INTERPROVINCIAL BOWLING MATCH.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2437, 27 January 1882, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL BOWLING MATCH.

The third annual match between the Dunedin and Christchurch Bowling Clubs commenced at 2 p.m. yesterday on the green of the Christchurch Club, Worcester street east. The late rain had freshened the sward excellently, and the green, when fringed around with a number of ladies and visitors, and with the various players in their distinctive head gear, looked exceedingly pretty. The members of the club also added to the natural beauty of the green by placing small garden tables on various parts of the terrace with pot plants. Mr Messenger, of His Lordship’s Larder, provided a very excellent luncheon in a marquee on the ground, where the Dunedin players, prior to the match, were hospitably entertained by their Christchurch confreres. The respective teams were as follows CHRISTCHURCH.

No. 1 Eink —Messrs B. D. Thomas, C. Cuff, H. A. Watt, H. Thomsen (skip). No. 2 Eink—Messrs J, S. Guthrie, W. S. Bobison, J. Jackson, E. Struthers (skip). No. 3 Eink —Messrs C. E. Blakiston, J. T. Peacock, Fredk. Hobbs, Stevenson (skip). No. 4 Eink—Messrs E. Black, A. Cuff, H. N. Nalder, A. Garrick (skip). DUNEDIN. No. 1 Eink—Capt. Lloyd, Messrs D. Drummond, J. Callender, J. Sooular (skip). No. 2 Eink —Messrs J. McLaren, T. Fergus, J. D. Yates, W. Crombie (skip). No. 3 Eink—Messrs W. Wright, A. Howieson, A. MoDiarmid, D. Baxter (skip). No. 4 Eink—Messrs J. Moodie, M. Coughtrey, J. H. Morrison, J. C. Morris (skip). The following will show the contestant rink*:— Bink No. 1. CHRISTCHURCH. DUNEDIN. E. D. Thomas Lloyd C. Cuff Drummond H. A. Watt T. Callender H. Thomson (skip) J. Scoular (skip) Score—2l points. Score—2o points. Eink No. 2. J. S. Guthrie 1 W. Wright W. S. Bobison A. Howieson J. Jackson A. MoDiarmid W. Strnthers (skip) D. Baxter (skip) Score—lß points. • Score—2l points. Bine No. 3. C. E. Blakiston J. McLaren J. T. Peacock T. Fergus Fredk, Hobbs J. D. Yates Stevenson (skip) W- Crombie (skip) Score—9 points. Score—2l points. Bine No. 4. Niel Black T. Moodie A. Cuff M. Coughtrey H. N. Nalder J. H. Morrison A. Garrick (skip) J. C. Morris (skip) Score—2l points Score—lo points. The final score stood as follows : CHRISTCHURCH. DUNEDIN. No. 1 Bink ... 21 No. 1 Bink ... 20 No. 2 Eink ... 18 No. 2 Eink ... 21 No. 3 Eink ... 9 No. 3 Rink ... 21 No. 4 Eink ... 21 No. 4 Eink ... 10 Total ... 69 Total ... 72 Winning number of points for Dunedin 3

The play throughout on both sides was excellent, some really splendid ends being made. At the end of the first half hour’e play the following was the total state of the game: — Christchurch ... 20 | Dunedin ... ... 19 And at 3 o’clock : Christchurch ... 37 | Dunedin 34 At 3.30 p.m. the total game stood os follows :

Christchurch ... 561 Dunedin ... ... 45 At 3.35 p.m, the first rink was concluded at No. 3 rink, the rink score standing as follows :

Dunedin 21 | Christchurch ..._ 9 This was followed at 3.56 p.m. by No. 4 rink as follows : Christchurch ... 21 | Dunedin 10

The game between the players in No. 1 rink was excellent, the Dunedin men making ones and two steadily. The No. 2 rink also played well, as at four o’clock they were— Dunedin, 15 ; Christchurch, 16. The total game was at this time—Christchurch, 66 ; Dunedin, 61. At No. 1 rink the scoring was exceedingly close, Dunedin scoring one each end till their score stood 18 to 20 for Christchurch, Another one made the Dunedin men 19 to 20. At No, 2 rink the Dunedin men scored a win, the score being—Dunedin 21, Christchurch 18. No. 1 rink was now 'the centre of attraction, the score being 20 all. A capital shot by Watt closed the game—2l Christchurch to 20 Dunedin—the total game being, Dunedin 72, Christchurch 69, The former thus winning by three points. The rinks were even, but the Dunedin players won on the total. The teams then adjourned to the marquee, where Mr Cunningham, the president of the Christchurch Bowling Club, proposed the health of the Dunedin club, congratulating them on their victory. Though, no doubt feeling a little sore on the subject, the members of the Christchurch Club would, in the true spirit of sport, say that the Dunedin men fully deserved the victory they had won. [Cheers.] If the Dunedin men had the pluck to ask them to Dunedin next year, no doubt they would play better than they had that day. He asked them now, as true sportsmen, to drink the health of the officers of the Dunedin Bowling Club and of the winning team. [Cheers.] The toast was drunk enthusiastically.

Mr Morrison, the president of the Dunedin Bowling Club, responded, and said that he was proud to find the victory won by so small a number of points. When the Dunedin men came up three years ago they met a very unsophisticated lot, as bowlers, but now they found that they could only win by three points. If the Christchurch men came to Dunedin, they would give them a hearty welcome, and he trusted to see the match won by only one point. This, he took it, was the true spirit of sport. [Cheers.] He begged to thank them for the hospitality extended to them, and the kindly manner in which the president had proposed their health, and the enthusiastic way in which the members of the Christchurch Bowling Club had responded to it. [Cheers ] Mr Ollivier, in a very humorous speech, pave “ The father of bowling in Otago—Mr Callender.” [Cheers.] The toast was drunk enthusiastically. Mr J. O. Morris, the vice-president of the Otago Bowling Club, also responded on behalf of the officers of the olub, and expressed his pleasure at seeing the progress made both in the appearance of the green and the playing of the members. He was, he was proud to say, the father of bawling in Canterbury, and he was very glad to notice that the dozen or so of members five year* ago hod grown into the seventy they now bad. The defeat by three points of the Christchurch Club was by no means a disgrace, as the Dunedin Olub numbered some 150 members.

Dr. Ooughtrey also responded, and proposed “The Health of the Christchurch

Team and Club,” coupled with the names o£ Messrs Garrick and Black. [Cheers.] Mr Callender responded to the coaet of his health in a very excellent speech, in the course of which he expressed a hope that Bowling Clubs would be formed in all parts of the colony as a means of healthful recreation. [Cheers,] Mr Garrick, on behalf of the Christchurch Club and team, responded, and pointed ont that the Christchurch Club were far more restricted in their choice of playing men than in Dunedin, as they had to get their sixteen out of some twenty or twenty-five playing men. This being so, they had no need to be ashamed of their beating that day. [Cheers.] Mr Black also responded on behalf of the Christchurch Club.

Mr Morrison proposed *' The Health of the President of the Christchurch Bowling Club, Mr P. Cunningham.” [Cheers.] Christchurch ought to be proud of possessing a gentleman such as Mr Cunningham. Their only sorrow was that they had not his prototype in Dunedin ; indeed, it would be hard to find a man as good in the colony. They would be better had they some more like Mr Cunningham. Ho gave them “ The Health of the President of the Christchurch Bowling Club. Mr Cunningham.” [Cheers.] The toast was drunk most enthusiastically, with cheers for Mrs Cunningham and family. Mr Watt quoted a verse from Burns apropos of the toast, which was loudly cheated. He said—

Hale be your heart, hale ha your fiddle, Lang may yonr elbuck jink and diddle To cheer yon through the weary widdla O’ war’ly cares. Till bairn’s bairns kindly cuddle Tour auld grey hairs. Mr Cunningham responded, and in the course of bis speech thanked the members of both teams for the kindly manner in which they had spoken of him. The time would shortly come when, like other presidents of the club, be should have to retire into the cooler shades of respectability—[No, no] — but still he must say that he thoroughly ap. predated what had been said, becsuso he felt that, unlike eulogistic speeches on formal occasions, the compliments which bad been paid to Mrs Cunningham, his family, and himself, were meant heartily. [Cheers.] It was then announced that, to afford the visiting team another opportunity of an afternoon’s play, the members of the Christchurch Bowling Club would meet them on the green at 2 p.m. to day. In the evening both teams will attend a special performance at the Theatre, Mr Williamson, at the request of the president and officers of the Christchurch Club, having arranged a new bill, including “The Snowball” and “The Chinese Question.”