Unqualified success has attended the first round of the preliminary tournament at Soho Square, where the keenest possible play has been witnessed during the past fortnight, and where close finishes have been the rule.
As we go to press the first round is just concluded and the winners are Osborne, Breed, Raynor, Peall, Falkiner, and Collens, amongst whom the second heat is now being contested as follows:—
Monday and Tuesday, Osborne v. Breed; Wednesday and Thursday, Raynor v. Peall; Friday and Saturday, Falkiner v. Collens.
The results during the first fortnight have been as follow:—
Osborne, 2,000, v. Hoskins, 1,713; Breed, 2,000, v. Tothill, 1,402; Raynor, 2,000, v. Harris, 1,786; Peall, 2,000, v. Taylor, 539; Falkiner, 2,000, v. Sparrow, 1405; Collens, 2,000, v. Chapman, 1,827.
The quality of the preliminary play on the part of the winners of the first round may to some extent be judged by the breaks that have been made. Osborne, playing against Hoskins, made runs of 111, 105, 133, and 113; Raynor, playing against Harris, made 159, 105, and 118; Peall, playing against Taylor, made 235, 111, and 210 unfinished; and Falkiner, playing against Sparrow, 103, 202, 219. Good breaks were also made by some of the losers of heats.
The grand tournament, in which the heats will, as usual, be 9,006 up, will commence on October 28. and play will commence at 3.0 and 8.15 every day, except Saturday, when special provisions have been made regarding the time of play, to ensure, if possible, all matches being played to a finish. For the first ten sessions play will be limited to 2½ hours, as last year, but in the eleventh session (Saturday afternoons) the referee has full discretion to extend the time of play. In any event, play at the final session must commence at 7.45, and continue to 11.45, if necessary to ensure a definite result.