The Exhibition Match which climb axed the 1937-38 Shanghai Hockey League played between the Combined Services and the Civilians at the Race Course yesterday afternoon had to be abandoned on account of a heavy downpour of rain shortly after the second half started. At the time the tussle was stopped the civilians were leading by the only goal scored in the first period.
It would have been a magnificent game were it not for the ad-Verse weather conditions as both sides had a galaxy of stars. Nevertheless, in spite of the playing conditions, none of the twenty-two players slackened his whirlwind pace at any time, and all were successful in maintaining a remarkably high standard of play.
On the general run of play, the Services were somewhat unfortunate in mot being able to break into the scoring column. Capt. Cole and the Bolan brothers had a handful of chances but: had the sad experience of seeing at least two scores slip from their grasp.
However, in justice to the civilians, the team were in fine fettle and never showed any concern in meeting their opponents who were supposed to be superior in practically every department of the game under conditions supposedly prejudicial to their cause. Oliveira failed to make his appearance but there was S.A. Collaco who courageously consented to replace the absentee, although this was his second game of the day as a result of the mixed hocky engagement in the morning between the Telephone Ca. and the Imperial Chemical Industries.
(S.H.C.), Collaco M). Remelle (G.H.C.).
Ellis (U.C); Lemmser Richards" (S.M.P.), Wetzell Keep (S.H.C., and Siemssen The King and Queen both watched the match, the King shaking hands with the players of both sides before play began.
The crowd was so vast that the gates had to be closed before the start of the match, with the result that thousands of ticket-holders were locked out, At one time it looked as though there might be trouble, when several hundred of those who had been locked out tried to storm the gates Mounted police were rushed to the spot and order was finally restored.
The teams were SCOTLAND:—Roberts; Renwick, Dick, Macrae and Forres; Shaw and Dorward Blackadder, Hastie, Inglis, Horsburgh. Roy, Young, Duff end Crawford ENGLAND:—Parker; Unwin, Cranmer, Candler and Sever; Reynolds and Giles; Longland, Toft, H. F. Wheatley, A Wheatley; Marshall, Brown, Milam' and Weston.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.