Sports & Pastimes

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2116, 15 February 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

Sports & Pastimes

BOWLING.

(iiy “Toucher.”) Tho competition in the Bennett Cup and gold medal championship has been continued at the Tuianganui green during the past week and tho issue .is between Martin, Sawyer, Gaudin, Ratclifle, and Sheet, though Nasmith, sour., is at- present an unknown quantity, not having commenced his games. It was expected that the game between Hird and Ratclifle would be a close one, but it proved otherwise, for only on -a few heads did Hird exhibit any play, liis old complaint—anxiousness—again troubled him, whereas Ratclifle -played coolly, judging every shot, and soon had the game in hand, winning easily at the finish. Sawyer made “no race” of his game with fli-rd. The former played a splendid jjuno throughout, consistently beating Hird’s good draws, and obtained the easiest win of the competition. The game between J. J. Martin and Nasmith, inr., provided an excellent contest, there being nothing between the scores throughout. Martin put in some good drawing shots, necessitating his opponent playing firmly at times. Throughout the game Nasmith only missed firm shots on one lu*ul, when Martin obtained three, the bowl -missing the object by a “bairs’brcadth.” This three on the 17tli head practically /--.ve Martin the game. The following head saw Martin lying one behind the jack, but Nasmith with his last caught the jack .and nside a dead-head. The next head was ako made dead by Nasmith similarly. Again replaying, Nasmith scored, but Martin, obtaining a single on the succeeding end, put the issue beyond doubt, ultimately winning by 6 points. ” Sawyer achieved .another victory in meeting J'. McConnell, lie had the game well in hand -throughout, his play being too good for liis opponent. Hepburn succeeded in making a dose finish in his-game with'Martin. Up to the loth head Martin had it all liis own way, but being careless, Hepburn -got- in his four on the lfith head, and when the hast head was reached was 16 to Martin’s 18. Requiring two to tie Hepburn did not succeed, for he allowed his opponent to get the shot and win by three. The following is the position of the various players at the conclusion of

Another possible was obtained at the Turangauui -green on Saturday, when Hepburn, Sheet and 'Ratclifle secured a nine. Twice during the season has the possible of eight been scored by pairs, such scores being lew and-itir between. The rinks in tho Handicap Fours have been selected. On paper (Sawyer’s rink appears 'the strongest, but I expect tlui't play will show the winners as belonging to -another team. Tho first round ' will he commenced next Thursday.

I hear -that 13. Hird intends entering for the singles in the howling tournament at the Nhpier carnival. I wish him tho best of luck. He opines he -lias no- show, but thinks he will learn something more of the game by liis trip. * Re the Napier bowling tournament, I sec the Gisborne Club are taking entries for those willing to represent the club. It would be a wise thing for Turanganui to tlo likewise, and get a team to represent them. Tlie latter club made a good debut at Auckland, and should do even better if they sent the -pick of their club in one team to Napier.

Tlie Gisborne Club is making -fliir progress with its -tournaments land several .interesting -ma tches have been played during the past week. The latest excitement on the Haiti greens concerns the Shield matches for which team representing -the different- districts are .now being chosen.

A good deal of regret has been expressed tlmt the popular handieapjjer, Mr AY. J. Hoimessy, has found it necessary to relinquish liis duties in tiiat position. Air Henncssy i.s one of the keenest bowlers in the district and has done an immense amount of work for tlie chili. As a liaiulicapper he was hard to beat, for he had a through knowledge of every item's play and allotted -the handicaps -witliomb fear or favor. Ft is to be hoped the Club may find a suitable successor and that .after having a spell Air He'llnessy -may later on ngain resume the position in which he scored so conspicuous a success.

•Says the “ißulletin” : —The visit of the Auckland bowlers to Sydney revealed the fact that the ancient game i.s no longer a -pastime ol old fogies. The average age of the visiting team was 38 years. In Victoria and Alaoriland .bowls and football have combined, and the loamy oaf trundles tbe biassed globe in summer time to invp liimself in condition. In N'.S.V. also, the nuinber c/f young men wh.i take to the green is enormously on the increase, and a.ppearanees indicate that in the near future at least one-half the juvenile population will bn walking round in striped jacket:and -white p iiiits, with its head cocked oil one side, watching the other had making sho-ts.

THE SURER 10'R PLAYER. Always have in mind the welfare of the dub and the advancement and knowledge of o-tir -game. you. being a Superior Player, should -act as billows:— Rule I .—Never-fail to adopt a rupercilioiis attitude towirds those who are struggling with (he first principles of the g'luic. j;ul,, 2.- —If a had shot should he put ini -bv one who lias no! bad tlie expem-nce ol voiirsel, do no. lad to laugh, ridicule, or to assume an an of disgusted endurance. Rule 3. —Form cliques will other sunerior Mayers. By this means you will find it easier to keep the novice in his piace. Rule 4. —If bv chance i novice, with eharacYristie check, sliou'd come in, even while you are at practice. immediately pick up your bow.s, anu sav you must get away—he’ll understand. .

Rule s.—‘Always, ami under -any circumstance, insist on skipping. if picked as No. 3, spend most of -the unit; watching the piny in the next rim;. This encourages the new skip, and makes him play his best. Rule 0. —lnvariauly growl at tJie selection committee tor giving you the .worst .team on the green. Jo. lie 7. —die sure- to constantly abuse your side alter every shot. This makes the afternoon verv .pleasant for them and covers up quit own bad ipkiy. ilule 8. — When you Jose, always blame your team. When you win, take all the credit. .Rule 9. —Carry a shot gun, or ono day your team will tar and leather you. They often feel like it. STAG'D UP Oil KNEEL DOWN. Here is the opinion of that always into listing writer on bowling, “Boomerang, ’ in .Melbourne “Punch,” on tiie correct -position to deliver i 'bowl. I commend it to Gorr.ie, Perritt, Tudehope, and a dozen others I could mention : —The erect position has everyiidiing to recommend it, -while the other has nothing. Of course, there are notable exceptions. Of laie years almost every man taking to the game stands up, hut men pio have been playing for eight or ten years •were not encouraged in their day to do anything against their own judgment at starting. Many a good bo-wler is thankful that someone came along in time to get him on to his feet. Speaking of exceptions, I refer to those men particularly who have been playing for a number of years, and who, no matter -what attitude they adopted, would have been good players. I don’t say, though, that they would not have been better players had they taken to standing up- from the : jump. -• When it comes to a shot where it is necessary to go through with about 9 inches of green to a howl beyond the kitty, the man who cannot use his back in conjunction with his other limbs is decidedly ait a disadvantage. A good argument will be used, of course, to the effect that the man who is said to be at a disadvantage very often beats the best of the other set. Quite u sound argument, but it only serves ito illustrate how mucii finer players they would have been had they stood up. It stands ito reason that a man has a better balance and a better view, to say nothing of more freedom of action bv standing on the mit, and when any man who does not is held up as THE best', absolutely. he will want to be pretty good before it can be admitted.

ROWING,.

(Bv “Outlook. 1 ’) It muot 'bo very giutifying to donors to a club to Know that- their generosity has been acknowledged in a proper spirit. Those gentlemen who have acted liberally, to the Gisborne Club have had no occasion to be dissatisfied with the appreciation, for on every occasion this season good contests for the various events hove been the rule and not the exception. The last trial fours just concluded, for the handsome and valuable trophies presented by E. P. Joyce Esq., have been the most exciting that-have been seen on the river for many years, nine crews facing the starter wild most of them trained to the hour. The race par excellence was the semi ■final when J. Nicholas met the favorites in McLeod’s crew. It vas generally considered this- would be an extra good go, and so it was, Nicholas winning by a very narrow mur-o-in. Although sympathising with the losers I must congratulate Nicholas for a well deserved win.. He. has been most consistent in Ins training all through this season, and kept Jus crews ui) to the mark. His tour got into a really good swing which.earned them through. Somervil also deserves u word of praise, it was nothing but pluck anti doggedntss that gained him the victory m i s mst race with Petersen. When h cowman s scat got fast ho I«*at least three dengclis; also ni ins iate with ■Seymour me lost nearly halt a make anungemeiits for the L iallehg ■nfer the Namor Regatta, vlncii m material at hand selection, dilriculty in ni'akii o a =, }or t j lt; q-lw tnue isktUio o ioU£lllip "ISvSmit .ltd “ttousll u . u l y wouid |*°J°JScst b (tke “u 1 ‘ o <™>; x natures, from accounts to hand, both contestants a,re lcavms«<)t lin ,r undone that will contrib te to success and it should be a rmHj ; m S. contest, .although 1 . hmk th-vt "Webb will win fair y easily at the finish, bearing in m.m the old ‘d-».»e “vouth will be served. it * a so°to be honed that the mvoep stake, race will eventuate. M ith so manv rowers of merit-, including the coming champion, Anist, also lomi, Niellson and others, such an event with miod handicapping would be worth "a -pilgrimage to witness. ■During the week members ot the Gisborne Club have been actively enrra.Ved training for the Sebum idler Pours. This event is looked unon.as the bine riband of the shed, and some wood raein-j; is promised.

AAWN TF.NNIS. The semi-final for the Hawley Cup (Gisborne Chib) was to have been •payed an Thursday, but had to lie postponed owing to the wet w. 'nher The names will be played to-dny ..viien L. Margolioulh u ll.mce - W. i,. O-olennu. and H. Willoek v: meet AY. J. Barlow. CYCLING. Til" lasi raee fon- the Tnwnhy Cu] luis been postponed till .March oth. Steady training is going on l’or the race, and a good contest is expected. CROQUET. On the AA'hatnupoko courts to-day an intcr-club match will'be played. Given line weather a pleasant afteruouii shoU.UL.hP-®J)£.i.*.t>_~ ~-

CRICKET.

(Notes by ‘‘Short-slip.’’) Ie Bail continued their victorious career at Victoria Domain last Saturday by adding United's scalp to their . already thickly-studded belt. To Ban has not lost -a single match this season, and judging uy the whole-heart-ed manner in whim the- members of tins Club’s eleven diligently practice t hey are de-tea mined 'to go right through tile season with an unbeaten record. The play on Saturday last between Ie Ban and United saw Hallamore and Yeats make a plucky effort to pull -the match out of the fire for their side. Hall-amore’s T 9 was one of the soundest innings I have seen him- play. He never made a weak or faltering stroke, yet was lynxeyed to detect the ball to score from. Ho made many powerful off-strokes and square-cuts, and employed the«is hook with effect, lie brought into use the push stroke in the slips many times when playing Schofield. It Was a pity that no one could be found to stay with the United captain as he looked well set for a long ecore. Young Yeats played a capital innings for 18. He went in at a most critical period, when all the -best batsmen on bis side had failed. Nerves did not affect him in the slightest, however, and he met the ball with the full face of the blade, and came down heavily on anything short or overpitched. He -was eventually taken a,t deej) mid-on by Orpwood in. attempting to turn a ball from Monk hard to leg. It looked ut one time -as if Te Ban would have difficulty in getting the 6S required to win. Hallamore opened the bowling, and there was cor,-;-.: stern ition in the Te Rau camp when his fourth ball clean bowled Cary. It was a facsimile of the ball Albert Trott so frequently employed, and there can be no doubt but that- the,. United captain must have acquired the knack of bowling this pa-rticnlui ball from the redoubtable tralian at Napier. This ball isjjPtwled with all the appearance^,%a fast one; but"wWu“thejirjSVTs about just in line with the race the -hand is drawn sharply back, instead of following through in the usual manner. This gives the ball a most de- • ceptive hanging flight, and causes it to come fast off the pitch. Iho Te Ilau captain was beaten all the way down the pitch. As Dudfield and Orpwood were both dismissed cheaply, United stock began to have an upward tendency. Moore -and Olsen soon settled the issue, however, and matters were made easy for them by bad fielding on United’s part. Olsen should h-avo been easily taken -at long on by Reynolds off Ha Lamore at the commencement of his,--innings, and -the next bad should have seen Moore taken -at mid-on. Moore also put a couple of balls up at leg which Whyte could have secured had he been more vigilant. Both Hallamore and Yeats appeared to lose their length after-.this, and Olsen made some powerful pulls to the boundary of both bowlers. Moore appeared to settle down niter the chances referred to, and played a very solid innings. Ho was exceptionally strong in leg play, and leaus and Cooi) erred greatly in judgment in sending down fast stuff on the leg side to batsmen like Moore and Olsen, who are known to be strong ou the leg side. Te Rau won handsomely by seven wickets; Olsen (40), Moore (20). There was some good scoring dono at Taruheru last Saturday in the concluding day’s play of the match between Wanderers and Taruheru. Wanderers ran ui) 165 for six wickets in the second innings before they declared the innings closed. Oeorge Marker was top-scorer with an admirably-compiled 59 (not- one). He is a most attractive batsman to watch, and was at the top of his form on Saturday. Glennie (2-6), Babb (20), Judge (11), -and O’Donnell (9) also gave the bowlers trouble. This,left T^mJaeK-r- with the formi--de.me task'"of facing 2r.3—lP win -,A- j Young and C. Lasker ant effort, -and a rare treat was afforded by both these dashing batsmen getting going together. Young gpve a brilliant exhibition of fast scoring, and the versatility of his strokes and the comparative ease --with which be played Harker, Babb, McColl, Glennie and Adamson caused an enthusiastic this batsman to emphatically assert to the spectators that lie considered Young to be the best batsman in the Dominion. With his score at 52, Young had the ill-luck to be run out through an error in iudgment bv Lasker.

Lasker livened up the proceedings immensely, and quite roused the spectators by the 'brilliance of his hitting. Twice in succession he lifted Harker'out of the ground, the ball going clean over the top of the high willow trees on the western side -of-"-the ground. Lasker was caught by Barry off Babb with his total at- 37. The innings closed for 11S, Wanderers thus winning by 9G runs. There will be a battle of giants at Victoria Domain to-day, when Teßau and Wanderers meet. These cluW are leading for the competition'',,-; tb u and 9 points respectively. The result of this mutch will have'an important bearing on deciding tho championship. The game is certain to be- keenly fought out, and there sfiould be a good crowd of spectators to witness the struggle between these strong elevens. BOXING. Writing after his third defeat-in America to -a friend in Newcastle Bill .-quires says:—“l have to tdl vou J. h; another fight, and got beaten. I coidd not tram as the rheumatism ; got me settled. I don’t intend to eh• " ntll 1 r; gh,t, and theclimate .is no good for me. I lave never felt rght since X .have been heie. -Jimmy and 1 me goin r w, st artor the New Year, and may go S Ltiglnid. Jr I don t get right j will ;• ome home through England. I think my lighting days are over, as 1 calimit tram on account of the rhenmatuv!"ltcr 1 fought Flynn 1 caiihl not lift my arms.' -

the third week’s play : — Played. "Won. Lost. J. J. Martin G G 0 A. Sawyer 7 5 2 W. J. P. Gamlin 5 4 1 Nasmith, jnr. 8 ■1 3 4 W. Pa tel iff o 1 1 ]). Henburn o 2 3 W. 0. ‘Sheet 2 7 1 J. McConnell 3 1 2 P. Hallam 3 1 2 M. Neill •1 1 3 13. llird 7 1 G C. J. Bennett 2 0 2 J. Colley 2 0 2 0 IT. C. Nasmith 0 0