ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1351, 31 January 1912, Page 6

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

CRICKET. REMARKS ON SHIELD MATCH. BY ONE OF THE TEAM. ' Interviewed yesterday . concerning the Plunkct Shield cricket match, played at Christchurch, the Kov! E. 0. Bfamires stated that the team .-had had a capital tiiuo, and had enjoyed their stay in Christchurch very-much. In reply to a question rcgardiiig' the umpiring Mr. Blnmircs' stated that, personally, he regarded it as rathor unsportsmanlike to question their decisions,, the more so as tho Canterbury team had found themselves in tho same plight. Asked as to his opinion on what had already appeared in print on this matter said that ho regarded it'as fair comment, aiid that several decisions, notably those iu the catTS of Bennett and Hayes on the Canterbury, sido and' those which dismissed Saunders and himself on the Wellington, wero open to doubt. The bowl, ing was round tho wicket, and , therefore left room for doubt both ways, and, possibly; it could fairly be added "that the man who never made mistakes made nothing at all." On tho -whole, however, the umpiring wae not quite what jt ought' to have been, having regard (o the importance of the match. Apart from this-matter tho game had teen extremely interesting, quite butclassing tho. pamc which'•.Canterbury played against Otago.' ' .Mr. Blamires wns satisfied that the Wellington team had'played up to form, aiid thought that, had they won the toss, tho result, might have'been different. The heavy rain.on Saturday night had made the. grass grow, thus rendering scoring harder, and hp thought that ithis kept down the Wellington sooro in the second innings by fully 25 per cenf. Beckoning thus, Gibhfis's 75 was q-uiro oqiial to a. century at the bpginnipc qi tho match/ Mr. Blamires added that the Wellington fielding was particularly good in the second innings. Tor Canterbury Reese's bowling was. an iraroouso help," and, although they (Wellington) werp; beaten by a large margin he. -maintained''that it wae solely on the first innings, and that they ■neie at,least equal;to't.heir'opponents in the second innings. . .'■'.':-. THIRD-CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP.. . The following, third-class fixtures have b(ien arranged for Saturday, February l 3, aiid Saturday, Febniary 10:—: February 3.—At Petone: Petono A t. Petouo B; St. David's v.: Tcinplars. At Collegn: Central v. College A; St.. Mark's v- College B. At. Kelburne: Victoria College v. Catholic Young Men's Club. At Karori; Karori v.-North. • February 10.—At Pel-one: Petone A, t. Catholic loung. Men's Club; Petone B v. Victoria College. At College: St. Daridji! v.' College A; Templars r. College B; At NeWtowu Park: North y. Central. At Ka-rori: St. Mark's v. Karori.