BILLIARDS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIX, Issue 1065, 4 August 1910, Page 10

BILLIARDS.

ROBERTS v. AUSTRALIAN GOING WELL. The second meeting of Roberts and Lindrum has been made more interesting than their opening game at Melbourne, (says the “Referee.”) In their previous bout, Lindrum raced away in ’ the front after the second day, and won by 5,704; but has fallen away somewhat in this venture, although at time of writing Roberts is over a thousand behind his points. Both players have had their purple periods —Roberts on Friday with ten breaks over the hundred, and such figures as 414, 3 69, and 364 on other days; While Monday saw Lindrum at something like his Melbourne form. In the afternoon he secured 625 to Roberts’ 123, with an average of 125; and at night 625 to opponent’s 485 —or 1250 to 608 for the day, despite the big run of 414 by Roberts. The most remarkable feature of the game is that, for some reason which the youth does not care to explain, he has not played the red loser to any extent, almost all his points coming from top-of-table play. F'ollowingf are the details:—

THE PLAY —FIRST HALF. Friday.—Roberts scored 1500, Lindrum 957. Breaks: Roberts, 68, 84, 75, 82, 117, 139, 68, 58, 50, 55, 68, 142, n 9, 112, 45, 77, and 15 unfinished; Lindrum, 69, 61, 66, 92, 46, 58, 51, 73, 59, 69, 72. Scores: Lindrum, 3957; Roberts, 1500. Averages: Roberts, 32.28; Lindrum, 20-37. Saturday.—Roberts scored 750, Lindrum 907. Breaks: Roberts, 100 (full), 271, 81, 116; Lindrum, 86, 283, 69, 70, 102, 143, 72. Scores: Roberts, 2250; Lindrum, 4864. Averages: Roberts, 39.9; Lindrum, 49-6. Monday.—Roberts scored 1501, Lindrum 871. Breaks: Roberts, 158

(full), 78, 57, 55, 51, 364, 248, 75, 72, 58, and 37 unfinished; Lindrum, 129, 125, 92, 71, 131, 89, 45. Scores: Roberts, 3751; Lindrum, 5735. Averages: Roberts, 88.5; Lindrum, 34.5. Tuesday.—Roberts scored 144'9, Lindrum 1514. Breaks: Roberts, 64 (full), 121, 177, 64, 137, 163, 63, 97, 53, 167; Lindrum, 58, 128, 72, 109, 229, 116, 125, 63, 155, 65. Scores: Roberts, 5250; Lindrum, 7249. Averages: Roberts, 29.98; Lindrum, 30-28. Wednesday.—Lindrum scored 13 77: Roberts 1274. Breaks: Lindrum, 204, 98, 74, 60, 50, 227, 109, 90, 57; Roberts, 125, 107, 105, 70, 298, 139, 86, 75, and 54. Scores: Lindrum, 8626; Roberts, 6524. Averages: Lindrum, 39.34; Roberts 36-4.

Thursday.—Lindrum scored 124 9, Roberts 1336. Breaks: Lindrum, 83, 108, 68, 64, 102, 54, 57, 82, 183, 55 unfinished; Roberts, 68, 102, 298, 190, 56, 61, 53, 84, 121. Scores: Lindrum, 9 875; Roberts, 7860. Averages: Lindrum, 30.46; Roberts, 32-58.

Friday Afternoon.—Lindrum scored 625, Roberts 838. Breaks: Lindrum, 175, 185, 144; Roberts: 129, 119, 108, 59, 57, 151, 137. Averages: Lindrum, 41.66; Roberts, 55.86. HALF-WAY SCORES. F. Lindrum (receives 3000) 10,500 John Roberts 8,698 Roberts, 302 points behind sessional points. Averages for first half of game: Lindrum, 32.32; Roberts, 37.49. THE SECOND HALF. Friday Night.—Lindrum scored 625, Roberts.B37. Breaks: Lindrum, 91, 164, 211; Roberts, 127, 128, 110, 122, 201. Scores: Lindrum, 11.125; Roberts, 9535. Averages: Lindrum, 32.89; Roberts, 44.05_ Saturday.—Lindrum scored: 625, Roberts 777. Breaks:: Lindrum 118 (full), 96, 31, 51, 192,. 77 unfinished;. Roberts, 30, 20, 47, 235, 50', 3 77Scores: Lindrum 11,750; Roberts,. 10,312. Averages: Lindrum, 39,1;: Roberts, 48.9.

Monday.—Lindrum scored 1251, Roberts 608. Breaks: Lindrum 133 (full), 46, 69, 315, 62, 248, 130, 69 (unfinished); Roberts, 31, 58, 23, 57, 414. Scores: Lindrum, 13,000; Roberts, 10,930. Averages: Lindrum, 89.28; Roberts, 43.42. The great feature of Tuesday’s play was a magnificent break of 384 by the young Australian after a colourless display in the early part of the session. Up to 246 it was a flawless compilation, with only four strokes in hand. At that number a lucky fluke into the middle pocket enabled him to continue until “knocking-off” time, when he was still going strong. The usual fate of the unfinished break ended, Lindrum failed after adding 30, the break terminating at 3 80. Not to be outdone, Roberts put in a neat 255, when a palpable “push” stroke was successfully appealed for by Lindrum, 102 by Lindrum, and 260 by Roberts, kept the large crowd in good humour. Lindrum had bad luck in breaking down on a fast 120, put together in best style, but, getting in again after 2 by Roberts, a hazard 9 7 brought him nearer home. A bout of safety play ensued, with the “one-miss” rule of the B.C.C. almost being After some slow play Lindrum reached his points with 17 unfinished, the closing scores being: F. Lindrum (in play) .... 14,250 John Roberts 12,204 Roberts is 1296 behind his points. Averages: Lindrum 27.4; Roberts 32.4. The game finishes on Friday evening. - The match is being played on a table by Alcock .and Co., at their New' Tournament all, Billiards Limited, George Street, with Bonzoline balls.

John Roberts and Fred Weiss were to commence a match of 12,000 up at Alcock’s Tournament Hall, George Street, on Monday. Weiss is to receive 2000 start, and if the Englishman is in the form that characterised nis play during the sessions that closed last week s play, he will surely keep Weiss very quiet. Roberts and Weiss are very old friends, and were playing partners a couple of years back on the arc oval tables; in fact, they were the only pair that could put up attractive games on the freak.

At the half-way stage of their present game Lindrum led Roberts by 1802 points, or 302 more than if Roberts had reached his proper quota of sessional points. It meant that Lindrum had reached, his points with Roberts 302 behind his. To get those figures Lindrum averaged 32.32 as against 3 9 for the whole game at Melbourne. Roberts’ showing in this game in the half-way stage was a decided improvement on his Victorian showing, for whereas he averaged 3 7.49 last week, he could only manage 32.1 in the former game. But 384 visits were made by the players during the whole of the Melbourne game as against 232 at the half-way stage in the Sydney game. The falling away has been Lindrum’s, who is likely to come out of the bout with a much reduced average; while Roberts if he keeps going, will do almost as well from an average standpoint as Lindrum did at Melbourne—viz.' 39.

John Roberts made an offer of a one hundred guineas cup to the N.S.W. Amateur Billiard Association for this year s championship, provided the event w'as played under Billiards Control Club rules. The hon. sec., in his letter of thanks declining the offer intormed Mr. Roberts that the Association did not give trophies exceeding five guineas in value. The fact of the Association being affiliated to the British Billiard Association also stopped out the generous offer, which is appreciated if not accepted.

During the game between Lindrum and Roberts the former requested a change of balls, as he stated that his ball was slightly chipped. An inspection revealed a hole about the size of a pin-head, and the change was mode. Roberts taking the defective ball. As the veteran put together four breaks over the hundred, and one of 201 almost immediately, there could not have been much the matter with the ball.