ENG-1953 — Page 224

GENERAL SPORT

ture football pitch put into use.

The Pool Grounds scheme, which was started in 1952, has proved most successful and the grounds available are being utilized to the utmost.

The Hong Kong Football Club and the South China Athletic Association completed new stadia and now provide concrete seating accommodation for 16,000 and 18,000 people, respectively. A further increase is planned for next year to the former, when it is hoped to add 2,000 additional seats. Work was commenced on the Government stadium at Sookunpoo, which will provide a football pitch of international size and a mile running track, with accommodation for 29,500 spectators, some of it under cover.

Association Football. This sport still maintains its position as the most popular game in the Colony and the Hong Kong Football Association continued its policy of encouraging interest in the game by bringing visiting teams to the Colony. The first Central European team to visit Hong Kong, the Linz Athletic Club from Vienna, came at Chinese New Year. Their standard of football was not as high as that of the previous visitors from Scandinavia and Hong Kong was able to win the middle game. In April, the first team from Indonesia to visit the Colony succeeded in winning all three games. The Aw Hoe Cup interport competition with Singapore was played in the same month and won by Hong Kong after a replay. This was followed up by a win against Macao. In November, the Djurgarten team came from Stockholm, and beat Hong Kong in all three games played.

Cricket. Cricket continues to flourish but fails to attract the Chinese except at the University. This is in direct contrast to Singapore where many Chinese play the game. Attempts are being made to popularize the game by teaching it in the schools, and steps are being taken to recommence the interport series with Singapore. It is hoped that club cricketers will be able to visit Bangkok in 1954.

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