The billiard question most likely to be put now is:" What chance would Lindrum have with Gray?"and it is a rather difficult one to reply to, for the reason that, while the youngster has had continuous play in public twice daily for six months, Lindrum has had very few opportunities to improve his skill Perhaps the best way to size up their chances would be to analyze their two greatest games in Australia—the game in which Gray made his 836 break, and Lindrum's bout with Williams the other week, when he put up 821. Both contests were 16,000 up, and each player relied greatly on red ball play as the medium for point-making.
We will take Gray's performance for comparison. In all he made 34 breaks exceeding the century, against Lindrum's 42 in the late game. Both players made two breaks over 800—Gray 800 and 836, Lindrum 800 and 821; in 500 breaks Gray made 3, Lindrum 1; 400, Gray 3, Lindrum 2; 300, Gray 5, Lindrum 9; 200, Gray 10, Lindrum 9; 100, Gray 11, Lindrum 19. Gray made the highest breaks, but lacked the consistency of Lindrum, for whereas the latter averaged 58.6, Gray's average was almost 15 per innings less—43.48.
The difference in their averages is most important, for it shows that in the games under review Lindrum's form was 30 in 100 better than Gray's.
Of course Gray has undoubtedly improved in the interim, but with the same opportunity Lindrum, by keeping to the Gray red medium of scoring, should improve and make breaks quite as large and as consistently as Gray has done during the past six months.
Limit the red ball's play—as it probably will be limited in some way— and Lindrum would tower over his young countryman; for he is not a one-shot merchant, and can accommodate himself to any alterations that might be made in the present code. In fact, he is in favour of an alteration himself.
"Billiards is not a two-ball game," remarked Lindrum in an interview recently. "It should be played with the three balls, and I think that those who control the game should invite alterations of the rules, that the three balls should be brought into play more frequently than my young friend George does."
"Well, does not Gray have to start his game with three balls?"
"Yes. I admit that, but in most of his big breaks he potted the white right away, so as to get it off the table and out of the way. That is what I mean by making a two-ball game of it."
"Can you blame him?"
" No, certainly not; but I am sure that it will not be allowed to continue, and for that reason it would not be justifiable for players to lay themselves out to perfect that stroke, and neglect other scoring methods."
"What playing conditions lend themselves to red-ball play?"
"A fine, fast cloth, with true, fast cushions all the time. With a slow cloth and irresponsive cushions it takes some hard hitting to get the red down to the proper position for the middle run through. And when it does not come down some inches past the centre spot, those fast, dangerous, swinging, long losers have to be resorted to, and one has to be keyed up to concert pitch on them all the time, or he will soon, be looking at the other fellow doing the scoring."
"Certainly most tables get faster as the game proceeds, but with a light cloth of fine texture one is enabled to get going right away, instead of spoiling his average for the first few sessions."
Unlike Gray, Lindrum does not rely on hazards in the middle pocket all the time. Now and then a bout at the top-end and close-range shots are played; then a sequence of long hazards, alternated with the easier and surer middle pocket loser.—Sydney Referee.