BOWLING.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 243, 22 October 1901, Page 3

BOWLING.

COLONIAL BOWLERS AT HOME,

Tiik Sydney Morning Herald gives some experiences of the Australian bowlers in the Old Country. The repovtor asks—• " Does the method of play in England and Scotland differ from that adopted in New South Wales '! ”

“In many ways it does. Tal;c for instance England. There are two distinct classes of greens in existence in the several counties of England. There is what is known as the level green, which is like our own, but not kept in such good order. T'--

i.'hen there is the crown green, which is rounded off to a centre point. This point is about Bin higher than the outsides. On these greens two players on each side can take part in a game, but as a rule the , play is confined to a single-handed game. Four-rink matches are nevor played. The jack is loaded, and has as much bias as the bowls themselves. Each player has his own jack, and wherever it stops after being thrown up the green there it has to remain and must be played to ; no bringing it into line. These greens vary in size, sotue being as much as 80ft. x 160 ft. This game is very popular in Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is a much more scientific one than the game played in Australia. but our team, not being used to the system, could not undertake it. I should also mention that there is no uniformity in any way in the play of English bowls. There are several associations in existence, but they clash with each other. This arises from having so many different laws of the game to contend against. In some counties the jack in the ditch is dead. In other places it is not so. That means that when you punch the jack into the back ditch it is dead. This prevents all chance of driving, which proved a handicap to the Australians. Scotland, on the other hand, is the home of bowls. There the greens are simply perfection, and at any time they are quite equal to ours when at their best. The finest we visited were those of Edinburgh and Glasgow. The Scottish greens are mostly built of a kind of seaweed, or moss, which is of a spongy but beautiful nature, and lasts for years. The players do not use. rubber shoes without heels as we lo ; there is no occasion for them to do so, as the ground is not so affected. The Australian players’ experience of the greens in Scotland was that, win or lose, it was a treat to play on them. In Ireland, the players mostly hail from Scotland. In fact, the same mav. to a large extent, be said of the members of the clubs in England.” " In what country did you discover the best players “ Oh, in Scotland by all means. The finest games of the tour were those played on the greens around Edinburgh. The Scottish" bowlers are most enthusiastic, and during the progress of a game often become very excited. They frequently, chase their ’ bowls all the way up the green. They held the opinion that the quiet style of play shown by the Australians was a very cold one, but I can assure you, on the other hand, that the excited'manner of the Scotchmen became at times embarrassing to our men, and we often wished them far enough.”