SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9992, 12 March 1910, Page 3

SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

(By^'Hercules.")

CRICKET. Another example of the unexpected happening was given last Saturday, when Masterton seniors defeated Cartertons Seniors by three wickets. This match was commenced on January sth, when after the most exciting match played in Wairarapa Carterton secured a lead on the first innings of two runs, and had started their second innings with two for fifty. Neither team was fully represented, Carterton being without the of Prow, G. Williams, S. Sievers and Phelps, and Masterton being minus Logan and Waters. Carterton put.together 132, J. M. Beechey being top srorer with 32 to his credit. Hawke 24 was the only other batsman to reach double figures for Carterton on the day's play. Masterton again are indebted to one of their youngest players for winning the matqh, P. Hooper who opened With Perry, carrying his bat for 68. His score was obtained by hard hitting, all round the wicket, and he received a well merited ovation when he returned to the pavilion. He gave a chance when his score was at 62, which was not held. Masterton's win by three wickets, : is,tbe first reverse the Carterton aen- ! ior teain have sufferedjth is year* ' .Should Carlton defeat - Master-ton to-day, aji occurrence which will riot ( come as a surprise to many, * arid ; Carlton also beat Carterton on the ? 19th, which it is very doubtful they i wilt,' thp three teams will, be equal " for the senior championship. The annual representative match between the Wellington schools and - the Wairarapa ecfibols will take place on the school ground, Masterton, on Saturday, the 19 th fast. ; The Premiership for the Thursday championship between Carlton and .Carterton will be resumed on Thursday, at Carterton." Carlton compiled 176 in their first innings, and Carter- ; ton have one down for 7. Each club i . ;Mve their best teams in the field, and i a good game should result. The muddle that was made in junior fixtures last week was ver^,unfortunate, as 1 three out of the five teams had no cricket. Occurrences such as these demonstrate the need of a committee, as most other Associations : I have to manage junior affairs.

The selector, Mr &reer # bas chosen the following to represent Manawatu < in the forthcoming match against the Australians: - Ongley, • Bartlett, ,G?eer, Wells, Trevena, i O'Cannor, McLean (captain)Goldsprihg, Holland. Mitchell, Cobbe, Mckenzie, Coyne. Emergencies—Mason, Erye, Churchill. Eleven of the jabove thir-

teen will field, but thirteen Victoria, although defeated tinker ( quest for the Sheffield Shield, is making up for it now, as witness hesr huge scores against Queensland, Tasmania,, and Western Australia, to say nothins of the last game South Australia. ; -The selection ! of i. Mcß'arlane , 'j(btago) in the New; Zealand team came as a complete surprise to those not "in the know. " . The surprises to those who' were in the know are Oliif, of Auckland, and ' Sims, of 'Christchtirch.' expected Macart''tfey, Carlton, Relf, and Boar J to be included, but the line was wisely drawn. ;, 7 - V :>- : ; According to that excellent Home •publicatipn, "Cricket," Mr A.E.Relf' j will receive £SOO for his services as 1 ("coach" in Auckland -about three 1 1 1. 1 <. ■. ■ ■ ■ u months' work. In previous, seasons, [ says the same authority, he' was paid I next winter will be spentt in India' liwith an'old cricketing friend of 'his'i The crack all-rounder has this to, say: "Coaching" is an absolute essential, here or anywhere 1 else, for <the young player. In employing a i'coach'' the 'penny-wise-pound-fool'-' Jiah* policy iB unwise. Get the best ( man available ana pay him well. Yes; an all-round player who can demonstrate what he • preaches—one not only an expert cricketer, but a man reliable morally, who could enforce his discipline easily, and be looked up to." The refusal of the'Gtago Cricket Association to accede to the terms' which Gallaway. sought to impose if: he should represent Otago against the Australians has led to the cir-' culation ,of certain rumpQrß"respecalleged tb \ have been made to members of the Otago tearri against Auckland for the Plunket Shield. '♦Nemo," writing to the editor of "The Sportsman," remarks:-~lf the

Earth challenged Mara to a cricket match, would the following team, in the opinion of your readers, adequately represent the Earth J. K. Mason (captain), Hobbs, Rhodes, Lille.y (England), Armstrong, Ransford, Bardsley (Australia), Nourse, Faulkner, Vogler (South Afrcia), and King (America)? The campaign of the English team at present in South Africa is interestingly couched on by the "Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News" in the following notes: —Most followers of cricket in this country felt from the outset that it would come in the natoe of a pleasant surprise if the M,C.C. team won the rubber of the series of Test matches in South Africa. We need not yet despair of the unexpected; but it was sadly disappointing to follow the trend of the first game at Johannesburg. It may be a mere coincidence that during recent years England has consistently displayed a lack of ability to struggle out of tight corners, but the frequency with which Australians and South Africans have excelled themselves when the outlook has been blackest cannot fail to arouse a sense of appreciation of their fighting, qualities, For a time in the latest passage of International cricket England's prosptcts were rosy in the extreme. When Hobbs and Rhodes were making such a splendid stand for the first wicket, there were even visions of a single innings victory. And the South Africans won by 19 runs!

One goes from home to hear news. A correspondent of the "Canterbury Times" says—Allegations of unsportsmanlike tactics on the part of the Australians, with a view of) compassing the defeat of Auckland in the late match, have reached this city, but they are accepted with a ver:y great degree of caution. The Aucklanders are feeling very sore at going under to the visitors after their fine performances in the Plunket Shield matches with Wellington, Canterbury and Otago, and this may account for the present reports being in circulation. Members of the Australian team, on their arrival from the North on Wednesday, en route to Christchurch, are reported to have complained of the « way in which they were treated by the Northern Association's officials as u whole, though the hospitality meted out to them by private citizens could not have been excelled. That there is some feeling between the visitors and the officials is evident from the remarks of the parties interested.

FOOTBALL. More than a month ago representatives of the New South Wales, New Zealand, and Queensland Unions met iti Sydney to discuss matters cbrmected with the game, une matter of importance discussed was the alteration of rules of the game. Suggestions and recommendations were drawn' up, and no doubt will be considered by the N.S.W. Union and the English Union. In view of the near approach of the season, it would be interesting to know when the rules are likely to be adopted. Amongsc the rules suggested was that relating to the 5 yards throw-in. Admittedly that is a very good one, and should be adopted, as also should one providing that when the ball is kicked or carried into touch it should belong to the side not so "offending." This would prevent a defending side from continually running out with the ball when closely pressed. The secretary of the Otago Rugby Union has been advised by the New Zealand Union that a close season for football in the Dominion has never been defined, and consequently individual unions can act as they please in regard to playing at Easter. A Wellington writer says there is ; the best of authority foi stating that P. Roberts, the famous "All Black" | half back, will not be seen in the j football arena again, at least in a playing capacity. An application from Mr T. Parata for permission for a New Zealand Maori team to visit Australia came before the Management f'oiiimittee of the New Zealand Rugby Union last week. It waa decided to consult the New South Wales authorities before replying. It is stated in Wellington that a visit to New Zealand from a South African team in 1911 is more than possible. Tbe British team to visit South Africa this season is expected to be one of remarkable strength. It will be chosen from England, Wales, | Scotland and Ireland This intorma- ' tion by cable is merely confirmation of mail news.