SPORTING NOTES.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1000, 21 February 1883, Page 2

SPORTING NOTES.

(By Look-on.) Patea cricketers will no doubt be glad to learn that Mr H. Coutts, lately a prominent member of the P.C.C., has been distinguishing himself up North. He recently organised, and was elected captain

of, the Northern Wairoa Team, which paid a visit to Auckland, where they played five matches, winning two, drawing two, and losing one. Mr Coutts performed very successfully, both in bowling and batting, and tbe Auckland papers speak very well of his performances. The annual|boat race, Otago v. Canterbury, will be rowed on Friday next on the Taieri; not the Heathcote, as I said last week. Of the three races alreadj' decided Canterbury has won two and Otago one. The annual subscription to the Otago Cricket Association is only half-a-crown, and the association boasts of over three hundred playing members. The two important questions of the present day among English footballers are the sending of a team to Australia, and the substitution of the round for the oval ball in the Rugby game. “ Sir Launcelot,” in tbe Canterbury Times , gives the following tip for the Dunedin Cup, which was run to-day* Bundoora 1, Salvage 2, King Quail 3, * The recent cricket match, Canterbury v Otago, is the twentieth one played between the two provinces, of these Canterbury has won twelve, Otago seven, and one was drawn. The one just completed was the closest game yet played, the most decisive one being in 1881, when Canterbury, mainly owing to Watson’s fine score of 175, won by an innings and 232 runs.

At Blenheim races held last week, the Marlborough cup was won by Hero, a local horse, with Hippodamia second. In the Racing Club Handicap of 100 sovs, the two horses again finished in the same order. Mr Pollock’s bad luck still sticks to him.

Some very high scoring was recently done in a cricket match St Kilda v South Melbourne. The latter went in first, and when the stumps were drawn at six o’clock had lost six wickets for 529, Slight having scored 279, and Rosser 192. The most successful horse during the past English racing season was Shotover, who in five races won £12,205, Macheath coming next with £10,598, in eight races. The amount given in stakes during the season was £400,000, the added money amounting to £263,329.

The great match England v. Australia commenced on Saturday last, and by the time this appears in print will no doubt be concluded. The Englishmen won the toss and went in first, and when stumps were drawn for the da}', the score stood at 263 for 9 wickets, Steele being not out with 135. On Monday no s addit : on was made to the score, the innings closing for 263. The Australians, at the close of play on Monday, had lost 9 wickets for 249. On Tuesday the innings .closed for 262, Bonner being fop scorer 87, Blackham next with 57. The Englishmen have now put together 197 in their second innings, Bates with 38 (not out) being top scorer. The Australians have thus to make 199 runs to win, which I am afraid they will find too much for them.