HATAITAI ON TOP

NZ Truth, Issue 1262, 6 February 1930, Page 17

HATAITAI ON TOP

Bowls

Back To Pennant Play

"MAGPIE" SHOT

(From "NiZ. Truth's" Wellington Rep.) It was quite an enjoyable afternoon for the seven hundred players who took part In the senior and Junior pennant matches on Saturday last. After a holiday of more than a month from Inter-club matches, interest In bowling has again been revived. WTHILE there are some who look W' askance at pennant play, and the Wellington club threatened to withdraw unless the games were fixed to its liking, there can be little doubt that bowling as a game would deteriorate if some such organised inter-club matches were not arranged. There must be competition to produce virility. The results of Saturday's matches were, on the whole consistent. Shepherd, the Hataitai selector, made no mistake when he had a chance of getting at Eastbourne, and by winning all the games against the seaside club, he deposed them from the top of the tree and placed his own club there instead. This was forecasted, and unless something unforeseen happens, Hataitai will remain .In this proud position until the end of the season. Newtown, which was holding second place, remains m the same order, although its percentage of rink wins has been reduced by losing three games out of four to the Thorndon Club. Island Bay showed Its true form for the first time thl6 season by getting a 75 per cent win, and Karo'rl Is also In the fighting line. Kelburn gave Wellington a good hiding; but the parent club recovered m its match against Khandallah. Victoria, the winners of last year are still m the doldrums. . The club which is surpassing itself up to the present this season is Thoradon, and instead of oeing m its usual position, close to the bottom, it is now amongst the first four. Its. leading skip, Lou. Naylqr, has a good record for pennant play, and during the. last four years he has been beaten only once. Why he joined the Thorndon club it is difficult to say; but certainly he has had all the plums since he has been a member. He was wonderfully successful during his temporary residence at Upper Hutt, and practically put that club on the map by winning for it the Centre Singles Championship twice and the Pairs on one occasion. He is a left-handed player, and must be regarded as one of the best In the Centre, and also capable of holding his own amongst the foremost Dominion bowlers.