PLAYERS and the GAME

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12621, 4 December 1926, Page 17

PLAYERS and the GAME

CRICKET According to the senior championship committee the loss of last Saturday for the senior games has upset arrangements. The number of representative games ahead and the forthcoming visit of the South Australian team have made it extremely probable that the eighth and ninth rounds will not be played. With that prospect in view the committee proposes to arrange the most attractive games within easy reach of the public. The elimination of tho eighth and ninth rounds would preclude Midland aud Wellington from going out there, for which reason the current fixtures have been rearranged to that extent, and these two teams will travel to the Hutt to-day provided the weather renders this possible. The two matches Institute-Old Boys and UniversityY.M.C.A., have been transferred to tho Basin Reserve. • « • • THE REP. FIXTURES The Wellington Cricket Association is having its hands full at the present time with arrangements for the coming representative fixtures. First there is the Town v. Country match beginning on the 17th inst. Then comes Town v. New Zealand Minor Associations on

the 21st, following which Otago will be met on Christmas Day and following days. On January Ist Canterbury will have Wellington as visitors, and on our players’ return Auckland will play in Wellington on January 6th. This programme provides a veritable feast for orioketers and spectators, and it is hoped that the public will respond nobly thus ensuring a financial success.

HONORARY MEMBERS The local association has held its hand In launching its campaign for more honorary members in deference to the sohemo for financing the tour to England. The council’s indifference to repeated requests for information has tired the Wellington Association which is going ahead with its own honorary members scheme. MANAWATU’S DEBUT It will be news to many that the visit of the Manawatu representative team to Wellington on Tuesday was the first in cricket history, although Manawatu is practically Wellington’s next-door neighbour. Wellington teams have visited Manawatu, and most of tho other associations, major and minor, have a.t some time or other visited the capital city. Now that the ice has been broken it should not be long before they come again. They have some bright batsmen and some good men in the field, particularly in the outfield, and no boundaries were given for want of a bit of exertion. The extras were well kept down on both sides, five each, and Day caught, three behind the wicket for Manawatu, and James for Wellington caught Snyillie over his crease. fjpring, who is one of the Manawatu coVts, is a slow bowler, and is good when his length is right, but Hutchirgs punished him severely. They tried site bowlers in the course of the innijgs, but Spring and McVicar did most rt the damage. Galliehan and Cooper played a fine partnership, and it was not until Browne came on as the sixth bowler that Gallichan’s wicket fell. He had several admirers of his bright display at the wicket, and quite a few expressed the hope that ho would become top scorer for the day. As it was, he equalled Hiddleston, the Wellington top scorer. Manawatu did not score freely off Hiddleston, but the brunt of the work fell on Massey, who bowled 19 overs without a break. After the failure of the other bowlers—excepting Massey— Browne was in the limelight with three wickets for 17 runs to his credit, and one of the wickets was Gallichan’s. * * * • ADELAIDE’S NEW BOWLER Tlie Adelaide season so far has been remarkable for the phenomenal success of the slow howler, N. L. Williams, says tho “Argus.” Ho was again destructive on Saturday, November 20th. and took eight Glenelg wickets for 59 runs. lie has so far this season taken 36 wickets in six innings for 293 runs. No batsman exceeded the century, the highest scorer being R. G. Hitchcock (West Torrens), 82. • • o e SIZE OF THE BALL As pointed out in these columns soma weeks ago tho large size of cricket balls has been giving trouble, and tho following cable shows that the Home authorities liavo made a definite move: —“The English County Cricket Advisory Committee lias approved of the proposal that there should be a reduction in the size of the ball, with the idea of assisting tho bowlers. The committee appointed a sub-committee, consisting of Lord Harris and Messrs [J. A. Dixon, T. A. Higson, and V. W. V. Jupp, to consider tho matter, also the question of giving less attention to the preparation of wickets.”-

SWIMMING At the meeting of the Wellington Centre this week affiliation was granted the Appolonia Ladies’ Amateur Swimming Club. This should help the sport along greatly, the ladies now being catered for under a direction that is of the best. Mr “Pete” Coira is the delegate for this club, and they are luoky to obtain his services. The colours of the club are blue costume with a gold monogram. It is more than likely that in the near future Blenheim will affiliate with the Wellington Centre and trips could bo made to that district by Wellington swimmers and vioe versa. This important step is in the hands of Mr N. McCartney. • « « - The Hutt Valley Hi gh School programme for next Saturday has been approved. The centre’s next carnival (No. 2) will take place on the 13th inst. This will be an even bigger splash and the public are advised to note this date and keep it free The events will be numerous and the varieties good. The programme will be made as different as possible from the previous one, and the centre will take another step for-

ward in staging the Wellington Centre 50yds championship, in which no doubt there will be numerous competitors such as Blakely, Leask, Watson, Claridge, Murrell, and Cameron Brs., Look, McHardy, Alexander, and others. The polo will be of a high standard, and a good start was made in this direction when Wellington beat Navy at the Tepid Baths to the tune of 2-nil. • , • It is probable that the Wanganui Centre will send some swimmers to Wellington for the carnivals. Dowsett, the 100yds New Zealand champion, was invited for tho carnivals on the 4th and 18th inst., but owing to injury to his leg he would not accept, still, we may get him later. ••• * . It is pleasing to note that the council are considering Jetting the centre have tho baths fairly regularly, this will be a great help to Bwimming, and very satisfactory to those who give their all in the interests of the sport unselfishly. The Tepid Baths question is to be the subject of representations to the council once again. Another very notable arrival in the local swimming world is Watson, late of Scotland. This swimmer has recorded 58seo for a 100yds, and is of the highest class. The writer was in conversation with him, and asked particularly about the coaching and training methods employed at Home. Mr Watson said that in Scotland swimmers spend hours solely concentrating on strokes, and are always on the lookout for mistakes. Coaches stress relaxation of the 'arms in recovery and lessening roll as much, as possible, especially in sprinting. In training for a hundred yards, Mr Watson said, the method employed by him is to swim 250 to 300 yards about five nights a week, at a good, hard pace in order to develop stamina, and then devote the other two nights to sprinting “all out.” One point, however, that he emphasised was that it was no good doing 200 or 300 yards whenever one felt incapable of it; more harm than good is done when a swimmer struggles on length after length when he is obviously done. Mr Watson is a decided acquisition to AVellington swimming, and tho Lyall Bay Club are indeed fortunate in gaining his membership. Tlie club’s Walker and Hall team looks very formidable with the following names to choose from: Watson, J. and W. Cameron. MoGili, Pocock, Ryan and Mollier. Otago News. —The opening carnival of the year, held on November 16th, was greeted by a packed house, which was most encouraging to officials and onthusiasts. C. Lewis is swimming well, and should ho retain his present form he will be hard to defeat at Auckland. • « • • Misses M. Jeplison and K. Miller ato out again, but could not concede three seconds to Miss Magee, late of Auckland, who practically kept her handicap throughout. R. Colder is diving very well, and should be bard to boat at Auckland. Otago lias always been strong in diving. and they have unearthed a nrotentinl champion in R. Payton a vouth who is already making a name for himself. t. Olds, hist year’s junior 220vdx champion, won the 100 • open handicap. covering the distance in 7lsec. which is splendid time for one so young. C. ,T. McLean, the all distance champion of Otago, could not catch Olds, although he must have done the , distance under fiffsen.

YACHTING Interest is maintained in the trials for the selection of the Wellington candidate for the Sanders Oup. With the racing in each trial it becomes increasingly evident that the selectors will have a hard task to choose the foairteen-footer which will put up the best performance at Lyttelton, because there is so much between the three Wellington boats in their suitability to the varied conditions. Peggy has been firmly established as the finest light weather boat; in fact, it is possible that there is nothing in New Zealand to touch her : in light weather when she is in the wind. The fourth trial held this week proved her prowess in fresh conditions. Winifred, which will he representing Otago in the Sanders Cup contests, is also essentially a light weather boat. If Wellington sends Peggy, and Otago sends Winifred, therefore, there will he gambling for light weather. Plenty of this—in fact, just a little hit too much —has been experienced at Lyttelton recently. But the chances are that light weather will not prevail for the whole duration of the races, and this gives rise to the question as to whether an all-round weather boat should be chosen to represent this province. Assuming that an all-round boat is to be chosen —which is by no means certain —two yachts are left for selection—All Black and Wellesley. Both of these craft perform well in anything like a full sail breeae and over. Upon all-round performances during the current season so far as it has gome, All Black shows a better record than Wellesley—both in club races and in the Oup trials. In the first trial she started about five seconds later than Wellesley (the start was not an organised affair but merely to test the sailing qualifications of the boats), and finished but two seconds behind her. In the second trial All Black lost about two minutes at the start by fiddling around with the leader (the crew’s own fault, certainly), and when Wellesley’s gaff broke well on in the race All Black was right on her hoels and but a few seconds behind.

The third trial was something of a disappointment, insofar as both. Wellesley and All Black went looking for the wind —Crawford seeking the westerly and White the easterly. White missed badly and drifted, while Peggy pursued her quiet way across the nnishing line, and All Black was well

ing fcv the .wind. That was a fluke, and nothing more. Then again in the club race AII Black performed well, having caught six minutes on Geisha in the first round of the course when Geisha capsized. 11l this race Wellesley did not give herself a chance because she got to the starting line ten minutes late. However, All Black waited for the Geisha at the starting line, and was then over ten minutes ahead of AVellesley when Geisha capsized. This is written, not in a desire to decry the qualifications of Wellesley, nor to provide an artificial boost for the capabilities of All Black. It must not go unnoticed, however, that these facts must count when the general question of selecting a boat is involved. All Black is the only boat that has been punctual at all trials bo far—by punctual it is meant the minute at which the starter’s flags are lowered. • * » Consideration, of all circumstances attending the merit® of the boats and inclusion of the risk which attaches to sending' a light weather boat might lead observers to the view that either All Black or Wellesley would be sent away for the cup races. Except Winifred, all other contestants will be Bona boats, and unless the weather is very Tight a good tussle will eventuate. True, it is a bit of a gamble, but to play safe it is suggested that the selectors will probably nave the craft which stands to average conditions. Starter Gendall was recently taken wildly to task for letting the boats away before Peggy was ready. His action has been perfectly justified in the subsequent action of the crews themselves. As the trials go on, the starting time becomes later, and if allowed to drift, there is no indication of what time the races might start. The starter of the Sanders Cup races at Lyttelton will not wait. And why should he when there is a sot time for starting? • • • • Atalanta, along with Seabird, is having an engine fitted. « • • * Galatea is not yet down from the slip—the owner is busy elsewhere. * * • * Plimmerton has had a good kickoff, and now it is Paremata’s day. Good luck to them also. Let’s hope that their opening goes with a swing and that town clubs are represented there. It seems almost possible that they might have a number of the club in one of the Sanders Cup boats this year —According to performances on the harbour recently. But that is in the air yet. The racing programme at Evans Bay is outlined below : December 4th.—Keelers; 18th, heelers, launches, centre-boarders. January 15th.—Keelers, launches, centre-boarders. February 12th.—Launches. centreboarders; 26th, keelers (Ocean Cup), launches, centre-boarders. March sth. —Keelers (Commodore Cup), launches, centre-boarders (Levin Cup); 19th, keelers (Holmes Cup), launches (Hislop trophy), centre-hoard-ers (George Cup). April 2nd.—Keelers, launches ("Newcomb© Cup), centre-hoarders (Burns trophy).

ROWING (By “Outrigger.”) The continuous southerlies of the past week have given the city clubs a most unusual spell of steady training, and Star crews have been able to get in a good deal of work. Early in the week there was talk of some possible changes in the club's regatta crews, and it is most unfortunate that these were not definitely announced until Thursday evening, as the crews as now constituted have lost several days of excellent rowing water. Even now the personnel of the crews is apparently not absolutely definite in all cases, but ‘ ‘Outrigger” understands that this is to be settled at once. The Star Club races are progressing satisfactorily. East Saturday the first and second heats of the senior doubles were rowed off in calm water, although rain fell incessantly throughout the afternoon. In the first heat Diehl (sir) and Cudby (bow) beat McLean (str) and Foden (bow) by about four lengths. From the start Diehl's crew led and the race ended in an easy victory for his crew. The second heat was won with a fair margin by Leask (str) and Whitaker (bow), from E. Waugh (str) and Lovell (bow). The final was rowed off on Monday evening under perfect weather conditions. An exciting race ensued, which resulted in a win by inches for Leask and Whitaker. Several heats of the junior pairs were also rowed off by Star. Thomas (str) and Webb (bow) defeated Bell (str) and McGibbon (bow); McLean (str) and Butler (bow) were defeated by Sampson (str) and Mitchell (bow); Bolton (str) and Hinklev (bow) defeated Walpole (str) and Russell (bow). Thomas was defeated by Bolton. The next race on the club's race programme is the ladies' fours. This will be rowed off to-day. providing the weather is suitable. The race will be open to all members of the club (including regatta men) and will be rowed through all heats and rounds to a finish over a course of about a quarter of a mile. • • • • The season 1926-7 in the annals of the Star Boating Club is likely to prove a record one. The regatta crews, with the exception of one or two members, which “Outrigger” will comment on at a future date, are likely to achieve success at one or other of the various regattas held during the season. It is not the policy of “Outrigger” to condemn any selection, but if any member of the club selected to represent it fails in his training he will not hesitate to do so. The match committee has this year psed its judgment in selecting crews, and it is up to those men to live up to the confidence reposed in them. A mention may be made here that the new club captain, Mr E. Diehl, is putting all the energy in bis power to lead the club to victory this season. “Outrigger” cannot forget the advice which was given to the club by Mr F. B. An.yon on many occasions, nil regatta crews and concentrate on oarsmanship in the club races.” Probn<t>iy time will prove that Mr Anyon was right, and that before a man can attain regatta status be must subject himself to club races discipline, and so prove his worth to represent his club afield.

to the bad weather that' prevailed during the past week, the Petone oarsmen had no chance to row any races off at all. The Senior Tremain fours, the Harlen fours and the Mothes pairs will be rowed off to-day providing the weather and water conditions are favourable. • * • • The destruction of two new dab fours in the fire at Edward’s boatsheds, Melbourne, creates an unfortunate position for the Wanganui Club, which has been holding off for the arrival of these boats before starting its programme of four-oar club races. The actual loss does not fall on the dub, as the destroyed craft had not left the builders’ hands, and an immediate repeat order was cabled as soon as the bad news came.