ON THE GREEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 588, 14 February 1929, Page 11

ON THE GREEN

Bowls and Bowlers

By

“Jack High

Tournament play is now at its height. Commencing with the Christmas tournament, competitive bowling takes the stage and stays there practically until after Easter, with a long series of events, including the Dominion tournament, the champion rinks competition. two district tournaments at Kotorua, one at Tauranga, the champion pairs competition, the champion of champion singles competition, and the Easter fours competition, with a very liberal sprinkling of one-day tournaments thrown in, conducted by* the many clubs—surely a

veritable feast of play for those whe love the keener games on the green.

However, despite the above long list of competitive bowling, the social side of the sport is well maintained, and the large number of those fine enjoyable events where club meets club in healthy rivalry', and oftimes very keenly fought games which is the salt of the events, makes a good balance in the sport, thus giving expression in a very full measure to club life.

Among the social events staged annually is the meeting of representatives of the two bowling centres, Auckland and Taranaki. It is customary to exchange visits, and this year Auckland bowlers are to go to the province which lies under the shadow of the picturesque Mount Egmont. Notices have already been sent out to the clubs, inviting members who intend joining the party to send in their names. That those who join in visiting Taranaki will thoroughly enjoy themselves goes without saying. The trip has been famous in the past for the magnificent time meted out by the Taranaki bowlers.

Tauranga’s invitation tournament, which fits in the intervening week between the two Rotorua tournaments, commenced on Monday. Eighteen teams have entered, which comprise some strong combinations, and are divided into two sections. The Centre Executive has a team which includes the president of the centre, Mr. S. Coldicutt. Another headed by Mr. R. N. Pilkington (Hamilton) includes such good South Auckland players as Meredith, Jones and Chapman. Duncan Fraser, of Mount Eden, has entered a team, while the Epsom team, headed by Mingins, who is fast coming to the front rank in tournament play, includes Miller, Taylor and Mcßeth. Takapuna is represented by a team which has a distinctly South Auckland flavour about it, in the presence of Wernham and Coulthard. The final rounds should be watched with more than passing interest.

The first Rotorua tournament set in that amazing wonderland of New Zealand attracted a large number of entries. The continued popularity of the event is one of the outstanding features. Indeed it is on record that some of the players have entered annually for a period of some 15 years —so great is its attraction to those who want to take in a good holiday, and some front rank games on the green. This season the greens were not running with anything like the freedom which is appreciated as the best surface for a true test of bowling. One green in particular was exceedingly rough, and the entrants in more than one instance compared it to a paddock rather than a well-ironed, finely cut bowling green. However, despite the basic requisite for good play—a good playing surface —being noticeable for its absence, the tournament otherwise was thoroughly enjoyed and some sterling exhibitions of the game on the green eventuated.

In the A section. Norrie Bell (Hamilton), came out the winner of the section, and also the concluding winner of the tournament. This is the second year in succession that he has won with the same team, comprising Smith,, Bell, junr., and the fifth occasion since he first won the tournament in 1918. The father and son are a great combination in bowling, and it is rarely that a tournament of note is played that they do not figure largely in the fight for the honours. Bell, junr., first came into prominence when he became runner-up for the championship singles of the Dominion in 1926, and the same year both father and son were runners-up for the Dominion pairs championship. The father has a long list of bowling honours to his credit, and came to Hamilton from Wellington some years ago. The son, like the father, became a good bowler directly he took to the game on the green, and his wonderfully graceful stance immediately distinguishes him as an outstanding player. The other two members of this very fine team. Smith and Jones, ably supported the bowling evidenced at the skippers’ end of the team.

In the B section, the famous Carlton team —Clarkson. Coutts. Ball. Trauscott —had a remarkable tussle for section honours with Whett, Welch, Hart,

and Kerr, of Masterton, but the latter came out victorious. The C section saw the honours being fought out between two sterling teams of high merit —Clarke, Leyland, Denison. Ramsay (Dominion Road), and Frost. Wrightson, Duffin, Lamb (Carlton). Both these teams were strong, and the latter came out the* winner. The D section was won outright by a team under the captaincy of R. T. Harrison, of Sydney, and included Harkins, of Ponsonby; Harper, of Otahuhu; and J. Hosking, of Carlton. The front rank of the team was exceptionally strong. Harkins is certainly one of Ponsonby’s best leads, and figured with Parsons when they won the centre’s pairs competition some four years ago. Harper is one of the cracks of Otahuhu, and was recently a member of the team that were runners-up for the champion rinks competition. J. Hosking is a player who played for Parsons when the champion banner of the Dominion came to Ponsonby.

Harrison, the Australian player, made up the very strong combination —indeed, one of the best that has been seen at any of these tournaments. Unlike our general impressions of Australian bowling, Harrison is a tremendously fast driver. And what is one of the strong features of his play is that he can come down to accurate drawing immediately following the drive. This rare ability gives him a clear advantage over many players, and those who watched his general play pronounced him one of the best players who had ever visited the Dominion. The team is to be heartily congratulated on going through the tournament with only one loss, which, unfortunately for them, was on the last game, thereby leaving them the runners-up for the concluding honours. After such a brilliant series of games, the team certainly merited a better fate. Letham’s win in the E section was extremely able. He was assisted by Rolfe, Farrow, and Hawken. After this team’s previous win at Matamata, it was expected that they would do something good in the Rotorua tournament.

Naturally there is a great (leal of interest centred in the next round of the inter-club pennant competition, to be played next Saturday, for then it will be seen in a measure those who have the chances for the ultimate victory. Helensville’s position is very strong with 91 per cent, of wins, and only the unexpected will give any of the larger clubs any chance in the A section. Entries for the centre pairs tournament closed yesterday. The tournament will commence next Wednesday. The winners of last season were I. Clarke and W. Bremner, of West End.