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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 42, 17 April 1862, Page 3

Gheat Match at Billiards between Roberts (the Champion) and Hughes—--1000 up. —On December 10, an exciting match was played at Roberts's-rooms, Sa-ville-house, Deicestev-square, in the presence of a very numerous assemblage ; in fact, the large saloon was crowded, to use a strong phrase, to the ceiling, as is always the case when the champion plays a match. On this occasion, Mr. Roberts gave Charles Hughes 375 points in 1000. Roberts was in fine play, Hughes being evidently timid. Roberts commenced early with a 50 break, when £/ 0 to =£4o was offered on him, and it was thought he would score the first 100, but Hughes pulled out with a 24, and so far disappointed the champion’s admirers. In the second 100, however, Roberts, in his own peculiar way, got up to the spot, and made a fine break of 160, landing 10 and 13 spot-strokes in this break. Hughes now made a 24, 23, 20, 21, &c„ and Roberts brought off a 41, and closed his break with a scientfic double baulk ; he then had a 30, 21, 23, 21, &c., and the game stood— Hughes 600, Roberts 493. Hughes then had various breaks of 19, 22, 18, &c., and Roberts again got on to the spot-stroke, and made 13 hazards, scoring 55. This break he again made a 25, 12, &c., and the game stood —Hughes 700, Roberts 622. Hughes then had some good breaks of 38, 39, 20, &c., and Roberts scored 33, 43, * 26, &c., and the game was called 780 all; then 801 all, and then 808 all. After which it was clear that Hughes had no chance ; Roberts again ran up to spot, and made a break of 114. In a few minutes he again got home to spot, and finished the game with his favourite hazard, leaving his ball in position for many more, had they been required. Roberts thus won the match by 180, Hughes getting no higher than 820. The match was played in two hours 25 minutes. [* It was in this break that an opportunity offered for Roberts to exhibit his extraordinary powers; his ball was between the spot and the centre of the table, and a narrow losing hazard was on off the red into the left-hand middle pocket, but his opponent’s ball was in baulk ; he, therefore, played a strong following ball, made the losing hazard, and drove the red against the white with sufficient force to bring both halls out of baulk. Of course, he was loudly applauded, and Roberts immediately stated that it was the best stroke he had played during the game.] A PoiiTUGUKSE View op Ckicket.—-The English residents at Lisbon and Oporto have each of them a cricket club, and the rival clubs have lately had a match at Lisbon. A Lisbon journal gives the following picture of the noble game of cricket, which, as being taken from a Portuguese point of view, will amuse our readers : —“Tomorrow there was to have come off an interesting game of cricket match between the cricket clubs of Lisbon and Oporto. The object of the formation of these societies is the playing of the game of cricket match, an active, running, driving, jumping game, which can only be played by a person having a good pair of logs, and in a climate where warmed punch is found insufficient to keep up the animal heat. Does the reader wish to know how to play a cricket match ? Two posts arc placed at a great distance from one another. The player close to one of the posts throws a large ball towards the other party, who awaits the ball to send it far with a small stick with which he is armed. The other players then run to look for the ball, and while this search is going on, the party who struck it with the stick runs incessantly from post to post, marking one for each run. It is plain then, that it is to the advantage of the party that strikes the ball to make it jump very far. Sometimes it tumbles into a thicket, and the players take hours before they can get hold of it, and all this time the player does not cease running from post to post, and marking points. Then those that find the ball arrive, exhausted, at the field of battle, and the one that has been running falls down half'dead. At other times the projectile, sent with a vigorous arm, cannot be stopped, and breaks the legs of the party who awaits it. The arrangements for the cricket match include a sumptuous dinner in themarque for fifty persons, an indisspensible accompaniment to every cricket mat civ We may perhaps assist at this great battle, and hope the committee will place us at a safe distance from the combatants, where the principals of the game can be seen with the help of an opera-glass.” Is this Law TkEmALim?—A law against obtaining husbands- under false pretences, passed by the English Parliament in 1770, enacts —That alll women, of whatever age, rank, profession, w degree—whether virgins, maids, or- widows—who. shall impose upon, seduce, and betray, into, matrimony any of his Majesty’s male subjects, fey virtue of soents, paints, cosmetics, washes arsiSoigJ t"-Q-vh false hair, Spanish wool, iron, iron stays, bolstered hips, or high-heeled shoes, shall the penalty now in force against witchcraft and Kko misdemeanours, and the marriage under such circumstances, upon Conviction of the offending party, shall bo nidi and void.