BOWLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 238, 8 October 1928, Page 14

BOWLING.

SUMMER SEASON STARTED.

CLUBS OPENING THIS MONTH.

(By TRUNDLER.)

Eight perfect days in succession were rather a surprise to bowlers, after all the boisterous weather, but as they began and ended with a Saturday they provided two perfect bowling days, and both were utilised to full advantage. Bowlers had double luck last Saturday, for Daylight Saving was passed in the early hours of the morning, and as half a loaf is better than no bread they will doubtless proceed to enjoy the extra time in the evenings, commencing next Monday. Half an hour will just give time, during the height of the season, to finish a second match after the ordinary draw.

With such magnificent weather prevailing on Saturday, the club openings at Pukekohe and Papatoetoe were a brilliant succeee, and the nine clubs opening next Saturday will be lucky if they strike the same conditions.

The president of the centre, Mr. S. Coldicutt, went with a party to the Pukekohe opening, and in the course of hie address he expressed the hope that several from that district would join the touring party to Taranaki next autumn, and hinted that a party might also go to Tauranga. The New Zealand bowlers who were arriving by the Niagara had made history during their tour, and he was specially glad that they had been associated with the movement whereby all the countries oompribing the British Empire were now federated in Bowls. He congratulated the Pukekohe Club on a substantial increase of members, and was glad to see the ladies showing such a helpful interest in the progress of bowling, as well as their own game of croquet.

The Press at Hillsboro'. Four rinks representing the Press accepted an invitation to Hillsboro', where they were cordially welcomed by the club president, Mr. W. Wilkinson. At the afternoon tea adjournment his remarks were endorsed by Mr. Raymond Sheath, immediate past president, who expressed the obligation which bowlers owed to the Press. He felt sure that many a time a nervous president did not fully realise, until he opened the paper on the following Monday, what a splendid speech he had made at his club function on the Saturday. Doubtless Mr. Sheath was speaking for other people when he paid this compliment to the Press, for he himself follows a profession which is rather noted for puttng -the best possible construction on the particular subject that is being discussed, and he has the happy knack of indulging in the same propensity in his bowling addresses. Mr. R. M. Hacket, editor of the "Herald " replied on behalf of the Press, and congratulated the club on possessing such a remarkably fine grten. He thought he had never seen such a perfect sward, and nobody could blame the green for losing. Unfortunately the Press are quite used to losing, even on a good green, and they won on only one rink of the four, which is not quite the same proportion of wins as at Carlton on the previous Saturday. Even that win was very shaky, H. W. Brookes defeating the club with his last bowl. Being the last match to finish, the West End veteran had the gallery, and the Press were particularly interested, for on this depended whether they were to get any wins at all. With two down on the twentieth head, the prospect did not look very rosy, but Brookes sent the jack over to the boundary for two with his first bowl, and drew the absolute with his last, Wilkinson having been too strong to save. Having one rink engaged in the Jordan Pins, and another to meet Dominion Road, Hillsboro' very thoughtfully sought the assistance of a few friends from Mount Eden and Epsom. The former had no difficulty in winning, a six on the eleventh head giving them a comfortable lead, but the Epsom people did not have it quite so easy, for on the fifth head they were only two to Stacey Adeane's 13, but they finished up with 28 to 20. The Bowlers' Lucky Number.

For some reason there is a lot of bad luck connected with 13, and even Adeane'e proverbial luck could not overcome it on Saturday, for he. apparently had a Jonah in his team, in the person of Geo. Kirkham. A most extraordinary thing happened with the laitter at Carlton the previous Saturday. He was put on rink 13, and the superstitious member of the team wanted it altered to 12A, but the others only laughed, their confidence increasing when they reached 13 and their opponents were only 3. But they never scored again, and their opponents ran the score up to 29. Perhaps somebody will explain why it is so hard to get off 13. The Challenge Matches.

The Jordan Fins gave a better match than the score in another column indicates, for Te Papapa eoored 8 on the first five heads, before the holders could get going. But Sheath was not disconcerted, especially as he was getting good support from all his team, and three fives gave him a lead which, - the visitors could not hope to catch. As the Hills bar o' opening takes place next Satuiday, the winners will retain these trophies till the beginning of next winter, and as the boundaries of the Manukau electorate havg been altered it is probable that the list of clubs taking part in the Jordan Pins matches will also have to be adjusted. The Edwin Stars did not stay long at West End, A. Parsons (Ponsonby) being successful in winning the match on Saturday. The veteran was playing right up <to his old form, and had plenty to do to win, doubtless urged on by the reflection that it was about time he won these famous trophies, for he has not held them for many years. The next challenger is J. J. Toy (Ellerelie), and that will be the last match this year, as all the clubs interested are opening a the following Saturday, October 20. Ponsonby will have the honour of staging two challenge matches next Saturday, for A. J. Lefcham successfully defended the Denison Pins from J. Thomas (Mount Albert) last Saturday, and will play the last match of the winter against H. C. Clarke (Carlton).