ON THE PLAYING FIELDS

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 984, 2 September 1903, Page 4

ON THE PLAYING FIELDS

EANDOM NOTES. |By " Bii'fek,”] In these days of referees’ associations and referees’ conferences, it would be thought that a uniform reading of the laws of the game of Bugby football would obtain in this colony at least. It appears such is not the case, however. Commenting on the Hawke’s Bay-Canterbury match,Dropkick ” has the following to say in the Weekly Press : —“lt was evident during Saturday’s match that the rulings on one or two points differ in the North and South Islands. The chief point that cropped up was in regard to Eule 11, which says that free kicks by way of penalties shall be awarded ‘ if any player (b) being on the ground does not immediately get up,’ . Several times the Hawke’s Bay men appealed for a free kick against an opponent who had boen grassed, but, as the ball had not been held, sent a pass to a man who was backing him up, The contention of the Northern men was that under such circumstances the man on the ground could not play the ball with his hands, but ouly with his feet. That eems to be stretching the rules altogether oo much. The following case was put to one of the visitors: A man running with the ball has got past all his opponents when he falls. What is he to do ? The reply was that he must get up and dribble the ball a yard before he could pick it up again. It is difficult to see what rule gives authority for such an interpretation.” It is evident that neither the Hawke’s Bay players nor “ Dropkick ” clearly understand the law on this point. [ The Woffington Union’s Annual for the present season makes it cloar that im--1 mediately a : player is on the ground he is to all intents and purposes out of the game, and cannot interfere with the ball " in any way until he gets on his feet again. * If he passes the ball while he is lying on the ground, he most certainly trangresses 1 the law, 0 “ Dropkick.” C. B. Fry, the Sussex amateur batsman, is in splendid form this season. His average at the beginning of August was ’ 86-5, and his aggregate 1,732 runs, His last five innings have been 160, 232 not out, 5, 200, and 74. If he continues in | his present form, Fry will upset all existing records. This season’s big cricket event in England—Gentlemen v. Players, at Lord’s—was an extraordinary match. The professionals opened with a fine display of < batting, which realised 478 runs—of which Knight, the Leicestershire professional, who is coming to Australia this year with Warner’s team, made 139 in grand style. The amateurs could only reply with 185, and it looked as if they were in for a bad beating. But in the follow on, the Players’ bowling was completely collared, and exactly 500 runs were put on for the loss of only two pickets. The batsmen who brought about this remarkable alteration were Warner (27), Eanjitsinbji (60), C. B. Fry (232 not out), and A. C. Maclaren (168 not out). The innings was closed at this stage, and the game was drawn when the Players had scored 55 for the loss of on,, *■ -,easoa tpjired New Zealand which lasi _ Warner's captaincy and Australia unaei -' Warner, took part in this match, Hessio Burnup, Dowson, and Bosanquet playing i for the Gentlemen, and Hargreave and Trott for the Piavers. I