Craig, A. H. Nathan, and Moss Davis ; captain, Mr T. Henderson ; vice-captain, Mr 0. F. Minnitt ; committee, Messrs T. F. Wallace, A. N. Gibbons, M. Keefe M. Laird and F. J. O’Meara; auditors, Messrs W. G. Allen and M. Wiseman ; hon. treasurer, Mr G. A. Creeth; hon. secretary, Mr A. H. Busby; delegate to Auckland Rowing Association, MrT. Henderson. After resolving “ That trustees be appointed, and that the property of the club be vested in them for the benefit of the members,” and “ that former members of the club desirous of re-joining may be elected without the payment of an entrance fee,” the meeting terminated.

A rival to Blondin has arisen in the person of Clifford Calverley, who has recently been astonishing the Americans by his daring performances over Niagara. Until the advent of Calverley the record was for crossing the falls on a wire was 12 minutes. This Calverley lowered in his first attempt to 6min Bsec, and not satisfied with this he wagered he would beat his own record on last fourth of July, when fifteen thousand people watched the attempt. When he left the Canadian shore he started running like an Indian, and on reaching the sag in the middle of the cable he did not pause, and on the upgrade approaching the American shore he quickened his pace, and his last steps were like a sprinter’s. The time was 2min 35sec. On the same night he crossed the rope in darkness, a feat never before accomplished. In addition to breaking the five and one mile Australian record the New Zealanders at the Intercolonial Championship Cycling Meeting in Sydney, have carried off the Two Mile Bicycle Teams Race. New South Wales was second, and Queensland third. The points were awarded on the relative positions of the men at the finish. Kerr, of Sydney, was first, and Hayward and Wilmot, of N.Z., second and third.

Mr F. E. N. Gaudin, who stated last week that he would be unable to obtain the necessary leave of absence to visit Melbourne in connection with the November Intercolonial Amateur Championship Meeting, has since made arrangements to get away in the event of his being picked to represent the colony. Gaudin has resumed work under Sam Goodman, his trainer. The easy way in which Mr D. McLeod cut out the nine miles from the Post Office to Otahuhu 1 hour 32min 29 3-5 sec last Saturday stamps him as a decidedly finished walker. His walking was fair heel and toe from start to finish, and the easy state in which he concluded the walk was shown when he announced his willingness on breasting the tape to walk back the nine miles in an hour and three-quarters, In spite of the stiff work he had already performed, and the fact that he would have to tackle the Kyber Pass hill on the return journey, none of the sports present showed any inclination to take him up. The annual meeting of the Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club was held at the British Hotel on Friday evening last, Mr J. F. Logan, vice president, in the chair. The annual report, which together with the balance-sheet was adopted, stated that the two meetings held during the year had been very successful both from an athletic and a financial point of view. At the Autumn Meeting a new departure was instituted in placing on the programme races for the boys attending colleges and public schools, and the experiment proved eminently successful. The club was represented at the New Zealand Cyclists’ Alliance Championship Meeting by Mr E. Reynolds, and although Mr Reynolds did not win any of the championships he was fairly successful in the handicaps. Mr W. H. Martin represented the club in both hurdle races at the Champion Meeting of the N.Z. Association, but was unsuccessful. The amount of money expended in prizes last season was in round numbers £2OO. The report alluded to the valuable services rendered by Messrs Tonks, Ridding, Moir, Waller, and Coates to the club, and congratulated Mr G. B. Beere upon having been chosen by the N.Z. A. A. Association to represent the colony at the Australasian Championship Meeting to be held in Melbourne in November next. The balance-sheet showed the receipts for the year to amount to £307 15s 4d, including subscriptions, £64 Is 6d; profit on Spring Meeting, £6l 4s lOd ; on Autumn Meeting, £76 9s; and National Bank deposit matured, £lOO. The expenditure, including National Bank fixed deposit, £lOO, amounted to £270 6s 7d, leaving a credit balance of £37 8s 9d. The assets were £243 3s 9d, including cash on fixed deposit, £lOO ; current account, £34 10s lid; Savings Bank, £2 7s lOd. The liabilites were £6, and the balance of assets over liabilities was £237 3s 9d. The following were elected officers for the ensuing year : —Patron, His Excellency Lord Glasgow ; vice-patron. Mr J. H. B. Coates ; president, Mr R. Garrett ; vicepresidents, Messrs J. F. Logan. B. J. Esam and W. M. Service; secretary, Mr Jas. Halyday, junior; treasurer, Mr B. J. Esam; committee, Messrs T. F. Upfill, A. F. Burton, C. H. S. MacKinney, W. C. Speight, F. W, Edwards, A. H. Cotter, Austin Smith, G. H. Powley, R. L. Howie, J. W. Winks, E. Reynolds, C. R. Surman and H. Nicholson ; bicycle captain, Mr H. Dacre. At the annual general meeting of the Ngaruawahia Rowing Club, held on Tuesday last, the balance-sheet for the past season showed that the total receipts had been £BB 9s lOd, expenditure £76 8s sd, thus leaving a credit balance of £l2 Is sd. Several new members were enrolled, and it was agreed that the season should be opened on Saturday next, when hancap races will be held. The club received with regret the resignation of Mr A. Williams as secretary, and thanked him for his untiring zeal on behalf of the club. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year : —President, Mr E. Fitzpatrick ; vice-president, Mr J. Smith ; treasurer, Mr T. Davies; secretary, Mr A. A. Davies; captain, Mr T. Simpson; committee, Messrs Ellis, C. Starr, G. Graves, T. McKeown, T. W. Davies, G. Roper, W. Paterson, Guthrie and Cavanagh. At the annual meeting of the members of the West End Rowing Club held on Saturday last, the annual report stated that the club was in a flourishing condition, there being the promise of a successful season before the members. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The club expressed by vote its sympathy with Captain Farquhar upon the loss of

his son, Mr C. Farquhar, in the schooner Maile. The deceased had been an old and prominent member of the club. Mr M. McLean presented a valuable set of gold medals to be rowed for in six weeks time, and Professor Carollo presented handsome trophies. The following officers were elected for the ensuing season :—President, Mr M. McLean ; captain, Mr C. White ; vice-captain, Mr J. Clark; secretary, Mr M. Bell; treasurer, MrR. Dowden ; committee, Messrs H. Driver, H. Matthews, A. Jones, S. D. Hanna, and A. Bartlett; selection committee, Messrs White, Jones, and Clark; delegate to the Auckland Rowing Association, Mr C. White; delegate to the New Zealand Association, Mr J. P. Gibbons ; auditors, Messrs Clark and Rotherham. A vote of thanks were accorded to the retiring officers, great regret being expressed at the retirement of Mr McLean from the office of captain.