The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 38

Page 37 "SPOUT The Sydney Morning Herald, Thursday, April 23, 1987 The 'muddied oaf 'who prefers cricket Olsen doe Meltoa fear 5a rtHMLfl WALiaCi fmr dHmt ydney in Bronko Djura 'Age-wise, my two sports are completely different'. League?" he asked. "You run on for 40 minutes and they belt the hell out of you. You run off and then you've got to go back on in 10 minutes and the same things happen all over again. League is not really an enjoyment game.

You enjoy it in your own sort of way. It's a different type of enjoyment. "Cricket's more natural. I don't go to training. I just pick up a bat and swing it.

I find it quite easy, really. League is more of a strain game. "The two sports complement each other nicely. After a hard season of League I just go out to play cricket with mates. You have a chat and tell a joke between balls.

You're really enjoying yourself out there. There's no pressure. "You don't have to run out there. There's not thousands of screaming fans and if you do something wrong you don't get booed. If you score a hundred you don't see your big, fat head in the paper.

You just take it easy and do your own thing." By his parentage this goal kicker should be playing soccer. His parents are Croatian and he still lives with them at Marrickville. "My parents are great," he said. "They encouraged me to play whatever I liked. Dad used to be a soccer freak but when I turned to Rugby League he went the same way." Djura, who played in Newtown junior representative sides with boxer Jeff Fenech and is still great mates with the champ, acknowledged the great irony that he has played more football at the Sydney Cricket Ground than the sport for which the ground was built.

FOOTNOTE: Djura has not played Rugby League for several weeks because of injury. BRONKO DJURA By DAVID ROWLANDS Bronko Djura is one of a special breed of athletes who excel at more than one sport. His sporting passions change with the seasons, but unfortunately there just aren't enough months in the year to suit his pursuit of dual sporting excellence. The Rugby League season just keeps getting longer. The "muddied oafs' are constantly intruding on the "flannelled It has already been a long League season.

His club, St George, has been training since November and began the season with the Charity Shield clash against his former side, Souths, on February 7. That League continually gnaws into cricket is a great pity for Djura because cricket is his first love. Football was his first game, however. He began in the under-fives with the Warriors, a Newtown junior club. He was a late starter at cricket.

"I played a lot in pub sides with football mates but that didn't start time. He is a young man not in a hurry. Rated by some as potentially the State's best wicketkeeper-batsman, he believes that he can still make it in first-class cricket. He plans to retire from League at "about 26 or He said: "I want to give myself chance at "Age-wise, my two sports are completely different. You can still make it in cricket after 28." He cited the cases of Bob Holland and Peter Taylor.

The problem with Djnra's cricket is basically that he's too good at football, however. Rugby League pays the bills while Djura pays $2 for tea and scones for the privilege of playing grade cricket. Djura finds cricket far more enjoyable than the rough and tumble of the League world. "I mean, how can you say that you actually enjoy playing became at football the more money I got." Something Djura had to turn his back on was baseball hot-dogs and all. "As a kid I represented NSW," he said.

"I love baseball. It's a terrific game. But at that time it was really a 'nothing' sport in Australia and that deterred me from pursuing a career." Djura loves, and will have a go, at just about any sport. He is fortunate to be blessed with the excellent eye-ball, hand-foot co-ordination that distinguishes good sportsmen from average ones and armchair critics. "I can pick up a squash racquet and play well," he said.

"A mate, who has been playing racquetball for a really long time invited me for a game and I beat him pretty well. I just seem to have it when it comes to ball games." At 22, Djura has no feud with The two loves of until I was about 13 or 14," he said yesterday. Djura must have been born a cricketer because in an amazingly short time he was making representative sides. He was chosen for the Petersham Green Shield side (under 16s) at 14. "The cricket just flew," he said.

"I represented the NSW under-16s and Australian under-16s. In two years of playing I'd done everything at a junior level. The next season I played for the NSW under-19s and from there I went on to the Australian under-19s. The cricket just happened in a rush, whereas the football was a gradual thing." In his time with the Australian under-19s, which spanned two seasons, he played Tests against Pakistan (at home) and toured England in 1983. He also toured with the Australian Schoolboys League side, going to New Zealand is the After RioV cabbies, striking Peace pact now a shaky treaty hip By IAN KIERNAN, the only Australian in the BOC Challenge around-the-woxld solo yacht race, sailing Triple Spirit of Sydney.

Thirty-eight year-old Larry Olsen, who admits to making more comebacks than the legendary Dame Nellie Melba, rode his first Sydney winner for more than four years on the favourite, Shining Wood, in the W. R. Dovey Handicap, at Randwick yesterday. Weight his bugbear over a long period put him out of the game for several years until he was persuaded to make yet another comeback this season. His weight had soared to 75kg, but he now Deidre Stein, who prepared Rising Prince to win the W.

S. Cox Plate, clearly has another good horse in Shinine Wood. Stein will take the powerful eeldine tn Waeea for the Cud I there on Friday week, then have him in Queensland for the Brisbane Cup in June. Mick Dittman, riding in superb form, won on All Ashore, The American and Bounding Away for the Tom Smith stable and on Dancing Report for Queenslander John Wallace. Malcolm Johnston was suspended until May 9 for careless riding on Skyhigh Duke in the Elizabethan Theatre Trust Handicap.

STEWARDS (Rac 4): About the 1.600m Srlver Marmion was steadied to avoid the heels or Loro Hvorow. sinning wooa spreaa ms orr foreDlate in running. Breakthrough win Special Finish, who finished third to Maizcay and Marauding i. in the Silver Slipper Stakes at Rosehill last October, finally maue 10 inc winners circic in the Rex White Handicap, This well-bred filly is a daughter of Shining Finish (GB) and Silly Fillv onnti tvinnpr fnr Shinino Finish's trainer Ray Guy a few years ago. STEWARDS: Miss Pacific and Wild West Lass were slow to iump.

Care To Dance jumped awkwardly. On jumping Elder Time was checked severely when tightened between Bronze Empress, which shifted out. and Special Finish, which was taken in slightly by Adduce. Bronze Empress hung out throughout. Near the 400m Special Finish was checked to avoid the heels of Whilodge.

Special Finish lost its near foreplate in running. Apprentice Innes (Adduce) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding in that about the 600m he allowed his mount to shift inwards when insufficiently clear of Lucky Light, resulting in that horse being checked. Apprentice J. Innes was suspended until May 9. Bargain buy All Ashore, a $7,000 Tom Smith Sydney yearling sale purchase last year, proved that the master can still spot a bargain.

He won the T. L. Baillieu Handicap for his syndicate of owners, which includes the trainer's wife, Val Smith, who unfortunately was ill in St Vincent's Hospital yesterday. STEWARDS: Diamond Head missed the start and Crush jumped awkwardly. About the 1 Mr Mercury was tightened between Major Edition and Crush.

After the 600m Harlan Star shifted out to improve and inconvenienced Voltage. After the 200m Constant Star was steadied when tightened between The Fox and Sportsman. J. Marshall (Tnstep) said the colt jumped awkwardly and when ridden along commenced to pull. Not bounding away The American, winner of the Alan Potter Handicap, gained a reprieve from the sale ring and will remain in the Tom Smith stable.

With Dittman throwing everything at him, The American got up in the last bound to beat Billy Asset (Maurice Logue) who looked all over the winner inside the last 50m. STEWARDS: Efficient jumped awkwardly. After the 1 Rockall brushed the running rail when tightened by Inviting Offer, which was taken in and checked to avoid the heels of The American, which shifted in to avoid the heels of Billy Asset. Evangelum and Physique, which were following, were checked in conse-auence. At the 700m Gretzky raced ungenerously.

At the bottom of the rise Rockall was steadied to avoid the heels of Prince Toronaga. After the 100m Bold Bijou, which was making ground, was checked when disappointed for a run. with the likes of Paul Langmack, Scott Gale and Andrew Ettingshau-sen. After completing the cricket tour of Britain he reached the crossroads. Which sport to pursue? The level-headed young man thought of his future and financial security.

"When I got back from England, I thought about things a lot and decided that I really wanted to do well at football after only playing a short season in 1983," he said. "So I knocked back another stint with the Australian under-19s. My football kicked on and I ended up in a first-grade semi-final." As a teenager Djura preferred cricket and that hasn't changed despite his being one of Sydney's more consistent League players. "But as I got older the financial rewards of Rugby League became obvious," he said. "The better I village lights and the fishing fleet putting to sea for the day.

There was a pretty quick sum-up and tack to seaward. I'm still wondering what the locals thought. At other times Spirit in company with Biscuits Lu and Stabilo Boss. It was most interesting to see a Joubert and Nivelt, Bruce Farr and Ben Lexcen-de-sign short-tacking and pacing each other in a variety of conditions. Spirit is now 250 nautical miles north of the east cape of South America and in fifth position.

Philippe Jeantot (Credit Agri-cole) in fourth place for this leg, reported a broken headstay and headed for the port of Recife. He biggest I If A BILL WHTTTAKER'S EE5ZMZ Hat-trick Dancing Report must surely be one of the best horses to come from Townsville since Harry Plant imported a good Flying Handicap sprinter called Hedui from that more than 40 years ago. Yesterday Dancing Report (Dittman) completed a hat-trick of Sydney wins carrying top weight of 57kg to victory in the Tom Street Welter, John Wallace prepares the five-year-old for a syndicate of North Queenslanders. He said Dancing Report would now go home to the Gold Coast to be prepared for the winter carnival in the north. STEWARDS: On jumping Chulada was checked when tightened between Top The Ton and Karioi Prince.

Atlantic Joy jumped awkwardly. Near the 300m Stickler had trouble obtaining a clear run. Shortly after the start Dark Disguise (N. Barker) was checked to avoid the heels of Lady Newk. In the straight Dark Disguise had trouble obtaining clear running.

Sir Oracle lost its near foreplate in running. Race Six: Turning out of the straight the first time Show em Sadie, which was pulling, got her head up and shifted ground, inconveniencing Laleham. Near the 1.800m Our Cure was steadied. Hot Plate The Yass-trained Hot Zephyr is going to be hard to beat at his next appearance in the Wagga Town Plate next Thursday judged by his hard-fought win in the Elizabethan Theatre Trust Handicap, Maurice Logue, riding aggressively, took him to the front at the top of the straight and Hot Zephyr had to be good to hang on for victory in a tight finish. STEWARDS: Framoli missed the start.

Justifiably Proud jumped awkwardly. Johnston (Skyhigh Duke) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding in that shortly after the 600m he allowed his mount to shift in when insufficiently clear of Grand Gaelic, resulting in that horse being checked. Johnston was suspended until May 9. Skyhigh Duke had trouble obtaining clear running in the early part of the straight. In the straight Kooramyee Star did not obtain a clear run.

Paddock trained John Chappie, who took up training racehorses instead of show horses seven years ago, won his most important race yesterday when his $3,000 purchase Top Lot took the Venn Wesche Country Cup, It was appropriate that Chappie, who trains Top Lot in a paddock at Greenthorpe (30km from Cowra), should win the Country Cup. STEWARDS: Beer N' Bitters was slow to jump. Near the 200m Shintilla was steadied when tightened between Follow My Style and Gallant Gesture. After the 200m Higita was checked when disappointed for a run. On the winning post Da La von was crowded and became unbalanced when tightened for room.

Dittman misses No 5 Lunch On Sunday, a 9-2 to 9-1 "ring wobbler" in the C. W. Cropper Handicap, 1, 100m, thwarted jockey Mick Dittman's bid to ride five winners. Dittman's mount, Rama King (9-2), just failed to catch Lunch On Sunday (Peter Cook), whose loss of form had puzzled trainer Peter Roach. Roach said he might take Lunch On Sunday to Brisbane, where he won minor races at the winter carnival a year ago.

STEWARDS: Near the 900m Stately Image and Mr Siren bumped, resulting in both runners becoming unbalanced. N. Barker (Lord Keeper) had trouble obtaining clear running in the straight. Lord Keeper did not appear to be stretching out and was inclined to lay in. and for these reasons Barker was not able to ride him out to the winning post.

her. The only three-year-old I'm afraid of is Myocard and he isn't going I hear. There will be easy pickings for her." Smith trained three winners yesterday and Dittman rode four, just missing five by a slender margin when Rama King was beaten late in the day. Trebles have been more or less strictly routine for Tom Smith for more than 30 years, but there was something special about yesterday's performance. He has not been going weU'with his depleted team and, in sharp contrast to the events of past years when he often trained six winners on the first two days of the autumn carnival, he had not led in a winner at this carnival until yesterday.

Additionally, the Inglis yearling sale is in full swing at Randwick, attracting a large number of affluent buyers who now know that T. J. Smith is no back number. It was obvious there was welcome relief as well as triumph associated with this latest Smith success story. His treble put him only one behind the leader, Mayfield-Smith, in the trainers' premiership 71 to 70 is the score but Smith is lagging behind in terms of prize money won.

Mayfield-Smith horses have won $2,440,330 to Smith's $1,995,555. A By RAY GATT Rod Brown and Craig Mason are the best of friends. They share a flat, are business partners and, until this season, played for the same national league soccer team. So what happens when one of them decides to defect to his club's arch rivals, as in the case, of Brown, who switched from the Italian-backed Marconi to the Italian-backed Apia Leichhardt? "We have a peace pact," according to the dry-witted Mason, who is backing up for another season with Marconi. "We talk about everything except it is the only way," he said not long before they went their separate ways to training last night.

That somewhat shaky treaty, however, looks under threat this week because Apia play Marconi in the West End National League match of the round at Lambert Park on Sunday and it is likely that the hard-headed Mason will cross paths with the in-form Brown, who is the league's equal leading goal scorer. Adding further spice to the game is the fact that there is no love lost between the two clubs, who are sharing second spot on the championship table. "I suppose the pact might be broken come Sunday night as I doubt whether either of us will be able to control our delight if one of our teams win," Mason said. Naturally, Brown got into the spirit of the situation. "I just hope Craig doesn't get sent off," he said jokingly in reference to Mason's reputation as a tough player.

"1 guess it is going to be hard for both of us this week, especially considering we work together as well." The two are partners in a trucking business and, coincidental ly, one of their contracts is with Gyprock, which happens to spon Occhilupo can make a comfortable living from prize money. For surfers such as Sydney's Matthew Pitts and Californian Scott Farnsworth life remains a struggle. The last event of the season, the $90,000 Coca-Cola Classic which begins at Manly Beach on Sunday, has become a purely financial exercise for the men. When Curren was knocked out in the first round of the Bells Beach contest by 16-year-old Nicky Wood the door was open azard was fortunate to carry out his repairs in port within four hours so as not to jeopardise his overall three-day lead by too much. Ecureuil d'Aquitaine leads the fleet, 90 nautical miles in front of UAP Pour Medicins Sans Frontieres, and looks to be in a strong position at this stage.

Spirit of Sydney is running under a three-quarter ounce spinnaker 50 nautical miles south of the equator. It is extremely hot and I will be pleased to cross the equator and sail into a more temperate climate. Every morning there are flying fish on deck, which I eat. Yesterday I watched a 4ft tuna chase smaller fish, both jumping out of the water. After four or five leaps they didn't resurface so I assume the takeover was accomplished.

The whole thing had a lot of O'Connell Street about it, particularly the incensed look on the face of the pursued. There are also a number of white-tailed tropic birds keeping company with the Spirit These are a cousin of the red-tailed tropic, or bosun bird, one of the truly exotic sea birds. They are about the size of a small cockatoo with one or two thin tail feathers about 25 centimetres long which trail behind them. (These represent the bosun's marlin spike). These birds generally nest on steep cliffs and this tail feather enables them to hover and fly backwards when landing on the near-vertical terrain.

They are reputed to spend the second year of their lives living continuously on the ocean and return to land to breed after that sojourn. In the mating season the red-tailed tropic bird, which is normally snow white, takes on a delicate pink hue. Despite the subtlety of the change the result is really spectacular. Robinson and David Eggers all of whom were expected to make inroads to the top 10 this season have been inconsistent This has disappointed Association of Surfing Professionals officials, who need a stronger US presence to encourage the big American companies to become involved. They want the sort of backing these companies can provide to improve the financial base of the professional circuit The top 16 surfers, including Curren, who has earned this season, and Mark sudden I just got everything in perspective tennis and everything and I realised it's not the end of the world.

Let's start playing well again let's start concentrating and having fun." Arias does not believe that Becker has lost the spark. "He's still winning. tournaments," he said. "I definitely think it can happen because (how old is he 19?) this is my eighth year. It's been a bit longer for me than him although he's won bigger tournaments but he still seems to be pretty eager.

"He still wants to be No 1 in the world," Arias said. "He has a burning desire to be No 1 and I didn't really have that. I had a burning desire to have fun." sor Marconi. Brown and Mason did agree on one thing last night that Sunday's game could be the hardest of the season. Matches between the two clubs are often spirited and never dull.

Unfortunately, such is the rivalry that good, open football is usually rare. But Mason does not believe it will end up in a kicking match, nomit "really depends on what happens in the first 15 minutes and how strong the referee is," he said. "Besides, both teams have enough quality players to move the ball around all over the park." Brown, who has no regrets about moving to Apia, is enjoying his football. "I had been at Marconi for four years and that is a long time with one club," he said. "The move seems to have done me the world of good as I'm happy with my form and with the fact that I am scoring goals.

"Rale Rasic, the Apia coach has got me coming back and looking for the ball and I guess that is the major change in my game. "As well, it is good to be able to play without having to worry about niggling injuries." Brown was plagued for most of last season with back and groin injuries and they made life difficult for the talented striker. Now that he has recaptured his form he said he would like to win a spot back in the Socceroo squad. "Sure, that is my aim and, if it comes, then good and well," he said. Unfortunately, he does not see eye to eye with national coach Frank Arok.

"We don't get on that well, but I rather not dwell on the fact," he said. "I just want to enjoy my soccer and keep scoring goals for Apia' for Occhilupo, Tom Carroll and Gary Elkerton to make a last-ditch assault on the world title. All three failed. With Curren confirmed as world champion irrespective of results at Manly the spotlight has fallen on the intriguing battle for the women's crown. Perennial bridesmaid Pam Bur-ridge (runner-up twice, third twice) will be trying to become the first Australian to win the world title since the professional circuit was established in 1977.

12 midday 3 p.m. r- ('St The final leg of the BOC Challenge, 4,800 nautical miles to Newport, Rhode Island, got under way on April 11. Rio was in full swing because the next day the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix motor race was being staged and most of the cab drivers seemed to be taking their practice very seriously. Our starting line was at Copa-cabana Beach at 2 pm local time. There was a jam at the windward end of the line near the committee boat and subsequently the French entrant Ecureuil d'Aquitaine protested against Spirit of Sydney, Colt By Rettig (Finland) and Credit Agricole (France) for barging the line.

In turn, Spirit protested against Colt and Credit. These protests will be heard in Newport. It really would be very disappointing if any competitor were to be blown out at this late stage. Our major concerns in this leg are the possible lack of wind in the early stages, and shipping, as we sail in and across a number of major Atlantic shipping lanes. There is also the danger of striking containers.

This is a very concern, as Airforce, one of original BOC starters, sailed by Dick Cross, of the United States, sank during the first leg after striking a large object in deep water. On the same leg John Hughes, sailing Joseph Young (Canada), came up on deck to see a semi-submerged container slide by within two metres of his vessel. It has been suggested that a practice has developed among some unscrupulous ship owners of overloading their vessels for obvious gain. If they are caught in a difficult situation they just shunt the extra containers over the side. No doubt the insurance would cover the loss and the freight payment is already in hand.

ojMhfireforasfrdT Currents By MICHAEL C0CKERILL Californian Tom Curren may be the world professional surfing champion for the second consecutive season, but his dominance has not inspired his countrymen. At the end of the 1985-86 season, when Curren snatched the title from Tom Carroll to give the United States their first world champion since the inception of the professional circuit in 1976, it was thought that it would herald the end of the golden era of Australian surfing. The Americans, particularly the Beaten MONTE CARLO, Wednesday: Boris Becker, eclipsed under the sun in the Monte Carlo Open tennis championships yesterday, was left to hope that a good night's sleep would ease the hurt. "You just feel disappointment because of all the work you put into those eight days and at a certain moment you think it's all for. nothing," the top-seeded 19-year-old West German said after his 6-3 6-3 second round defeat by American Jimmy Arias.

"But then when you sleep a night you know there's going to be another tournament. There's going to be another win and for sure there's going to be another defeat." The circumstances of the defeat, however, are a worry for the double start we sailed in headwinds of 20 to 25 knots. The Brazil current generally sets to the south, similar to our east Australian current. Some of us opted to short-tack, or rock-hop, up the coast, whereas those who took the initial penalty of crossing the current and going to seaward benefited because the breeze eventually went to the south east. Having made my commitment, I stuck to it, but it was a very taxing few days and possible only to catnap on the offshore tack.

In the pre-dawn hours of April 13 1 was dozing at the chart table. I was jolted awake by the shallow depth alarm. I came on deck to find Spirit in a bay surrounded by success Californians, nurtured by former Australian world champions Ian Cairns and Peter Townend, seemed on the verge of realising their enormous potential. The sport in the US was set to boom. A year later, however, those great hopes have not materialised.

Competitively, administratively and financially the strength of professional surfing remains in this country. Only Curren, who deservedly clinched his second world title last weekend when his challengers faltered at the Rip Curl Classic at wave fails to inspire Americans I'm the greatest, says Becker feeling the strain Bells Beach, has maintained the momentum. This dour, relentless performer remains the most consistent and competitive surfer in the sport, Of the 17 A-rated event this season Curren has won five. Ten contests have been shared by nine Australian surfers, with the final two events going to South African veteran Shaun Tomson and young Hawaiian Derek Ho. But Curren's fellow Americans have faltered.

Surfers such as Dave Parmenter, Wes Laine, Mike Parsons, Chris Frohoff, Ted tiredness at all, and after playing not a physically hard match two sets I feel tired," he said. "I don't know what happened. It wasn't me at all. I wasn't even in the match. It's hard when you're not able to put two or three balls on court to win a match." Arias knows something of Becker's frustration, having plunged down the world rankings to his current 53rd after holding fifth slot when he was in his teens.

Now 22, he said he "hit rock bottom" in March after losing in the explosive Davis Cup tie in Paraguay which spelled defeat for his country. "After the match against (Hugo Chapacu I didn't sleep for two days," he said. "Then all of a From Page 38 It was the third fastest Oaks on record, with Sandara (Arthur Ward) winning Vi miles (slightly longer than in 2min 30.6s 30 years ago. Our Starline (Greg Childs) missed the start by two lengths and settled down last. She made a long, sustained run around the field from the 800m, looming up as a chance at the 300m, but Bounding Away and the promising Cummings-trained filly Round the World moved right away from her in the last 200m.

Dittman merely shook the stick at the winner while John Marshall rode Round. The World right to the post. Bounding Away became the first Golden Slipper Stakes winner to win the Oaks, and most likely she will be the last for another 30 years or more unless her great trainer can repeat the feat before his retirement, which now seems further away than ever. Someone asked Smith whether Bounding Away would go for a well-earned spell "Not on your life," he replied. "I'm going to Brisbane for the winter racing.

Why shouldn't she? "She'll run in the Grand Prix Stakes and the Queensland Oaks and maybe the Derby up there and they will have to be good to beat Free luxury accommodation at Altamont the South Islands new Wanaka Ski Lodge For $10,000 Aust (sub to Exch. Rate) you own your own Ski Lodge in fs N.Z.'i Southern Alps district and enjoy two weeks free ski i-Jj accommodation each Open for the '87 season, Altamont Ski Lodge is neafjthe shores of Lake Wanaka and surrounded by five of the South Island's most perfect uncrowded ski fields. Altamont developers will personally explain at the Sheraton Wentworth Wimbledon champion, who in his return to the circuit after a two-week layoff was surprised he should feel so tired when he reckons he is "in good A stomach virus sidelined him earlier this year and he took the latest break on doctor's orders after his second tournament win of the year, In Milan, because of tiredness. "I'll have to check in the next few days again if something is still wrong," he said. Becker is particularly puzzled after practising five or six hours a day and defeating everyone he took on here leading up to the tournament.

"I was doing much more last week and there was no sign of Hotel this Friday April 24, Or write to Box 456, Tauranga, N.Z. for a prospectus. Summer holidays also free. 12-3 p.m. Frf.

April 24, Sheraton Wentworth Hotel 61 PhlHp Street. Ph. 2300700 Sydney..