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April 29, 1896.]
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of the ball), is nevertheless guilty of danger ous riding" and therefore under rule 41 incurs the same penalty as "crossing" and also renders himself liable to rule 7. An umpire cannot be too severe in these cases, as such, together with "
crossing," have been the causes of many if not all the accidents that have occurred at Polo.
duties of
My next article will be on the each player."
ON LOOKER.
DUTIES OF PLAYERS AT POLO.
Having discussed the rules of the game we are now in a position to review the several duties of each player.
No. 1.
(a.)-He should be well mounted on & "handy" pony, and fast, and should recognise that on his unselfishness much of the success of the game depends. (b.)-His primary duty is to "ride off" the "back" and prevent getting "off side," and, further, when "off side
to get on side as quickly as he can. Taking that his general position is near the "back" of the opposing side, it alters at differ- ent stages of the game and perhaps we cannot do better than to take some of the positions he should fill.
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t
"1
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When the ball is being thrown in his position is nearest the ball; he should endeavour to in- tercept the ball by his stick or his pony, and if successful he should immediately ride on, leaving the ball for his No. 2 to hit, who, in his turn (if he gets possession), will either ride on with it or, leaving it for his No. 3, ride on to keep his opponents off, according to circumstances. Me-. thod of this nature generally results in success. When his side have possession, No. 1 should ride forward and try and keep the "back of the opposite side off the ball. If he cannot actually do this he should nevertheless try, as by doing so he disconcerts the "back" and gener- ally spoils his stroke. This is where a good No. 1 shines. I have known cases where by riding in in what appeared to be a forlorn chance of reaching the "back" ere he made his stroke, No. 1 has so disconcerted him as to cause him to miss the ball or just top it, and gaining possession himself has sailed in and hit a goal. Under any circumstances he can do no harm, for if the "back" gets his stroke and rides forward with the ball his (the back's) No. 3 should fall back and thus No. 1, wheeling round and getting "on side," is in a favourable position to ride No. 3 off, to whom he should devote his atten- tion when the "back" goes up. When the ball is being hit in from behind his adversary's goal his position is in line with the 30 yard flag and facing the ball. As soon as it is over the line he should, selecting a line parallel to its direction of travel, ride in and try and put the "back" off his stroke. Weak attempts to do this
are naturally attended with failure; but determined attempts on a fast pony invariably do some good and often result in complete success.
When the ball is being hit in from behind his own goal his position is near No. 3 of the op- posing side, but irrespective of him he should be on the same side of the ground as the ball is coming out on and as soon as it passes No. 2 of his opponents he should ride on to the "back." There are occasions when, being surrounded by opponents, he should take the ball on himself and then ride the "back" off. When the ball has been hit behind his goal by one of his own side and is being brought out he should start at a gallop with the ball as it is struck and either ride on ahead to ride off the first oppon- ent who endeavours to intercept it, or feeling that his own side have or will lose possession he should take it on himself. When a corner hit is being made against him he should ride hard for the ball, coming as much in the direction from which it was hit as he can, so as to place himself in possession as against his opponents who are out in the field of play, as they will then under rule 26 have to give way to him, provided they cannot hit the ball before he gets there; he must therefore be careful not to foal a player who manages to hit the ball before he gets to him, as he will then himself be contravening
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
rule 26. These are the special positions of No. 1, whose duties being the most important on the field call for more comment than the others. In other positions he should be near the "back of the opposing team and ready at any time to ride off for his own side any opponent who may at the moment be in a position to interfere with the would-be striker of the ball. It may be fairly said that games are generally saved, and invariably won, by good, unselfish Nos. 1.
No. 2.
(a). He is primarily responsible for keep.
ing the ball in the adversary's terri tory.
64
(b).—He should be ready at all times to "ride No. 3 off" and to "ride off" at all times when his own No. 3 or
back" is in possession. (c.)-He should take No. 1's place and ride the "back" off when No. 1 gets pos- session of the ball and keeps it. No. 2's duties are mixed up freely with No. 1's and what applies to No. 1 with regard to back" applies to No. 2 with regard to No. 3. He should never hesitate to hit the ball unless
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he sees his own No. 3 behind him and an un-
challenged opponent in front, when he should ride that opponent off and leave the ball to No. 3. When the ball is being hit out from behind his goal under rule 20 he generally hits it out.
No. 3.
(a). He is the hitter, and upon his expert- ness in this direction the fastness of the game depends.
(b). He should always cover his "back" when the latter goes forward with the ball.
(c)-He should always ride to save a goal
in case the "back" fails to do so.
"Back.'
(a).—The "back" is the reserve or defen- der in the game. He should be a good hitter, both forward and back handed, should be on a fast pony, and very
'handy."
(b). He should avoid meeting the ball or
taking cross hits.
(c).-He should not play too close up to the others, but should always be sufficiently near to be ready to back his side up or to stop the ball entering his territory.
The "back" is a very important man in a losing game, especially as time after time he will be called upon to save his side when he is being, in all probability, pressed by the other side. He therefore requires to be a cool headed player, with lots of judgment, able to take in the position of the players at a glance. The difference between a good back and a bad one is very apparent in the way he plays the ball. The former will invariably play it to his own side, and if they are away he will play it away from in front his goal, whether he be playing it forward or taking a back hander, but more He looks to No. 3 especially in the latter case. to assist him out of difficulties and should never be entirely unsupported. As a rule, he should be the captain of the team and his instructions should be law.
事多
A well drilled team will not only exemplify the carrying out of all the foregoing duties, but they will demonstrate what may be termed cohesive and intelligent play. You will seldom see them také the ball down the ground, after experiencing great difficulty in doing so, and getting it to one side of the goal recklessly hit at it and drive it behind the goal line; but as soon as all hope of correcting its direction is over an intelligent player will try to "centre it, and cohesion in a team will ensure one of his own side being on the look out for the ball when "centred" to drive it through between the posts. Maxims" Never jostle your own side; never ride too near your own side when backing him up; never ride past him on either side, close to, when he is just taking the ball;" and always give way if you consider he has a better chance of scoring than yourself; always avoid hitting the ball on the "near" side when you can hit it on the "off." If you pay bat ordinary attention to these injunctions you will soon acquire the reputation of being a good Polo player,
44
ON LOOKER.
365
THE LAWN TENNIS TOURNAMENTS
The following ties have been played of during the week :-
22ND APRIL, Professional Pairs.-Eccles and Ferguson beat Potts and Stewart-8-6, 1-6, 6-4.
Double-Handicap.-Smith and Atkinson beat Percival and Knox.
B. Class Handicap.-Donald beat Fredericks —1-6, 6-1, 6-3, Hanisch beat Wood-6-0, 6-1. 23RD APRIL.
I
Double Handicap.-Hanisoh and Wade, re- ceive 15, beat Hazeland and Gale, scratch- 6-2, 6-1.
A "Class Handicap.-Anton, owe 15.1, beat Maitland, owe 30. Potts, owe 15. Skelton, owe 15, beat F.
"B" Class Handicap.-Belilios, receive † 15, beat Mancell, owe 30.
24TH APRIL.
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Championship-Knox beat Slade-4-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2.
Double Handicap-Mancell and Skelton, owe 15, beat Deacon and Hume, receive 15- 5-7, 6-2, 6-0.
"A" Class Single Handicap-Firth, owe 30,- beat Ferguson, scratch-~6-3, 3-6, 6-0.
(lawyers) beat Brown and Mackay (merchants) Professional Pairs-Mounsey and Grist
6-2, 3-6. 6-3.
25TH APRIL.
Double Handicap.-Firth and F. Maitland, owe 30, beat Tomes and Stewart, owe 115.—5-7, 6-4, 6-1. Ram and Potts, owe 15.1, beat Cruickshank and Gresson, scratch.—7-5, 6-1.
A." Class Single Handicap-Atkinson, owe. $15, beat Gresson, owe $15.-6-2, 6-1.
15, beat Deacon, owe 15.-6-0 6-0.
"B" Class Handicap.-O. Stewart, receive
Professional Pairs.-Percival and Knox, Army, beat Padday and Hume, bankers.
26TH APRIL.
Double Handicap.-Inglis and E. W. Mait- land, owe . 15, beat Ezekiel and Anderson, receive 15.
"A" Class Single Handicap. Johnston, owe 15.1, beat Mounsey, owe ‡ 15.-8-6, 6-1. Atkin- son, owe 15, beat Skelton, owe 15.-6-3, 6-3. Professional Pairs: Percival and Knox, Army, beat Eccles and Ferguson, Army.- 6-2, 6-2.
H.K.V.C. FIELD BAITERY.
The first of a series of six competitions for & Winchester rifle presented by Captain MacCal- lum and subscription spoons took place on Saturday, on the Police Range. Twenty-five members of the Battery competed, the highest scores being as under:
Sergt. McPhail
(Winner of Spoon) Gunner Meek
(Winner of Spoon) Sergt. Hayward Gunner Fisher
Corp. Henderson.
200 400 500
32 32 23
26 27 15
27 26 26 29 21 19 13 29 27 24
H'cap.
Ti points
87
18 86
3
82
82
RIFLE MATCHES.
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"CENTURION RIFLE CLUB v. POLICE. A match took place on the 23rd April be- tween the above teams, resulting in a victory for the Centurion. Some very fine shooting was made, in which A.B. Jones, P. O. Watts, P. O. Gordon, and Sergts. McLennon and Scott distinguished themselves. the total scores :-- "CENTURION.'
P.0.101. Watts
A. B. Jones
Mr. Saunders P.O. 2nd CL. Gordon Sergt. Box
The following are
96
POLICE. Sergt. Scott.......
83
92 Sergt. McLennon. 82
90
Insp. Butlin...
81
90
Sergt. Ritchie
81
81
Sergt. Robertson... 80
75
Insp. Duncan Sergt. Melver.. 66 Sergt. Withers
71
54
598
CENTURION"
Gunner Tothill 74 A.B. Janes A. B. Edwards...... 71
669
RIFLE BRIGADE v. H.M.8.
(RETURN.)
The above was fired on the 23rd April at Kow. loon, and resulted in a substantial victory for the