ON THE GREEN Bowls and Bowlers

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 262, 26 January 1928, Page 9

ON THE GREEN Bowls and Bowlers

By

JACK HIGH.

BOWLING club development During the present season, bowling lu b development in this city is aaiming considerable proportions. When the present schemes now laid down w the Auckland. Remuera and Carl;'n Clubs are completed, the combined nlaying areas in these clubs will comnrise no fewer than 93 rinks. in other words, to give a more practical illustration, if this space involved were 7n occupied in rink play it would accommodate no fewer than 744 olayers, which would more than accommodate all the entrants for the largest tournament ever conducted in New Zealand, Uld in Auckland last season. From a policy point of view this remarkable development should be carefully noted by every club in Auckland. Tune was when there was an optimis11C rush to promote bowling clubs in abundance, and, moreover, there ' was a marked tendency, unfortunately, to duplicate playing areas in some districts’. Indeed, if we look carefullv into this question we find that some clubs are situated so closely together that they are but a few hundred yards from one another. Although it cannot be said that any of these ventures have actually failed and come back into the promoters hands, nevertheless some clubs have had a continuously, hard, uphill struggle to keep float. At the same time it is a safe prediclion that quite a number will continue to struggle financially. We must assume that the reason for this apparent failure is that the larger clubs provide a much fuller club life to their members. More playable greens are supplied. Players can as a rule be assured of obtaining a rollup on any afternoon, and not have to await the week-end to get in adequate practice, while there is mostly in evidence some bowling spectacle of : owling interest to absorb the attention of those members who thoroughly enjov watching a keenly-fought contest from the bank. But the chief reason for extending the playing areas so handsomely in the three clubs is primarily to provide gdequate opportunity for the grasses to mature, and not so much to attract n «w members. It has been the experience that no surface will survive continuous cutting, rolling and play, and if good greens are to be provided the only course is to give the grasses a spell and allow them to grow. Auckland bowlers have real reason to be congratulated on this development in bowling club expansion, by which another new record is established in the Queen City of the North. It may accurately be contended that nowhere else in the world has such development taken place. GREY LYNN CLUB'S OPENING Next Saturday will be a big day at the Grey Lynn Club, when the official opening of the club's new property will take place. The energetic members of this club have worked long and well for their new home and ultimately for this great occasion in the history of their club. It has '*een a very big undertaking. The work has been well done. Grey Lynn has reason for congratulations from all sister clubs and all brother bowlers. It would take much to recount fully the very numerous successful schemes undertaken, and the many personal efforts of the members, who have all so splendidly contributed to such pronounced success as a whole. DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIP SINGLES

Colin Muston was beaten it the Dominion championship singles competition. He has, however, done well. His exposition of the game was the surprise of the tournament, as far as his home town was concerned. It is certain that the surprising form displayed is of the permanent order. More will be heard of this player. H. C. Clarke’s efforts in winning the singles champonship last year, and securing the position of runner-up this reason, is certainly worthy of note. It was a striking proof of consistency of form. The new champion, J. Scott, though fresh to Dominion honours, has been a successful competitor in big bowling contests for some years. THE RINKS CHAMPIONSHIP At the conclusion of the final match of the Dominion tournament, Mr. A. J. Benzie, president of the Dominion of New Zealand Bowling Association, said the Caledonian Club had put up a record in gaining the rinks championship and the singles championship of the Dominion. Mr. Benzie's contention is not quite correct. Without in any way attemptng to discredit the meritorious wins of the splendid Caledonian men. It must in all fairness be stated that the Ponsonby club won the double event in 1923. The personnel of the teams on that occasion 'yere R. Somervell, J. Hosking, V. t’asey, G. Parsons, while M. Walker, who was a member of the Ponsonby t'lub at that time, annexed the singles championship. Although new to rink honours, W. Foster, the skip of the champion rink, won the champion singles in 1918 and 1926. He is, however, surpassed in the number of wins by E. Harraway. Green Island, and M. Walker, Auckland, who nave both four wins to their credit.

tiOTES AND COMMENTS On February 1 Auckland will be visited by a group of Manawatu bow‘ers, who will be the guests of the Auckland Centre. Also, on February -•I. the long-looked-for visit of the Victorian party will take place. A solid Programme of events is being arranged *P r Lhese visitors, and it is expected tnat the Auckland Centre will fully hve up fl ne reputation in the entertainment of them. , T he Auckland Bowling Centre is to 9 congratulated on the manner in hieh entries came in for the re--rn match with South Auckland in Hardley Shield competition. It is l 9»ured this competition will now an annual bowling contest of The quality of the players no entered is very high indeed. The wJw* ma t c h was well subscribed for •T Players. Probably the splendid 'oaed attraction of a trip to the new ir? PUn * Works to-day was the special , !t le » tournaments that are to be held rJn 7 0nda y. Anniversary Day. are a very number of en- ' greens are running particuy we R for those who like fiery s af 18 ’ In fact . in most cases there , aJn iost an entire absence of green

#Haxwell Walker’s studied methods VTii on i Structinfir he ads, and his par- ; oiarly graceful style in the delivery a,! bowls, always attract wide adk tt 7i°n from those on the bank. At ;n‘f Tproinion tournament these pleas♦o :? a * ur ®s of play again drew -nUon. and proved one of the athons of the tournament.

BOWLING TEAMS

SATURDAY’S MATCHES Jh. following teams will represent ot.p res P e ct:ve bowling clubs in the 0 „ r -«ub competitions on Saturday: Road v. Papatoetoe. —At Do- " Bathgate, A. Clark, Hoppy, Ferguson. Sutherland, A. Teoman: Betts, Davis, Truman, v"' Sharkey, Smith, Blair. Kelly. At woetoe. Bellamy, Barton, W. H. ir*t,erl ; Sessions, Hook S. K. •tpoen, Benson; Taylor. Jones, Stephen- . uswken: Virtue, Beck, Robertson, *■ Against Avondale.—At Dominion

w?fght Hin c le Ji F’ F ® r 8 us °n. Stone, CartGuthrie, Swap, West, Sayers; Gentles Ironside, Newton, I.ayland At Rlchk'rtpfon D H Tattersall, W. Richardson, R. H. Fisher; Wombwell pfsheF 1 ' Witithrop, Bush; Spelr, W. s! Fisher, Cannon, Denison. First-vear pla >7;r s - Foreman, Rogers, Buckley, Roget. Hdlaborough v. Edendale.— At EdenGregoFy S S^p ty J Thompson, Baker: Gregory. Smith, Ward, Thomas. Edendale v. Hillsborough. —At Hillsborough: Learning, Sakey, J. Butler L Cumin’ F° Wn ' Hill, Bleakley, Edwards; S 1 pa r . n •. Gr . e T e nwood. Moor, Ashmore. At Edendale: Hammond, Bluck, R. D Avery Bradshaw: Anderson, Maud, Sturgess’ Bast; Hart, Codd, A. Smith, McLeod^

BOWLING AT HAMILTON

HARDLEY SHIELD RETAINED AUCKLAND’S FINE VICTORY HAMILTON, Wednesday. Test games for the Hardley Shield were played on the Hamilton Bowling Clubs green to-day. The first half of the test games took place in Auckland early in December, when Auckland won 1- out of 1G games. Auckland gained another victory to-day when it FFY.'.Y 1 ,!° 'T, in 11 ouc of 18 games, and thus it will .retain the shield. Detailed results are as follows, Auckland players being menitoned MORNING PLAY Test Games.— Kennedy. Macklow, McMasters Wright, 23, v. Meredith, Pearce. Boles, Higgott, 17; Wyatt, Thompson, Kilgour, Muston, 14, v. Werham, Jones, Bell, jun., Bell, sen.. 30: Hardley, Addlson, Pascoe, Parsons, 19, v. T. Newman, Newman, Clark, Adamson, 14; Yeoman, Tonkin, Mcßobie, Robertson, 27, v. Ross, North, McFarlane, Norman, 15; Lamb, Benson, Keatley, Delauney, 22, v. Oates, Wallace, Livingstone, Stewart, 17; Frost, Chapman, Keith, G. Hosking, 20, y Yardley, Sanderson, Frost, Branch, 10; W. Andrews, Barter, Warren, Lamb, 18, v. Andrews, Porter, Horton, Pilkington, 17; J. Preston, Jenkin, Patterson, J. Hosking, 15, v. E. James, S. Lewis, S. James, Chapman, 24. Totals.—Auckland, 15S; South Auckland, 144. Social Games. —Rev. Niblock, Selby, McMahon, Carbines, 22, v. Masters, Wycherley, Burrow, Andrews, 16; Myers, Reid, Back, Gosling, 26, v. Kemp, Lundon, Prickett, M civ or, 20; Preston, Angrove, Holdsworth, Gatland, 18, v. Hitchcock, Fenwick, Burton, Scott, 20; Stevenson, Andrews, Preston, Brown, 9, v. Clevely, Speight, Dallington, Carter, 35; Robb, Johns, Mclntosh, D. Neil, 24, v. Pratt, McCullough, Mackay, Smith, 13; Rev. Harvey, Schofield, Hewitson, T. J. Mclvor, 18, v. Dunkley, Burchell, Douglas, Hawkins, 23; Goldsworthy, Lundon, Sheath, Wilson, 13, v. Grigg, Mason, Crawshaw, Jackson, 23; Barriball, Donald Moncrieff, Blake, 25, v. Coghill, Wheeler, Martin, Going, 10; Atkin, Buchanan, Canton, Land, 16, v. Hughes, Murray, Land, Anderson, 24; Cunningham, Hawk, Darlow, Winks, 21, v. Savers, McMullan, Bayley, Ireland, 20. Totals.—Auckland, 198; South Auckland, 202. AFTERNOON PLAY / Test Games. —Hardley, Back, Pascoe, Parsons, 29, V. Yardley, Sanderson, Frost, Branch, 10; Yeoman, Tonkin, Mcßobie, Robertson, 21, v. Gates, Wallace, Livingstone, Stewart, 11; Andrews, Barter, Warren, Lamb, 17, v. E. James, S. Lewis, S. Janies, Chapman, 28; Kennedy, Macklow, McMaster, Wright, 12, v. Wernham, Jones, Bell, jun.. Bell, sen., 31; Lamb, Benson, Patterson, Delauney, 25, v. T. Newman, G. Newman, Clark, Adamson, 15; Wyatt, Thomson, Kilgour, Keatley, 18, v. Meredith, Pearce, Coles, Higgott, 15; J. Preston, Jenkin, Muston, J. Hosking, 16, v. Andrew, Porter, Horton, Pilkington, 22; Frost, Chapman, Heath, G. Hosking, 22, v. Ross, North, McFarlane, Noonan, 12. Totals.—Auckland, 160; South Auckland, 144. Social Games. — Rob, Reid, Anderson, Gatland, 20, v. Coghill, Wheeler, Martin, Going, 15; Darlow, Atkin, Goldsworthy, Blake, 22, v. Kemp, D. Lundon, Prickett, Mclvor, 26; Winks, House, Preston, Angrove, 8, V. . Hitchcock, Fenwick, Biirton, Scott, 36; Canton, Gill, Wilson, Sheath, 12, v. Masters, Wycherley, Wilkes, Andrews, 24; Barriball, Donald, Stevenson, Moncrieff, 13, v. Pratt, McCullough, Mackay, Smith, 22. Rev. Niblock, Johns, Holdsworth, Gosling, 10, v. Clevely, Speight, Darlington, Carter, 22; Buchanan, J. R. Lundon, McMahon, Carbines, 22, v. Dunkley, Burchell, Douglas, Hawkins, 33; Selby, Myers, Mclntosh, Neill, 20, v. Grigg, Mason, Crawshaw, Jackson, 20; Leonard. Jones, Brown, Preston. 9, v. Lowry, Hawk, Carswell, Land, 27; Darlow, Schofield, Hewison, Mclvor, 19, v. Andrews, Booth, Lambeth, Nicholl, 21. Totals.—Auckland, 155; South Auckland, 246.

MARINE PENNANT MATCH STANLEY V. TAKAPUNA The following rinks have been selected for the marine pennant match between Stanley and Takapuna: Stanley v. Takapuna. —At Stanley: W. Cliesney, Ross, Lambie, D. M. Jones; Sainty, Sargent, White, Johnson, Hindman, Bray, G. M. Reid, Smith. At Takapuna: Sheehan, Nichol, Wrigley, McMaster: Weller, Purser, Wilson, Hall; Lock. Whitley, Melling, MacGregor. Takapuna v. Stanley. —At Takapuna: Robinson, Schofield, Eckersley, Audley; Lisk. Prentice. Veale, Brake; Arrowsmith, Edwards, Somerfield. Matthews. At Stanley: Oborn, F. A. Smith. Christey, Boulton; Price, Elliot, R. P. Smith, Hooper; Kay, Buckley, Bennet, Hanna.