CRICKET ASSOCIATION’S FIXTURE

Evening Star, Issue 19789, 13 February 1928, Page 3

CRICKET ASSOCIATION’S FIXTURE

ATHLETIC AND BANDS DISPLAY GOOD TIMES REGISTERED The Otago Cricket Association has every reason to feel grateful at the success that attended its open-air entertainment at Carisbrook on Saturday night, for in every way it was a most enjoyable affair. The attendance was of highly-satisfactory dimensions, and the coffers of the association should be well replenished as a result. The combined attractions of a programme of amateur athletic events and a quickstep display by leading bands drew over 2,000 spectators to the Cricket Association’s headquarters, the amateur athletic handicaps being staged under the direct control of the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. Thanks to the efforts pi Messrs P. W. Breen, H. T. Emmerson, C. W. Clark, and other officials these events were got off with commendable despatch, the starter being Mr A. Burk. The general arrangements for the whole gathering were in the able hands of the secretary of the Otago Cricket Association (Mr E. S. Wilson), who had associated with him an energetic band of officials drawn from the ranks of his association. Despite the rain the previous night the track had made a good recovery, and though it was just a little on the dead side it was otherwise in splendid order, and one or two exceptionally good performances were registered during the evening. The fields were satisfactory throughout, the mile drawing fourteen starters and the 300yds handicap fifteen, while twelve riders contested the mile cycle handicap. The holding of a cycle handicap on a grass track was something _ of a novelty in Dunedin, though in the North Island grass tracks are probably more often the rule than the exception. It would have been difficult to have obtained a more exciting race than the mile cycle handicap, a thrill-, ing finish being fought out by the two scratch men, S. Bremford and E. Palmer. The latter was successful over this distance at the previous week’s meet, Bremford fallen in his heat, but on this occasion the Otago champion, after a great duel tip the straight, flashed past the post half a length ahead of Palmer, in 2miu 38 2-ssec., which was quite good time under the conditions. The mile handicap was anotner fast race, M. S. Hill f(l7syds) scoring a popular win in 4min 31sec. The best performance in this event, however, was that of the promising Caversham youngster, L. Wood, who followed up his Thursday's success by running a fine race from the syds mark to fill second place fo Hill, 20yds back. The 300yds handicap, run under the electric light, was by the Civil Service representative, 13. A. Bastings, who scored a good win in 33 l-ssec from the 12vds mark, his cluhmate, the consistent L. C. M’Lachlan, being second from the 4yds mark. The 100yds handicap went to the improving Anglican sprinter, E. H. Thompson, m 10 2-ssec, from the Ifyds mark, while th-. mile relay handicap was carried off by Caversham, who were in receipt of 25yds handicap. The winning team s success was due in a large measure to a sterling half-mile by L. Wood and a good quarter by J. J. Morris, the final time being 3min 4?5 2-ssec. The quickstep display by the various bands proved very popular with the large crowd, and it served a double purpose inasmuch as military men were present for the purpose of commenting privately to_ the bands themselves on the respective showings made bv them. The Mosgiel Brass Band, St. Kilda. Brass Band, Tramways Band, Kaikorai Band, and Dunedin Pipe Band took part, and to the uuinitiated it seemed that each i\ent> through the lest with remarkable precision. . The duties of Press steward were most efficiently carried out by Mr C. K. Heaton. Results of the athletic meet were 100 YARDS HANDICAP. First heat: 13. H. Thompson ( Uyds) 1. L. C. M‘ Lachlan (scr) 2, C. E. M'Veigh (3,yds) 3. Five starters. Thompson look the lead at the 10yds mark, and though M'Lachlan came last over ’the last 2Uvds Thompson won by half a yard, M'Veigli a similar distance. back third. Time, 10 4-ssec. Second heat: Arthur Holt (4yds) 1, W. j. Duff (31yds) 2, B. R. M'Kcrnan (7yds) 3. Only starters. MTvernan led for the greater part ot the journey, but faded put, at the finish, Holt getting up to win by a yard, a similar distance between second and third. Time, 10 4-ssec. —Final.— E H. Thompson (11yds) 1 Arthur Holt (4yds) -j L. C. M‘Lachlan (scr) A good race. After a false start, the field got away well, Holt showing out well over the first half of the journey. Thompson then came up, and at the 75vds mark was almost on terms, going on to finish strongly half a yard ahead of Holt, M'Lachlan a similar distance back third. Time, 10 2-osem 440 YARDS SCHOOLS’ RELAY RACE. Caversham (Saycr. Niepier, Shepherd, MDougall) £ High Street « Albany Street ... Also started: St. Glair, Musselburgh, and Macandrew RoadThe Caversham team snowed the others a clean pair of heels from the start, being more proficient m the transfer of the baton. Caversham increased their lead to win by 10yds horn High Street, Albany Street being oyds back third. Time, 56sec. ONE-MILE CYCLE HANDICAP. First heat; S. Bremford (scr) 1, JC. Fogarty (30yds) 2, 11. A. Johnston (160yds) 3. Five starters. Johnston set a fairly fast pace, and maintained a good lead over the first halt-mile, but at the bell Fogarty and Bremford had closed up the gap, W. J. Templeton (10yds) being in fourth place. Bremford was in a handy position along the far stretch, and entering hnal straight sprinted strongly to win comfortably by four lengths. hogarty challenged Johnston for second pmee, and in a good finish got there by halt a length. Time, 2min 38 2-ssec. Second heat; G. Smith (110yds) 1, E. Palmer (scr) 2, J. L. Ewing (80yds) 3. Seven starters. The limit man, L. Mussen (170yds) held the lead tor a couple of ,laps, but Smith, riding well, was in handy position, and went to the front in the last lap, Mussen falling, though lie was uninjured. Palmer gradually reduced the lead, and at the bell he was with the bunch, lying in fifth place. Smith maintained his position, however, and won by two lengths from Palmer, Ewing being half a length back third. Time, 2min 38 3-ssec. —Final.— S. Bremford (scr) 1 E. Palmer (scr) 2 R. A. Johnston (160yds) ... 3 A fast race for the track and an exciting finish. The first lap was ridden at ,a fast pace, the backmarkers setting out grimly to reduce the gap. Johnston led at the end of the first lap, Smith, Ewing, Fogarty, Palmer, and Bremford following in that order. Smith and Johnson were together in the van at the end of the second lap, Ewing, Fogarty, Palmer, and Bremford being in a bunch about 40yds back. With a lap to go the limit men were 20yds ahead of Ewing, Fogarty, Palmer, and Bremford, who were riding within a few yards of one another. Entering Ihe last lap Smith took the lead, but along the back stretch the

scratch men commenced to spurt, and rounding the turn into the final straight Palmer shot through on the outside, followed'closely by Bremford. Bremford put in a great sprint up the straight, and in a thrilling finish beat Palmer by half a. length. Smith was just beaten by Johnston for third place, the latter being half a length behind Palmer. Time, 2min 38 2-ssec. ONE-MILE HANDICAP. M. S. Hill (175yds) 1 L. Wood (syds) 2 C. W. Frye (55yds) 8 Fifteen starters. A fast race. Hill set a solid pace from the start, and of the backmarkers \\ ood set out at a fast bat from the start. He again ran a splendidly-judged race, and, though it required a big effort on his part, he was lying sixth about 50yds behind Hill and Andrew Holt (160yds) when the last lap was commenced. ‘Wood put in a solid run over the last quarter, but was unable to head Hill, who won by 20vds from Wood. Frye came with a late run to fill third place, another Byds further back. Time, 4min 31s€C ’ 300 YARDS HANDICAP. E. A. Bastings (12yds) 1 L. C. M'Lachlan (4yds) 2 R A. Malone (16yds) ° Fifteen starters. The field was well bunched at the turn into the straight, R. R. M'Kernan on the limit mark of 25yds leading up the straight. Bastings

was in good position at the turn, and coming through on the inside won by IRyds from the fast-finishing M'Lachlan, Malone being another 4fb further back third. Time, 33 l-ssec. ONE-MILE RELAY HANDICAP. 830yds, 440yds, 220yds, 220yds. Caversham (L. Wood, J. J. Morris, A. Inglis, and S. F. Duncan), 25yds 1 University (N. H. North, R. H. Cabot, O. E. M'Yeigh, and C. H. Duff), 50yds 2 Anglican (F, J. D. Rolfe, N. J. Suckling, L. Ross, and A. Clark), 15yds 3 Civil Service scr and Pacific 40yds also started. From the outset the issue lay between ’Varsity and Caversham, but a splendid half-mile by Wood gave him a 20yds advantage over North when the former handed over_ to Morris. Morris more than maintained the lead opposed to Cabot, and, though _ the ’Varsity sprinter pulled up a little, Duncan finished strongly for Caversham, who beat ’Varsity by 10yds iti good time, Anglican being 30yds back third. Time, 3min 48 2-ssec.