ENG-1962 — Page 374

SPORT AND RECREATION

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scene in early matches, but as the season progressed the arrival of talented new players for the police and army sides, stiffened competition. Each year brings a number of international fixtures; one of the most popular being the annual visit of Singapore Services who invariably field a strong side. This year the Far East Fleet also produced strong teams in a series of friendly matches. The highlight of the 1962 cricket season was the visit in March of a Commonwealth team captained by Richie Benaud, Australia's Test skipper. The team, which included Everton Weekes, Tom Graveney, Sonny Ramadhin, Ian Meckiff and Neil Adcock, played three one-day matches against Colony sides, creating considerable interest and drawing capacity crowds. Throughout the season competition in league games was keen and high standards were maintained. Several promising young players were seen for the first time.

Bigger crowds than ever attended the races at Happy Valley and the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club's 1961-2 season saw new records for both gate receipts and totalizator returns. On three occasions the amount invested on an ordinary race was more than one million dollars, thus exceeding the record stakes invested on the totalizator at Epsom for the Derby. The stewards carry out improvements for each new season, the latest including installation of a more robust type of starting gate, imported from Australia, and the banking of the final turn leading into the home straight.

Golf continues to attract many new players and all clubs have long waiting lists. The Hong Kong Open Championship, held in March, again proved the year's most popular event with several thousand spectators witnessing an exciting tournament between leading professionals from 13 countries. The winner was an Australia, Len Woodward, who thus followed in the footsteps of his countrymen, Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle.

During the 1962 season of the Hong Kong Lawn Bowls Associa- tion, 15 clubs entered 28 teams in the three men's divisions and 13 in the Ladies League. The First Division of the Men's League was won by the Club de Recreio (Blue), while the Second Division was a runaway victory for the Filipino Club (Blue). Kowloon Cricket Club won the First Division of the Ladies League. Miss Helen Kwong, of Craigengower Cricket Club, won the Ladies Singles trophy for the third time and proved herself the outstanding