TO GIVE PERMANENT RECORD OF MATCH PLAY IN BOWLING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 55, 27 May 1927, Page 6

TO GIVE PERMANENT RECORD OF MATCH PLAY IN BOWLING

METHOD DESIGNED WHEREBY COMPLETE DETAILS ARE RECORDED—TEAM PLAY CAN BE ANALYSED

By JACK HIGH f T , HIS article embodies a practical suggestion whereby individual players can effectively place the “yard stick” on their playing strength in team work. It goes even further than that—it outlines a definite method whereby bowling records can be preserved in the fullest detail. TO GIVE PERMANENT RECORD. There are a few games where a “pcore card” easily lends itself to a clear indication of the actual character of skill in a game. Bowling is certainly not one of these. Regret has frequently been expressed that, when a most skilful game of bowls has been played, that there has been nc means of setting down in black and wWte, a concise and accurate record o T the shots which made the game justly famous and obviously worthy of permanent record. If this could be done it would not only be a continuous source of inspiration to our players, but a valuable matter for continuous reference in the future. It is a notable fact that, out of all the illustrious past, history of the game, there has been no means devised of making a comparison and measuring the strength of the past with our present-day playing standard. All of this has been completely and irrevocably lost to us for ever. Apart from a few, time-worn, faded photographs of some brilliantly skilful exponents of the game, nothing is left to clearly indicate the skill of the players in the past. A LONG-FELT WANT

Even bowling journals throughout the world have made no practical attempt at the permanent recording of games. Their efforts in description have been on the lines of much effusiveness and the frequent use of superlatives, which may be said for practical purposes is ineffective and useless. »

The question naturally arises “upon what basis these results can be permanently recorded to Advantage?” There are such a variety of shots in the present-day game that it must therefore involve more than a mere setting down of figures. But taking even these difficulties into consideration much illumination of the progress of the game could be tabulated. The accompanying illustration exemplifies a method, whereby an actual individual scoring could be given in a rink game of four heads. A V. B Leads. Twos. Threes. Skips. Total. A. B. A. B. A. B. A. B. A. B. *2 -2 *1 -1 *2-2 *2 —2 -1 *1 -1 *1 -1 *1 -1 *2 *1 -1 -1 *1 -1 *1 -1 *1 _ io *2 -2 *2 -2 *2 -2 *2 -2 8 10 5 1 3 2 4 22 5 •Plus. -Minus. First head: This indicates B team is 5 down, when the skips change over, and shows that the B skip did what is expected of a good skip; he drew his two bowls shots. In other words he reversed the position from 5 down to 2 up, and shows clearly that the B skip saved his team from disaster on the head.

Second head: The A lead cores first. He is beaten for shot by B’s tw r o. B’s third player scox-es another counter and the B skip adds two more Third head: A lead scores 1. It will be seen that this shot is beaten by B’s two, and that B’s third player adds another one, leaving the skip three up. which is added to by one. Fourth head: In this head it is shown clearly that all the A team weit entirely to pieces, and that the B team scored tw r o successively by e«ich of their players, leaving the four headtf contested, A, 8; B, 10. AN INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS The record of how the 64 shot l played on each head were disposed is o*f keen interest, and worthy of record in a game of great prominence. But the summary at the bottom of each column is of greater interest. It gives the healthy comparison in actual points scored by the individual players with one another. A’s lead was stronger than B’s, by 5 to 1. Between the threes, there is only 1 the difference. A’s third beat B by 2 points. There is a great weakness indicated in the A skip. He is seen to be beaten by no less than 3 points on the four heads which are played. A summary of this character can directly point to the respective weakness or strength of the individual players. In respect to this it certainly is a most telling manner of placing the “yard stick” on members of any team. There may be some criticism as regards “position shots,” which are played during the game. But most position shots are usually ordered to be drawn into the count. It may be accurately contended that there are few attempts to scatter them in profusion eight to ten feet at the back of the “jack.” “Block shots” —to discount the possibilities of the “drino” —are played on rare occasions. They are always ba* shots to execute and are frequently avoided. . “Back bowls” are generally obtained by “shot bowls” that are forced bac Few are directed to be played and tne principally by number threes. . So that the score-card gives a accurate summary of the players’ weight and playing ability the game.

This system of scoring certainly can claim much attention from trie ones’, twos’ and threes’ *ctu* scoring in a match. To them it is of great advantage in this respec. and their respective value is definitely recorded. Probably from this point of view it has outstanding merit and is urgently re “ quired.

It is rightly advanced that any tem that tends to give prominent the value of respective rnetQl ? er teams is of extreme value to tne P _ gress of the game on the green, this point of view' the system oi ing a count of individual shots :heregame is presented and should, fore, claim close attention i future.