Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954), Saturday 2 October 1937, page 8


Sporting Spotlights

Merv. Weaie with Glenelg — Bradman and Grimmett to' play regularly with Kensington

— New Cycling Tracks — Famous Ernie Jones. By Barrier-ite QNE of South Australia's finest allrounders in sport is 27-year-old Merv. Waite, interstate cricketer and well-known footballer. Waite has played 100 games in league football and has scored quite a shoal of goals. He has figured prominently in interstate cricket, too. Many regard him as a rival all-rounder to Vic Richardson, who has such a distinguished record in this State. Waite has never played Test cricket, although he has been on the threshhold of it. He played on one occasion for an Australian eleven team in Sydney — and performed creditably. This season he should again be one of the stars in district and Sheffield Shield games. Waite. who took over the position of curator at Glenelg Oval in March last, will play for Glenelg this season. He has been shaping splendidly at the nets in the last few weeks with bat and ball. In discussing performances this week, Waite told me that he has been playing district cricket for 12 years — he started as a lad 15 years of age — and interstate matches for seven vears. Last week-end he was on tour with the Glenelg football club at Port Augusta. STARS TO APPEAB Kensington district club should be well served this season with Bradman and Grimmett, playing much more regularly. The secretary of the club (Mr. J. R. Keogh), who, by the way, has been mainly responsible for the fine conditioning of the picturesque oval at Kensington, said this week that both Bradman and Grimmett's absence in most games robbed the club of a lot of its lustre last season. However, they were both settled down to practice for the season which opened today, and with a better balanced side, Kensington should give as fine account of itself as it did in 1935-6. Bradman is leading the first team, and the former interstate player, E. L. Bowley, who is practice captain for the club, is captain of the second eleven. CYCLING AT HILL /''JYCLING, which has been one of the ^J most colorful sports in the country, lost some popularity because of indifferent tracks and low stake money. However, a big revival is planned at Broken Hill following the mining companies' expressed intention of equipping firstclass tracks at Penrose Park and the Western Oval. A Broken Hill Cycling Club has been formed, with Ron Hempel, well-known country rider, as secretary. Hempel is a team-mate of Keith Thurgood, former Broken Hill boy, who ranks as one of Australia's greatest riders. Together with Moritz and Toseland, Thurgood is the scratch man of the South Australian division of this year's classic 'Warrnambool.' Hempel and Thurgood were close rivals on the tracks in the country, but Thurgood's stamina on the roads was more pronounced. ERNIE JONES CAME FROM THE BARRIER For many years Broken Hill sportsmen have wanted a turfed oval, and their ambition has been realised at last. Strong financial assistance lent by the mining companies, and the prevalence of 'busy bees.' has moulded as fine an oval as will be seen outside Sydney. The ground will be opened in December, when a N.S.W. Sheffield shield side will probably play at the Hill. Efforts were made to get Queensland and South Australian elevens to play there, but, according to latest advices, those teams have a full programme mapped out. Broken Hill, while hoping to produce some star cricketers on the new oval, recalls with some pleasure the fact that the Barrier produced one of Australia's finest cricketers, Ernie ('Jonah') Jones Before coming to Adelaide, Jones played delightful football and cricket with Barrier teams.