Australian Topics

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIII, Issue 773, 29 December 1904, Page 13

Australian Topics

(By

“Atlas.”)

Hackenschmidt continues to appear at the Tivoli, and his performances cause much interest here, the great wrestlerhaving become a pronounced favourite. We had some Japanese wrestlers here with Fitzgerald’s Circus a few weeks ago. What a draw a tout between these Japs and the great Russian bear would have been ! Gus Rennert, the German, was downed by Hackenschmidt the other night, and has since “squeaked” that the Russian got an unfair grip on, but Hackenschmidt indignantly denies. the soft impeachment, and offered to give Rennert another try in GraecoRoman style, but Rennert failed to respond. Hackenschmidt has now expressed his willingness to meet Rennert in the catch-as-catch-can style which he favours.

The East Sydney Swimming Club’s Carnival on Saturday was a marked success. Miss Dorothy Hill attempted to lower the world’s record of Imin 19 2-ssec, but failed by several seconds. Cecil Healy attempted to lower Dick Cavill’s world record for 100yds (58 seconds), but failed. In his first effort h s record was 58 l-ssec, and in his final effort 58 l-sscc. B. B. Reran won the half-mile championship of New 7 South Wales in splendid style, he being a lap and a half in front of the second man at the finish. His time was llmin 40sec. The world’s record accomplished in the Australasian Championship last year is llmin 2‘J 4-ssec. The British Football Association have determined to invite a New Zealand team to visit Australia in the season 1905. A visit of an English team to Australia and New Zealand s also spoken of. There was a very big crowd at the Gaiety on Saturday- night tc witne*-.: the boxing match for the Light-Weight Championship Cocker Tweed!? and Monty Andrews. All .ven’t well -■ Hh the clover Tweedie until the third round, wh:n Andrew’s took a decided lead, and from Ihis out h.? 'arded at will, and although Twredic was game, and wanted to continue, the referee stopped the fight, proclaiming Andrews the. winner. The Rocks lad (Tweedie) is verv, like

his predecessor, the wonderful Cjriffo, but his day is done. The Austral Wheel Carnival was brought to a close on Saturday nigh l , when there was a tremendous ’ attendance. The Carnival right through Ins been a great success, the scratch events

producing the best contests. T he three mile scratch race, the Burston. Plate, caused a great race between G. parley and W. Rutt, the former winning by a few inches only. The heats in the semifinal round of the Austral Wheel Race resulted as follows W. Houston 160yds, I, E. Payne 2, D. Sheehan 120yds, 3, W. Ringwood 210yds 4 ; second heat : S. Whitson 140yds, I, A. Tame 150yds, 2, J. McGibbon 270yds, 3, J. Brooker 250yds, 4 ; third heat : A. Clarke 150vds, 1, H. Thomas 130yds, 2, C. Glencross 210yds, 3, C. Best 20Cyds, 4. All these placed men started in the Final. Clarke held a. good position all the time, and in the early part of the race was paced by Best. Thomas made a game effort in the last lap, but. Clarke had the race in! hand, and won by three li achine lengths. Thomas was second, Tame third; and Houston fourth. Cricketers are now 7 in the throes of the Inter-State contests, which are arousing more public interest than usual because of the fact that the selection of the Australian Eleven will be very much effected by the individual form shown. Victoria, so far, has done w 7 ell this season. ’They 7 commenced bv defeating South Australia, and now they have admisistered a very decided drubbing to Queensland, winning by an innings "and 181 runs. The match was started on Friday last, when Queensland in their first innings made 280 than’s chiefly to a very fine innings by Merton, a new player from Rockhampton, who put together 135 not out. The innings was not faultless, still it was a great performance. The Victorians then went in and put together the fine score of 573, but of that number no less than 450 runs were contributed by three men, Laver 98, Armstrong 200, and Ransford 152. The first two named were members of the last Australian Elexen, and the colt Ransford is making a bold bid for inclusion in the next. In his first Inter-State match against South Australia he made 80 not out, so that 232 for once out is not a bad start. Queensland in their second innings were quickly disposed of by 7 Col-

lins and LamJeis for 112. Morton on this occas.cn was clean Lowlc-d by Saunders for 4.

On Saturday New South Wales started a match against South Australia at Adelaide, and secured a victory oy a innings and 120 runs. The Welshmen made 465, but more than half the score was made by two men, E. F. Waddy 129 not- out, and W . P. Howell 128. This is Waddy’s first appearance in In-ter-State cricket, and as he is wic ■ keeper as well as a batsman, he will probably be included in the next Australian Eleven as second wicket-keeper. South Australia in their first innings could cnly make 177, the last Australian Eleven Captain being top-scorer with 67. Noble was the most successful bowler, and Cotter again failed. I cannot see what claim this player has for selection in the next Australian Eleven, but some people clamour about him simply because he can bowl fast. In their second innings S.A. were all out for 168, the chief contributors being Gehrs, Hill, and Reedman, with 37 each.