BOWLING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2074, 28 December 1907, Page 3 (Supplement)

BOWLING.

(By “Toucher.”) Christmas week Ins provided amide opportunity for bowlers to have their “fill” of the game, and both greens have been fully occupied. Flay at tho •Turanganni green has been keen in tho Handicap Fairs and in representative team practice games. In the pairs a great giuno was witnessed in the second round between Morse and Ratclifl'o and Birrell and Martin, and -I attribute the win of the latter pair to luck. Ratolilfo playctl a better and sounder game than Martin, but the latter played brilliant shots at times from which lie scored. .Morse played a good game, but I have seen him play better. Birrell is tho man who is surprising me, for from a regular “muff” ho is developing into a bowler, and often as not bis shots scoreci. A good gune was al.so witnessed between Devery and Gaudin mill It. Skeet and Williams. “Reggie,” who is a coin played well, but Deveiy played a tar better game in the previous Saturday. Williams was m splndid form, hut G indin bowle L up to his old reputation, and gave liis opponent plenty to. do. Eventually Gaudin and Ids’ male secured a victory. Last weeek in a. practice match between the two representative rinks tliero wero no less than six deadheads. Caudill’s team requiring six to tio on tho last head, and seeing no chance of obtaing the requisite number, instructed his No. 3 to make a dead-head. This the hitter player dicl doing likewise lor tlireo consecutivo heads, notwithstanding tho fact that tho jack was the length of the green. Apropos of this, I noticed Nasmith practising driving on Saturday last, when out of four balls delivered, three drove the jack to tho ditch. Of all tho other reps. Martin anil Gaudin are the only other drivers.

In their play the Turanganni reps, are shaping well. Williams and lin'd arc both playing splendid leading games, but Sheet is playing a better game than Hallam as No. 2. Sawyer is drawing consistently ns a No 3 anil often draws better than Nasmith, but the latter has tho advantage in firm shots. Martin has been playing better than Gaudin in drawing shots, but in firm play both are equal. So far in the practice games Martin’s team has had three victories to Gnudin’s two. A team comprising Eatehffe (1). Bennett (2), Colley (3) and Nasmith, sour, (skip) essayed a match against Martin’s reppesentative team (Hiril, Sheet, Sawyer and Martin), but had to suffer an ignominious defeat. The representative team played well up to form, hut the challengers, with the exception perhaps of. their skip, mado a poor exhibition. It- is not at all unlikely that Gandhi's team will be challenged. Entries for the inter-club matches for the Northern Bowling Associations tournament close with the secretary (Mr Meutiplay) at Wellington, on Tuesday next, December 31st. Entries for the Fairs matches and singles at the N.B.A. tournament at Auckland close at the Star Hotel, Auckland, at 9 o’clock next Saturday night, January 4th. A number of the Turanganui reps, who forwarded their bowls to AVellington to be- tested have received the same back, after being tested, stamped, and approved as being of tho regulation bias. I notice that Walter Clayton is taking to the game. I hear he is ilikely to join Turanganni. “Jimmy” Joune has returned to his old love—bowls, and is playing great. Quite a number of gentlemen are thinking of joining the upper green. I was disappointed in Ratcliffe’s play on Saturday last. My opinion that ho was a poor lead was confirmed, for his shots seldom lay near tho jack. As a No. 2he could notho bettered, anil he plays a safe No 3 game, especially when keen shots are wanted.

Bennett did not show to advantage in last Saturday’s game. I expected better of him, for lie is the emergency for the rep. teams: I did not expect Colley to do much in last Saturday’s match, for only tho previous day he was confined to his bed with the prevailing colic. He lias played many better games. Nasmith, senr.. did not play his best, but played well notwithstanding, anil repeatedly saved his side. The veteran AA’itty scored a well deserved win in the handicap fours at the Gisborne green on Boxing Day and congratulations were hearty anil sincere on his meritorious performance. Simpson was put out by Crawford in the semi-final. Tho former was decidedly erratic in the earlier stages but recovered later and put in some fino play when it was too late to bo of any use. Tho next day in a practice four against Bright he was in great fettle anil had the opposition in trouble throughout, doing somo fine work, both at drawing and driving. He has gone to Auckland and will take part in somo of tho handicap games. Crawford was unlucky to have been indisposed when tho time came for playing tlio final of tlie handicap fours, for it undoubtedly affected lus play. In the preliminary stages of tho handicap his drawing had been faultless —a marvel of accuracy—but on Boxing Day lie sent down many poor shots. The conditions of wcathei and green for this match wero distinctly variable and gave all the players a lot‘of trouble. The green played as fast as a biflliaril table m parts. AVitli a dip at one end and the wind behind it was extremely difficult to keep out. of tho ditch. Brady played a great game. Ho drew particularly well ana oil tlie tlay'diis drives were deadly. He saved one or two ugly situations' before the last two heads m which jus second bowls played such havoc with tlie opposition. Granted the bowls broke away with a heap <sf luck for AYitty’s team due credit must stiKl lie given to Brady idr making Ins shot so accurately. r , . Amongst" hew players Semple is showing excellent form though he is not on tile green often. Lawless is apt to be erratic but Fordyce who played lead for AVitty is very deadly on tho draw. Morgan played a great game for Orawford in the semi-finals, but was “off” in the final. AV. R. Clarkson found tho green troublesome in tlie latter match, but still more than held his own on tlio draw. Brownlee is away on a. holiday visit to Taranaki. Tlio Gisborne Club have now got their singles under way and on Boxing Day a very exciting match took place between tlie President and G. Miller. Fettie who was conceding two points suffered defeat by that margin.