BILLIARDS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 956, 2 July 1908, Page 13

BILLIARDS.

When the Sydney mail left Inman and Smith were engaged in a match of 10,000 up, Smith receiving 3000 start. Inman was in great form, having strung together such breaks as 369 (in 29 minutes), 216, 203. and several centuries. The scores stood at Smith 4585, Inman 2986, so that the Englishman looked like winning comfortably. ,

Mr. B. Ford’s big tournament at the; Waitemata saloon is well under way. The prizes for this are as follows: — £l5 for the winner and a silver cup presented by Mr. James Watson, of Scotland; second prize, £5; third prize, £2 10s. No less than 64 players have entered, and so far some fifteen heats have been disposed of. The first round terminates on July 21, when the players left in will be handicapped by Mr. Ford. The result looks very open.

The Royal N.Z. Yacht Squadron has a tournament under way at their rooms. This is the second of the season, and although two rounds have been played, the result looks as open as when it commenced.

Tournaments are all the go just now, being in full swing at nearly all the clubs.. . The. Travellers’ Club, the Sports Club, Smith and Caughey’s. and others have arranged matches, and some good games have been shown. A NOVEL MATCH. T. Reece and C. Harverson were in the middle of a big match of 15,000 up when the mail left London on May 20. The novel feature of the match was the provision, instead of the stipulated stake, that the loser should pay one shilling for each point of his defeat, with a limit of £75. It may be remembered that the last time they met Reece made a runaway game of it, and this match looked like a “ soft snap” for him. He would appear to have gone a bit stale, and at half-way Harverson had a very substantial lead, the scores being: Harverson 7303, Reece 6416. If Reece struck form in the second half the game must have had an exciting finish. LINDRUM EASILY BEATS INMAN. “ Inman’s atteippt to concede Lindrum a third of the game in 9000 up resulted in failure, as most of those who have studied their previous meetings on the cloth of green anticipated (says the “ Referee.”) After the first day’s play, when the table was new to him, Lindrum pegged the start-giver back, until on the final day he came out victorious by no less than 2308 points. During the second day’s play, when Lindrum was behind his points, he scored 1309 points to his oppo nent’s 1085, and ever after that period played in such solid fashion that Inman did not appear to have a look-in. “ The attendance was excellent throughout, on many occasions the public being 'urned away. “ In the matter of breaks Lindrum did well, breaks such as 248, 240, and 238 coming from his cue, whi.e on two occasions he had an average greater than 36. Such figures speax eloquently of the powers of this youth, who will not be 21 until February next. “ During the week Inman issued a challenge, in which he said he was prepared to concede any Australian player 6000 in 18,000. Those conditions have been accepted by Lindrum, but how Inman can hope to come out successfully after last week’s game is a poser.” A FINE PERFORMANCE BY YOUNG GRAY. Master George Gray, who is still In his teens, was pitted last week against

Mr. Muir, of Dunedin, who is generally credited with being the best amateur in the Dominion. The game was played at Mr. Theomin’s private residence, and was witnessed by a large number of enthusiastic billiard players. The boy led off with a 24 break, then in his next two cues made 23, which took his total up to 47. Following these preliminary skirmishes, the lad put up a magnificent.y-cdm-piled 224, and then completed! the game 0f,300 with a nice run of 33*unfinished. The boy averaged 75’ per innings, and the talented youngster got a great reception, which, of course, he thoroughly deserved. Mr. Muir, meanwhile, only succeeded in securing 11 points. Whi.e certainly Mr. Muir had few chances, he played streakily and without that finish he is popularly supposed to have. The Gray billiard combination, of which the boy is the leading light, is expected to arrive in Auckland at an early date, and will give exhibitions at several of the leading local clubs. They are touring the Dominion under the auspices of Messrs. Alcock and Co., Wellington.