BOWLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 63

BOWLING.

fMMtarlei art requeued t« rorir&rd ptrUsaUri of fimti pl*r<*

NOTES BY JiCK.

Regularly each year, generally immediately after the New Zealand Bowling Association's tournament is over, the cry is raised that the tournament is becoming unwieldy, play too strenuous, and the work demanded beyond the capacity of the oldsters. And yet year after year the tournament has gone on assuming larger proportions, and those who weie loudest in their complaints are generally the first to move in getting a rink together for the next tournament. Under the circumstances, for the present, I am not taking much stock in the proposed limitation movement. It must be close upon 20 years since I have heard Dunedin and Christchurch bowlers declare that the burden of going through the play irf^the tournament was beyond them, that it was making hard work of what should be a , pleasure, and that they would avoid the gathering for the future. The amount of play has been steadily increased, and yet some of the veterans referred to were ta-Icingr part in the recent tournament, and they are now preparing for the Oamaru or Invercargill gathering. These veterans look back upon the former gatherings about which they grumbled at the time, and now 6ay they were the most enjoyable gatherings they ever attended. The fact is that the real position is not squarely faced. If there is to be any limitation it will not be, go far as Dunedin is concerned, because the tournament has become too unwieldly. With out going beyond the city and suburbs the greens would accommodate 6W players in the rink matches, and there would be no more trouble in arranging for and managing that number than there was in connection with the last tournament. Two years hence, with ordinary luck as regards greens, provision can be made at the Dunedin tournament for 203 rinks, or 832 players. The time may come when we may find that number enter, but it is a good few years distant yet.

Now, I venture to say that those who suggest a process of limitation or selection of those taking part in tournaments would be the first to denounce any such system if it resulted in shutting them out. In the bowling world there may be two or three men in a district who stand out prominently as consistent and successful players — men who, by taking great care of themselves during a tournament, invariably put up a good record. Yet it would not be difficult to get together half-a-dozen combinations, including a good sprinkling of young players, who might put down these prominent players three times out of five: To introduce a system of limitation is to introduce discord, jealousy, and recrimination into every club.

The fact must not be lost sight of that only a very few of those who take part in tournaments do so with any real belief that on their merits as players they will get into the finals. The game is one of skill, but the element of luck bulks so largely that the unexpected may happen, and, buoyed by the hope that ' Dame Fortune may be kind, determined to have a good time, and a good few tough games, many enter so as to be "in the swim." The charm lies in meeting bowlers from other part6— -genial, spirits out for a holiday, prepared to laugh and be jolly whether winning or losing, fighting away until the last bowl is rolled, and then in the evening fighting their battles o'er again with kindred sports. Winning a prize- is quite a. secondary consideration. So long as this spirit prevails, and so long as the greens are available, any movement to change the basis of fclie present annual tournament is 'not in the true interests of bowUnjf.

The Christehuroh Centre is not so fortunate as that of Dunedin in the matter of greens available, but it has accommodation there for every rink that is likely to be entered for the next tournament. It has been suggested that, ii given the control

and management, the Christchuroh Centre next year should devote more time to rink play, drop the pairs tournament, but continue the singles, which can easily be put through in a little more than a day. The dropping of the paiis tournament would rob the programme of an attractive and enioyable feature, and before such a course is agreed to it might be wisor to continue the pairs on the following; week. Visitors and local playe,rs could then elect whether to extend their holiday to take part or abandon play in the pairs. Mr L. B. Wood, who has given the matter much consideration, has outlined a proposed reform in the direction of combining with champion rink p!av. in which the entries would be limited, a popular tournament for singles and pairs play, no restriction beinsj placed on the number of entries. When in Dunedin Mr Wood did not enter into details, but I gathered that hi 6 idea was to confine the number of eanies in the Rink Match to two or three per day. Tha | difficulty would arise in the selecting of | representative rinks. Would each club be j allowed to enter one rink, and one rink j only? Who would be the selector? i On the day's play a tie between the Dunedin an<l Kaitima Clubs, eight rinks asid^>, on Saturday, was probably a true reflex of the form shown. When play concluded on the Dunedin, Green, Kairuna appeared to have th<i game in hand, as with about two heads to play on the Kaituna Green the Kaituna players had a lead there of 9 points. When the news was telephoned that this had been, reduced to 3 points, making a tie on the aggregates, those on the Dunedin Green would not credit it at first. On the Kaituna Green M'Pherson accounted for Gillies, who. r ~\ paper, was very strongly supported ; while T. Sanders in the end game ran away from Peake. On the Dvmedin Green D. Melville put down M. Sinclair-^a creditable performance f or a young" skip. Sinclair does not appear to be in his usual form this season. Payne was in rare fettle, and easily accounted for Scott. It is satisfactory to find the younger clul's putting forward as many rinke as possible in the Saturday matches. It gives a stimulus to the enthusiasm of young players, and gives real pleasure to the great majority of the members of each club. Instead of olaving- eight rinks aside on Saturday, the Dunedin and Kaitune Clubs should have had eight on each green, or, if that was not possible, they could have had at least seven on each green, or 14 in all. Roslyn and St. Kilda played '6 rinks aside — 12 seniors and 4 juniors. St. Hilda seniors scored a well-deserved win by 29 points. On the St. Kilda Green Wedderspoon and A. W. Crawford -went down verr badly before G. P. Mollison and' J M'Curdy respectively, the scores being 30 to 9 and 34- to 7. T. White scored a 1 point win over G. F. Dodds but J. D. Cameron was 2 down to W. C. Allnutt. On the Roslvn Green T>. C. Cameron fied with D. Scott with 20 each, but all the other St Kilda teams were. down. J. Scoular beating Irvine by 25 to 11. B. Thorp defeating T? Cart a* l~ " to 15 »M R. W. Scott defeating Ewing by 21 to 19. The Otago Club put up a good fight against the Caledonians, and only suffered defeat by 7 points. The surprises on the Caledonian Green were the defeat of « Collett by J. K. Barton and of D. Smith by ,T. R" Glover. On the Otago Greon J Evans had to lower his colours to v\ . Hay and J. Cowie to H. Moss. The game on Saturday between Caversham and N.E. Valley was a really close one, the southern club getting home wit'i an advantage of 4 points. In view of tne fact that Caversharn has somp tried players among their skips— such, for instance, &s Murchison, Walker, A. M'Gregor, and Wil-kinson,-the N.E. Valley players are en titled to credit for their game fight. Men-bers of the Lawrence Club journeyed to Milton las'; waek, and met both Balclutha and Clinton Clubs in pennant matches, scoring wins against botfi clubs. "Iney were hospitably enterta^ed bj +h« *W*°~ players, and expressed their thanks to Mr Moore, the genial president of the Milton Club. Playing four rinks against tfalclutha the Lawrence men scored tw to their opponents' 78. H. Darton beat H. Gunthorp by 27 to 17, and W. Anderson, sen., beat R. Mason by 27 to 14. D. L. Christie and W. Finn tied with 23 each. Fruish was the only Balclutha skip with a lead, having scored to A Campbell's 17. Playing three rinks against Clinton, the Lawrence men scored 74 to Clinton's 45. Campbell beat Dutt by 26 to 10, Darton beat Nelson by 23 to 22, and D. L. Christie beat W. Sheddan by 25 to 13. The weather for both matches was all that could be desired, and the green was very keen. In «. friendly match between Clinton and Milton the latter won by 10 points. Buchanan scored 20 to Sheddan s 10 and Twks 24 to Cuiff's 12. Robertson only scored 5 against W. Nelson's 17 for Clinton. The Milton players had afterwards to lower their colours to the Clutha men. who won. by 78 to 70. >W. Finn scored 22 to Twfes's 15, , P. Greaney 24 to W. Moore'e 15. R. Mason 11 to R. Robertson s 20 and Fruish 21 to A. Buchanan's 20. A team from the Phoenix Club, Oamaru, 1 visited Palmerston last week, and in a ' four-rink match were worsted by 10 points. Afternoon tea was provided by Mesdames Lefevre, Muir, and Johansen. Galloway, for Palmerston, scored 20 to Waddell's 7, Clark 19 to Hewat's 24. Lefevre 20 to M'Gibbon's 19, Dr Hislop 32 to Heron s 15. the aggregates being— Palmerston 91, Phoenix 75. An Invercargill correspondent supplies the following intereetine items: — Now that all the excitement of the big tournament is over, local bowlers are settling down to the business of R e^ ln <~ off matches for the various trophies. Both ihe Southland and Te Rangi greens are fully occupied every evening till dark, and already one hears of new combinations being formed for the purpose of doing battle at the coming Easter tournament. The Southland Centre held a meeting last week and discussed certain matters in connection with the tourney. The Rink Match will'be clayed, as before, in sections of six, with four prizes: and the Pairs Match will be "sudden death," there being I a fourth prize in this division also. Each skip -will have a card for the Rink Match, on whioh will be recorded the time table. On this occasion -ample time will be allowed for luncheon, so that at the pavilions only morning and afternoon tea will be provided. The programme is now in the printer's hands, and -will be forwarded to the various clubs next week. ' Mr Ham inform* me that all arrangements are" practically completed for die •visit to Australia of the- second All White team he ha» organised, Mr Hatinah. of i Viini-rfvrij^ and Mr WJutehouse, of New k

South Wales, having taken charge of all matters in their respective States, and a thoroughly enjoyable time is in store for those who are making the trip. By the way, the New South Wales secretary, in an unofficial communication, mentions that the players over his way would take it as a very graceful act from our _ fellows if they would conform to Australian oustom and keep both feet on the mat while delivering their bowls. Members of the Dominion team would do well to make a note of this. There ought to be no difficulty in the matter, and I am quite certain that all the advantages supposed to be gained from having only one foot on the mat are imacrinarv. However, whether two feet are kept on or only one, a hearty welcome is assured to our trippers. The latest, addition is the crack Nelson skip, Mr Nakler, so that one more nook of New Zealand finds representation. He is said to be quite on a par with our best skips : I in fact, that he would take his place in I the first half dozen. Mr W. Dawson is j also going with tho team, and will be j certain to add to the pleasure of the tour | by his genial good-fellowship. GREEN ISLAND v. FAIRFIELD. The above fixture was played on the Green Island Green on Saturday afternoon — five rinks a-side. Victory lay with the senior club by a majority of 14 points. Although Green Island won the match, they did not have all the game to themselves, as at the seventh head the score was Green Island 32, Fairfield 31, and at the fourteenth end it was Green Island 69, Fairfield 65; but from that on the home team gradually drew away, and finished as above. The green was in the best of order, but the high wind was very baffling at times, making it almost impossible lo judge the distance correctly. Appended are the players and scores. — GI. F. W. Evans. A. Harraway, A. Young, T. Campbell (s) 13 — J. M'Neil, Jas. M'Lachlan, John M'Lachlan, J. M'Crorie (a) .... — 52 A. Devinie. D. Sloan, D. Watters, sen., W. Johnston (s) 22 — J. Sneddon, W. Allan, J. M'Crorie, T. Anderson (s) — 15 t[. Blair. A. Kane, J. Aitcheson, 2. Stott (s) 25 — G. Miller, H. Mann, H. Christie. H. M'Grath (s) — 16 W. Smellie. B. Edwards, J. H. Smellie, W. O. Smellie (s) .... 20 — R. Christie J. Kirkland. P. Campbell. J. M'Crorie (s) . .. — 19 T. Irvine. R. Prebble, D. Buchanan, A. Smellie (s) 30 — H. M'Lachlan, J. M'Lachlan, D. H. Christie, A. Scott (s) — U Totals 110 96 PORT CHALMERS v. TAIERI. Three rinks- from each of the above clubs met on Saturday on the Port pnd Taieri Greens respectively, and victory rested with Taieri by the marrow margin of 1 point. Scores: — On Por' Green. T. P.C. W. L. Christie. W. C. Todd, A. Christie, D. L. Christie (s) ..10 — T. Kettle — Nei'son, W. "Wilson, N. Murray (&) — 20 A. Cameron, H. Freeman, J. Smith, J. Campbell (s) 18 — P R. Stewart. - "VTylie, J. IST. Monson, A. Walker (s) — 22 J. Crawford, J. Mime, W. Allan, W. Carswell (s) 36 — J. Rennie. — Begg, W. M'Kay, J. Grey (s) , — 14 On Taieri Green. A. Barclay, G. A. Keys, H. Millar, A. C. M'lntyre (a) 21 — W. Sutton, J. Pickard, J. C. Kipley, A. Thomson (s) — 15 Joseph Allan, Rev. Kinmoa*; D. SteVenson, A. Davidson (s) ..18 — J. Paterson, N. Lindsay, T. Collier, W. F Bastings (s) — 25 S. Cousins, H. H. Inglis, J. Gilligan, J. Tait (s) 15 — Tf. Moigan, D. Oyend«n, J. Aitken, A. H. Hillier (s) — 21 Totals .. vr 118 117