MATCH BETWEEN COOK AND ROBERTS FOR £200 AND THE CHAMPIONSHIP

THE great match for the championship, which has been looked forward to with so much interest for so long a time, took place on Monday evening, the 24th of May, at the large hall at the Criterion. The result of the match was, as we predicted, the victory of Roberts, jun.

It will be remembered that the first match for the championship took place on Feb. llth, 1870, when W. Cook defeated Roberts, sen., the father of the present champion. Roberts, sen., had for many years ruled alone in the world of billiards, and when at length a young and rising player was found who was deemed worthy to do battle with him, the three leading firms of billiard table makers—viz., Messrs. Burroughes and Watts, Messrs. Thurston, and Cox and Yeman, presented a challenge cup of the value of 150 guineas to be retained by the winner, becoming his absolute property should he hold the championship for a period of five years. It was also at the time arranged that these three firms should take it in turns to supply a new championship table for each occasion, thereby a first class-table being ensured for each match—an important consideration when the size of the pockets is considered, as unless the table be most accurate, it would be almost impossible to depend upon even the simplest stroke. The table supplied on Monday by Messrs. Cox and Yeman, whose turn it was, was everything that could be desired; it was of beautifully carved oak, and ran exceedingly true, but the pockets seemed to us, if anything, a trifle more difficult than the generality of pockets on championship tables usually are, which may possibly account for the paucity of the breaks.

The large hall at the Criterion was fairly crowded, and the number of guinea seats that were occupied show that, at any rate, the match must have been most successful in a commercial point of view. The ventilation of the hall, an all-important point this time of the year, was most perfect, as were, indeed, all the arrangements in connection with the match. The seats were comfortable, being for the first time in our recollection covered with soft cushions. A match for the championship is necessarily a rather tedious affair, and the authorities to whom the arrangements were entrusted deserve some credit for the care which was taken.

Play commenced shortly before eight o'clock, Roberts starting with the usual miss; Cook, following suit, was the first to score, but the break was only one of 22.

By a series of small breaks Roberts reached 99 to Cook's 55. Up to this point the play was exceedingly cautious on both sides, Cook having given 4 misses for safety, and received no less than 5. Roberts reached the 100 first, getting to 111 to Cook's 61, whereupon Roberts gave another miss, but Cook scoring ran up a break of 28, thus getting up to 90, or only 21 points behind. In the next hundred Roberts drew ahead considerably, reaching 211 to Cook 135, the best break being one of 38. Roberts still continued to increase his lead, loud cheering greeting him when, starting at 238, Cook being 149, he ran up to 261, thus getting over the hundred ahead. Roberts passed the third hundred when Cook had reached 163.

At this period of the game Cook had particularly bad luck. From the commencement of the game the balls by no means broke favourably for him, but on reaching 189 he had no less than six consecutive innings without a chance of making a score. After, however, Cook had reached 200, Roberts at the time being 346, Cook began to gain upon his opponent. Three breaks in succession of 39, 36, and 42 brought him within 35 points of his antagonist, as the game was called—Cook 321, Roberts 356. Soon after, however, Roberts made two breaks, one after the other, of 47 and 30, thus again getting nearly 100 ahead. After some small breaks on either side, another good break of 44 brought Roberts into the fifth hundred, the game standing at the necessary interval of rest to both players and spectators, at Roberts 518, Cook 385.

On play being recommenced Roberts made 3, whereupon Cook made what proved to be the break of the match—viz., 52. Roberts replied with 41, soon after which Cook made two good breaks of 42 and 35, bringing his score to 520 to Roberts 573. On Roberts reaching, however, 581, Cook made another fine break of 39, and gave another miss for safety. On Roberts failing to score, Cook again got the balls, and in the middle of a 35 break passed his opponent for the first time in the match, amid deafening cheers.

The triumph was, however, but a short-lived one. Cook was soon after repassed, Roberts reaching 647 to Cook's 639. On Roberts having reached 762 to Cook's 740, the former having scored 2, made a very lucky fluke which enabled him reach 783 and leave the balls safe. A 21 break followed by a 31 soon enabled him to get still more ahead, and he ultimately reached 859 to Cook's 812.

From this point Roberts had it all his own way: he undoubtedly played exceedingly well, but nevertheless had a great deal the best of the luck. Three consecutive breaks of 30, 49, and 40 brought him right away, Cook, for whom the balls ran most unkindly, failing to make but very few. On reaching 985 Roberts gave a miss, Cook being 835; Cook, however, scored but 2, when Roberts made the requisite 15, and thus won the tenth match for the championship by 163 points.

Only those who have ever played on a championship table know the difficulty against which players have to contend. Cook, who, as a rule, is most certain over his losing hazards, repeatedly missed what would be termed easy losing hazards into the middle pocket when he had the advantage of being able to spot his ball in baulk.

Cook, again, repeatedly failed in some of the long losing hazards into the top pockets. In these respects Roberts was his superior, and seemed certainly more at home on the table than his opponent. On the other hand, in those strokes which depend principally in bringing the balls together after the stroke, Cook was particularly brilliant.

The audience who witnessed the match was of the usual character. Early in the game it was apparent that the majority were partisans of Cook, as, the match being played in London, was but natural. They applauded almost every stroke, easy or otherwise, and at times even flukes—unconscious, probably, that the strokes in question were flukes. It is much to be regretted that lookers-on at billiard matches fail to perceive that they should keep their applause till the conclusion of a break.

Many a good break has been spoiled by an injudicious burst of applause putting the striker off his game.

Some, too, who were present on Monday, appeared to us to understand so little of the game, that the wonder is they should have given a guinea to witness the match.

The remark," Oh, I see they bar the spot," we overheard on two occasions. The disgust of one gentleman, however, who was unaware that the championship table differed from ordinary ones, was decidedly amusing. He had evidently come in the expectation of seeing at least 500 off the balls scored by one or other player.

That 52 should have been the best break by Cook, and 49 the best from Roberts, certainly does not look like brilliant play. It will be remembered that on the previous match for the championship Cook made a break of 121. It is for this reason that we think the pockets must have been extra difficult, and certainly the ball did stop in the jaws of the pocket on several occasions on which it seemed as if it was going dead in.

Cook has, we believe, already challenged Roberts, but no date is as yet fixed; most likely it will not be played till the autumn, as a championship match in London in August would probably be played to empty benches. Cook had, throughout, the worst of the luck, and we think he will probably prove himself the victor the next time a match for the championship occurs.

The match was not concluded till a late hour—past midnight—which may probably account for some of the leading London papers having no account, and for the account appearing a day late in others. They should, however, learn a lesson of energy from the Manchester Sporting Chronicle, which contained an admirable account the next morning. The following is a list of the matches for the championship since its commencement:—