OUT DOOR SPORTS

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 86, 6 May 1882, Page 124

OUT DOOR SPORTS

Baker's team was weaker in bowling than their opponents. O'Brien did very well with the leather. Leahy 18, and E. Beale 12, both batted very well last Saturday. O'Brien, who was bowled for 13, did some of the best batting in the scratch match last Saturday. Nab. Mears made two very good catches on Saturday last. Bookes made three (not out) last Saturday, and has been bragging übout it ever since. At the Christchurch bicycle races the other day J. Scarell won the ten miles open handicap. The eighteen feet open sailing boat Hettie has been purchased by Mr Cunningham, of Ponsonby. l: Some new and desirable blood will be introduced into the local football teams this season. C. Strange had the best bowling average in the Canterbury-Midland Cricket Club last season, the analysis showing 3*l runs per wicket. Cricket is now completely demoralized, and the sooner the football season is commenced, the better for all concerned. A sailing race will probably take place between ; Mr Parson's sixteen feet and Mr Culpan's eighteen feet boats. Dufaur bowled " a few " last Saturday, but he was nowhere at batting. Arty despatched him for a big round O. The recent heavy weather has hastened the close of the boating season, and a large number of small craft are already hauled \ip for the winter. The Auckland Victorias defeated the Wairoa rifles with 57 points to spare in the final match last Saturday. The race for £10 a-side between the sailing boats Olive and Euby did not take place last Saturday, a postponment having been arranged by mutual consent. The average wagering in Auckland on the champion sculling match was about 2 to 1 on Hanlan. " Mick " should be thankful that nobody was enterprising enough to give him the £300 to £100. Several cricket matches were to have been plnyed in the Domain last Saturday afternoon, but owing to the weatber, only sufficient men turned up to form a scratch match. Clarke's yacht Janet and the Auckland-builfc Taniwha were to have sailed a race at Melbourne last Saturday, but no news of the result has yet been received. The mile championship race at Dunedin was won easily by Burke of thao place, Pagan having given up when three hundred yards from home. The stakes were £50 a-side, O'Brien, the Australian champion, was presented with a gold ring by several admirers at the conclusion of the performance in the Lome-street Hall on Saturday evening. Pheasants are wretchedly scarce in the neighbourhood of town this season, and the grumbling of sportsmen is loud and deep in consequence. There is too much shooting out of season carried on to permit the birds to thrive. O'Brien failed in his attempt to travel 75 miles in twelve hours on Saturday. He had two nasty falls, and the second oae injured his shoulder considerably. About four miles was covered in the last lap, and the total distance covered was 65J miles. The sculling match between Hanlan (Canadian) and Tricketfc (Australian) for £500 a-sido, took place over the Thames championship course on Monday last, and was won easily by the former, who, the cablegrams say, frequently stopped to play with his opponent. Betting was four to one on the champion in England. The following are the highest averages in the Canterbury Midland Cricket Club : — Strange, 19 innings, 511 runs ; average, 28.4. Watson, 20 innings, 450 runs ; average, 28.1. Buchanan, 13 innings, 245 runs ; average, 24.5. Atack, 16 innings, 270 runs ; average, 20.8. Watson, 136. Strange, 104 and Washer 103, were" the only men who accomplished the century in an innings. The following interesting item appears amongst the Sydney telegrams in a Melbourne paper : — "A wellknown New Zealand sportsman offers to back four men in New Zealand to row any four in Australia in fouroarcd outriggers for £500 a-side. He will take £150 to £100, and match Hearn, champion sculler of New Zealand, to row either the brothers Edwards, of Victoria, in best boats." O'Brien did not look at all in good condition when he had started on his twelve hours "go-as-you-please " on Saturday, and bets were made that he would not hold out the speoified time. His endurance was greater than was anticipated, as (notwithstanding his accidents) the champion kept a steady pace up till 11 o'clock, covering about four-miles-and-a-half in the last hour. On a more suitable course, and in better condition, there is no doubt O'Brien would go very close to the 75 miles. A sailing-race took place last Saturday between the eighteen feet open sailing boat Hettie (Cunningham), Ino (Dowden), and a boat recently built for Mr Culpan by Carr. The couwe lay from Ponsonby, round the Daphne and back ; and as there was plenty of wind, the distance was quickly accomplished. Victory fell to the lot of the Hettie, while Culpan's boat was second, and Dowden's nowhere. The stakes were nominal, honour being the object of the race. It may be mentioned that owing to the canvas of Cnlpan's boat having been speedily reduced before the contest, the little.craft was overweighted with a large mast, which militated against her success.