A Notebook of Sport

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22508, 16 September 1938, Page 20

A Notebook of Sport

Association Fixtures The postponed Nomads v. St. Albans game, which will be played as a curtain-raiser to the Rangers v. Thistle encounter at English Park tomorrow afternoon, appears likely to be the best and most even of the Association football fixtures for the day. Although both sides are reserve teams they are the leaders in their grade, and encounters between the two have always produced fine displays of football. Rangers last Saturday, after a drawn game against Thistle reserve, scored three goals in the short time allowed for extra play, and they may even be able to account for the Thistle senior team on Saturday. The Nomads senior team should have little trouble in dealing with Air Force at Wigram. as the latter team has yet very little experience of the game. Opening of Boating

Although rowing is a sadly neglected sport in Christchurch, those who do follow this strenuous recreation are enthusiasts, indeed. Most of the city clubs are already overhauling their gear in preparation for the opening of the season on October 15. The season will begin, as usual, with a procession of decorated boats on the Avon, a spectacle that never fails to arouse the interest of the public. The Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane) has been asked to declare the season open. A programme of inter-club races will also be held.

Australian Cricketers’. Record The Australians’ cricket tour is now over, with the exception • of two matches, not first-class games, in Ireland. and the team’s record compares favourably with that of any Australian touring, side since the war, notwithstanding its failure to win a majority of the test matches. The only Australian team to lose a test rubber in England since 1921' was 'H. L. Collins’s 1926 team, which lost the only test match decided—the fifth. W. W. Armstrong’s side of 1921 and W. M. Woodfull’s teams of 1930 and 1934 all won the test rubber in their respective seasons. Bradman’s team, it will be seen, won more first-class matches than any since Armstrong’s team, which admittedly toured JEngland when English cricket -was at a very low ebb. The records of Australian teams in first-class matches in England since the war are as follows:

•Including a tie. Future of the Crawl Expert opinion is now divided about the future possibilities of the crawl stroke in the lowering of world’s swimming records, says the swimming correspondent of “The Times.’’ Some maintain that 50sec will be returned one day for the 100 metres; and it is generally agreed that increased stamina and developments in the technique of breathing, the real secret of swimming, offer possibilities over distances from 200 to 800 metres. It is significant, however, that Ame Borg’s great record of 19min 7.2 sec for the 1500 metres has stood since and that since 1932 no one has bettered 19min 12.4 sec. But Borg’s lung capacity was altogether abnormal; he was no stylist. Women’s records, on the other hand, are constantly being beaten, especially by Danish and Dutch swimmers, and the day may not be far off .when-women may compete with all but a few outstanding men on- equal terms., The crawl has changed little since it was copied by Australians at the end of last century from the South Sea, islanders except in the speed of the leg thrash. Modem swimmers are a little higher in the water, and the arm action is more supple and further extended; altogether it is a delightful stroke.

Canterbury Rugby Team The performances of the. Canterbury Rugby team continue to disappoint provincial supporters, and its. record fertile- season, even if its formis ■ much improved in the last two matches, will be a depressing one for a province which started the season with high: hopes, of producing a team. The province is; unlucky to■- have ’ lost, through transfer and injury, a considerable number of men who were expected, to be the 'backbone of this year’s 'feam,- but nevertheless , there - is a strong- feeling that men ' who should at leiast have 'been, given;a >trial have been ' overlooked by the selectors. For the first time this season 'A. G. Hunter will'be'available next Saturday. and he should strengthen the team considerably. The*- selectors*' task would have been easier if he had been'available all the season. Considering the difficulties the selectors have had in finding a .satisfactory inside back combination if'fs a little surprising that such first-class men as S. C. McCarthy (Sunnyside);- half-back, . and R. Forscutt- (Sydenham), first five eighths, or, possibly better still, L. Hewitt and F. Allan, the Linwbod half and first fiveeighths respectively, have ' not been tried. B. O’Fagan, young, fast and determined Athletic winger, might also have been a satisfactory solution -to another difficulty. Forwards with more "devil” have been needed badly, and speed and fire might have been obtained with/ilittle sacrifice of scrummaging efficiency. Without making any* invidious comparisons it might be suggested, that the following: forwards could well have been worked - into .-the pack times, with an apSreciable gain of speed and mobility, ut with some'loss of . weight: W. A. Hearn (Old Boys), front row or flank; T. O’Gorman (Athletic), -front row; W. Coll (Athletic), lock: N. Mason '(Sydenham), lock or back-ranker. - A Mercantile League? A few seasons' ago in. Wellington/ a group -of enthusiastic * Association football players founded a business firm competition, with four teams taking the field. - This season there are 18, and the 'Wellington" Football Association has given„ enthusiastic support to the organisers:' The games are played in holiday spirit;' enabling men' of all ages to take part. In Christchurch. the Trardjvays. Weeks’, Hospital, Morrison arid Morrison, T. H. Green, and Rattray’s play occasional week-end games. The Hospital team has become so enthusiastic that jerseys have already been purchased. The colours are blue and gold. .The Canterbury ’ Football Association - might well consider the advantage of having a strong mercantile league, as an auxiliary in its work of popularising the code in Christchurch.

P. W. L. D. 1921 .. 38 22 2 14 1926 .. 33 9 1 23 1930 .. 31 11 1 18* 1934 .. 30 13 1 16 1938 .. 29 15 2 12