SUMMER SPORTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24422, 7 October 1940, Page 4

SUMMER SPORTS

A FLYING START PROMISING OPENING TO SEASON If ever a season for summer sports started with favourable weather omens it is the season which is at present going through its preliminaries in Dunedin. After an exlracrdinary fine and dry winter, sunshine and mild temperatures are still of the quality to dispel fears that might be entertained by summer sports devotees that the break would come just when they least wanted it. Those responsible for the preparations of bowling and croquet lawns and cricket wickets are having to contend with the unusual difficulty of undue dryness; but they have been able to make such an early and confident start that conditions should be splendid when the competitive programmes are entered into. This state of affairs was reflected on Saturday, when most of the cricket clubs and several bowling clubs held their official openings in almost perfect conditions. Tennis players have, of course, got away to an even earlier start, and all of the various other sports are also now settling down to real business. All clubs have naturally suffered from losses to the armed forces: but in spite of the gaps so caused, there have been excellent musters and satisfactory lists of new members. Saturday was not the best of days for club openings because of the counter attraction of the Carnival Olympia at the Caledonian Ground. Nevertheless, there was little cause for complaint at the openings of the newly - combined Albion - Y.M.C.A. Cricket Club, or the University, Dunedin, Old Boys. Kaikorai and the several junior clubs whose members had their first loosening-up at the nets. Members of the Roslyn, Caversham, North-East Valley and probably one or two other bowling clpbs were similarly enthusiastic, and their openings were more like normal because of the relatively fewer losses to the services. If only other conditions were normal Dunedin summer sports bodies would be entering the new season with great optimism. As it is, the elements are promising to provide as much compensation as possible for the temporary loss of so many members.