BOWLING

Evening Star, Issue 19787, 10 February 1928, Page 12

BOWLING

[By Measures.]

By its 10-pomt win last Saturday Dunedin Club retains its position at the hand of the interclub shield table. Kaituna has advanced to second place, Bnltnacewen, with no wins, going down to fourth position. The contest is full of possibilities yet. There will be no interclub matches to-morrow, for the date is left vacant for Elderly Bowlers’ Day, and the signs are that this will he a great success, for the Dunedin Club executive has all arrangements well in hand and the entries are in the neighborhood of the centurv.

If aggregate points decided things Caversham would have scored more than a third last week against Caledonian, for their total was 201 to 170, They were down a few in two sections, and scored more than two to one in the other. In this section, for Caversham Forster scored 35 to Hinchcliffe’s 8. Mitchell 24 to Foster’s 18, and Stubbs 22 to Cavanagh’s 8. The following table shows the points scored last week and the total points gained by each club so far:—

OUR VICTORIAN VISITORS

Five rinks of Victorian players, with a few lady friends, are to visit Dunedin next week. They arrive_ from Invercargill on Tuesday evening, and on Wednesday afternoon play a match against representative local players on Dunedin Club’s green. Tn the evening a social gathering .r to he held at the Savoy. On Thursday the visitors will be taken different motor _ excursions during the day time, and, if they are willing, a game will he played on Caledonian green in the evening. The Centre Executive is doing everything possible to make the visitors’ stay enjoyable, and many bowling motor owners are generously placing their cars at the executive’s disposal. Fine supporters of the gam© are these same motor owners. “Measurer” had the pleasure of meeting one of the Victorian party, Mr Fred. Barnett (brother of Arthur and F, M.), on a journey to Waikouaiti with an executive party this week. Mr F. Barnef.t is travelling a. hit ahead of his follows, and joins up with them on their arrival. He skipped one of the executive rinks against Waikouaiti and had a big win. If his comrades all play as well, Dunedin players will have to bo in form to get home ahead. NOTES. In pursuance of President D. M. Fastier’s suggestion that outlying clubs bo officially and socially visited by Centre Executive officials,.a journey was made to Waikouaiti by three rinks on Wednesday afternoon. As all the conditions were favorable, the outing was a pronounced success. Cars were supplied by Messrs H. Rowley, R. Lediic, and W*. T. Henaghan, and the other members of the party were Messrs Nastier, Allan, Love, Worthington, Connor, Croft, Barnett (of Victoria), Marlow, and Thompson. Two or three ladies wore of the party. After a lovely run to Waikouaiti there was a very"hearty welcome awaiting the visitors. All* the evidence goes to show that such visits are appreciated. The Waikouaiti ladies (and men too) could 7iot have done more than they did to show their pleasure. After a splendidly served tea a game was played on Waikouaiti green, which was in surprisingly good condition, and compared creditably with many of the town greens and beat some of them. One rink had come from Seacliff: the other two wore made up of local players. The result was interesting. The Seacliff

men lost to tho tink skipped by Mr I'. Barnett (Victoria), and the Waikouaiti men scored a win and a draw. So honors were even after all. Compliments were exchanged at the close, and everybody seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. There can be no doubt of the success of such visits.

The game between Kaituna and St. Kilda Clubs to find the winner of section A in the four-rink competition was played last Monday evening on Otago Cfub green, arid resulted in a win for the lattei by 16 points. Unfortunately, a drizzling rain made things rather unpleasant, and somewhat spoiled what would, under other conditions, have been a'first-class exposition of the game. As it was, the game was worth watching, with the St. Kilda players always with a slight advantage. F. Smith (K.) and D. Cameron kept close together, the former finishing with an advantage of 4 points. T. Sanders (K.) and D. M. Stuart had a great go for three parts of the game, only 17 points altogether being scored on the first fifteen heads. Then a 4 to Sanders helped him greatly, and at the finish ho was 5 up. Shepherd (K.) and J. M'Curdy had a great struggle for a time, the last shots on each side often making the difference. The latter stages were much in favor of M'Curdy, who was in his best form and won by 10 points. C. J. Payne (K.) was unable to got it, and went down decisively to J. Brackenridge, who adapted himself to the conditions much better, and won by 15 points. There should bo an interesting game when Roslyn and St. Kilda meet in the final.

Mr John Ogg, the well-known caretaker of Caledonian green, has just passed his 80th birthday. Few would think so to see Mr Ogg at work on his green. No younger man puts in more labor than John in endeavoring to provide a first-class playing surface, and results speak for themselves. Mr John Scott, winner of the dominion single championship, had. no fault to find with the Christchurch greens, which, he said, compared favorably with those of Dunedin. Sydenham green was specially good. Mr Scott is of opinion that the tournament is too strenuous, and he thinks that the testing of bow's before final games, after said bowls had been used for possibly sixteen games previously without question, is absurd. While the Caledonian Club rink was working hard at Christchurch on the road to victory one_ heard remarks to the effect that the individual members were, sometimes at least, not of one mind regarding tactics. This fact was acknowledged b3 T the players themselves at the function held in their honor on Saturday nighty though it was evident that no ill-feeling resulted. Mr F. Kettle said it had been stated, regarding their rink, that there had been a want of cohesion. He admitted that (here had boon at times a state of unrest, and several arguments had arisen where the logic was, perhaps, based on false premises, but the oratory had been of a, very high order. Mr V. Langley told how. at one stage of the game, he had “put the whip” on the team. Mr W. Foster had his own way of describing things. He said that every member of the team fought for his head, and of course he, as skip, had had to fight; for his own._ The .real explanation'of tho rink's win was that the players did not trust each other, and therefore each resolved to do it himself in his own way, with the result that if one failed another succeeded.

Mr Foster also told how, in an early game, ho had played a poor shot to disturb a head, but by a pronounced fluke got five shots as a result. _ He said Hie opposing skip pestered him for days afterwards by asking if he had played any more shots like that.

The match arranged against South Otago Centro for to-morrow lias had to he postponed. The South Otago men cannot field a full team at present. The match Southland v. Otago is to he played at Invercargill on Thursday, March 1. The date suggested hy the Dunedin Centre ('February 21) did not' suit Southland, its on that date they wore playing their champion of champions pairs competition.

All clubs are reminded that the Champion of Champions competition is to ho decided on March 2 and 3—less than a month from to-day. _ They will see how urgent it is that their club competitions should ho quickened up, as chib champions have to be found hy actual play before the dates mentioned. There is reason to think that some chibs arc lagging behind. Elderly Bowlers’ Day to-morrow. Dunedin Chib executive has made all arrangements, and the old stalwarts of the game should hare another good time this year.

Leith Club members, a progressive lit tie body of sportsmen, are competing among themselves for trophies presented hy Mr Gamble. These take ihe form of four well-designed silves badges with lilies as their background—the “Leith Lilies.” they are termed—-quite a change from the ferns to which we are so well accustomed. One challenge, game has already been played, and as a result the lilies adorn the coats of a rink skipped by 11. .Rowley.

Mornington Club members met on Monday night to hid hon voyage to their representative with the Mew Zealand howling team. Dir J. Thomson. The president Oho Rev, S. ,T. Cooper), in presenting a case of pipes as a memento of the club’s good wishes, referred t) the great interest and enthusiasm which Mr Thomson took in all club affairs. The fact that he was one of those chosen to accompany the representative bowlers to the Old Country was an honor of which the club was proud. The experience Mr Thomson would gain on the tour would he of service to the club on his return. Mr Scott, speaking on behalf of the centre, wished Mr Thomson every success, and hoped that the tour would bo most enjoyable. Mr Thomson thanked the members for their remarks and good wishes.

Won. Lost. Pts. Total Pts. Dunedin 5 I in 74 Kfiituna 3 0 12 68 Taieri 1 1 6 66 Balmaccwen ... 0 4 0 63 Green Island ... 1 1 6 60 Caledonian 4 1 91 67? West Harbor ... 2 0 12 54 Caversham I 2 4 48 St. Kilda 1 ■> 3 48 Roslyn 2 3 6 45 Port Chalmers 0 2 0 42 Otago 2 1 8 36 Kaikorai 2 1 s 36 St.Clair 2 2 6 36 Mornington 1 9 4 36 Leith 0 2 0 32 N..R. Valley 0 3 0 32 Anderson’s Bay 2 1 R 28 Ontram 1 0 12 24 Fairfield 0 1 0 12