ON THE GREEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 766, 12 September 1929, Page 13

ON THE GREEN

Bowls and Bowlers

(By

JACK HIGH.)

Mr. J. L. Morgan, manager of the New Zealand bowlers who recently participated in the annual South Seas bowling carnival* with such outstanding Credit, has now returned to the Dominion, and has tabled a comprehensive report of the participation to the Dominion of New Zealand Bowling Association. The full list of players was as follows:—Auckland: Mr. C. Paget, of the Epsom Club: Taumarunui, Mr. Gardiner; Hastings, Mr. Chadwick; Wellington, Messrs. F. Hunt, A. Rough, W. Chegwidden, of the Newton Club; Nelson, Mr. E. Boyes; Christchurch, Messrs. J. L, Morgan, of the Edgeware Club, W. C. Brown and I. Woolf, of the Christchurch Club; P. De Largey, W. Ives, J. McNamara, of the Canterbury Club; Mesrs. Aitken, Loffley, Fowkes, Morrison, of the Rotorua Club; Messrs. Roscow, Mills, Foggart. Stevens and Stephenson, of Invercargill. On arrival at Suva it was found that rinks were entered from Invercargill, Rotorua and two rinks comprising Wellington and Christchurch players for the open tournament. As the closing date for entries approached, four other New Zealanders arrived, who were unattached to specified teams. A combination to absorb these players was entered under I. Woolf, of Christchurch, and thus all the New Zealand players were catered for and had a most enjoyable time. Messrs. Morgan, Chegwidden and Stevens were appointed selectors and entered the two teams to represent this Dominion in the South Seas Pennant competition. They included Stevens, Do Largey, Stevenson, Ives, and Foggart, Fowkes, Brown, Morgan. The competition had only three entries from Fiji, Victoria and New Zealand. Fiji disposed of Victoria by 40 to 30 points, each representative suffering on© loss. New Zealand then played Fiji, which resulted as follows: Morgan, New Zealand, 24, v. Caughley, Fiji, 18. Ives, New Zealand, 20, v. Pickett, Fiji, 27. Totals: New Zealand, 44; Fiji, 45. In his report, Mr. Morgan states that he regrets not bringing the South Seas Pennant to New Zealand, and continues: “Although the teams were quite good enough, little circumstances which continually occur in bowling and help to make the game worth while occurred in both games and helped to rob us of victory.” The real story behind the latter remark is that both New Zealand teams were evidently superior to their Fijian opponents and had the games well in hand, but were weak in tactics. It was apparent that they took little notice of the aggregate scores, for they frequently gave away several shots in attempts to gain shot-up on some of the heads. Thus, by this weakness in generalship, they were ultimately beaten by a single point.

However, they made up in a measure for losing the pennant by being first and second in all other competitions. The Rotorua team, although playing mediocre bowls in the first game, struck top form after that and won the open rink competition. Tho Pacific champion singles competition was won by W. C. Brown, of Christchurch, with I. "Woolf, of the same club, as runner-up, both playing consistently good bowls throughout. The pairs competition, for which post entries were received after the rinks and pennant were completed, attracted 24 pairs. This was divided, into four sections of four pairs each, being won respectively by Parks, Fiji; Pickett, Fiji; Foggart, New Zealand; and Morgan, New Zealand. In the inter-section play, Foggart beat Pickett and Morgan beat Parks. In the final Foggart won, with Morgan as runner-up. * # • The greens are described as consistently good; bare of grass in places, but true. The weather throughout the whole tournament was magnificent, being both warm and dry. Only one thing is obviously necessary to make the singles competition more attractive and that is to make the event two lives instead of one.

At last the Napoleon of bowls lias met his Waterloo. After holding the Edwin Stars for more than three months, during which period no less than 14 challenges were repulsed, Arthur Parsons and his redoubtable rink met defeat from the Onehunga rink, skipped by PI. A. Robertson. It was anticipated that the driving tactics of the Onehunga skip might have proved the most effective method of dealing with the deadly concerted work of the holders. On the contrary, the Ponsonby rink was fairly outdrawn and outplayed, without recourse to driving tactics. On the day the better team won, and there was no fluke about Onehunga’s win. The turning point of the game was a six to Onehunga on the 17th head, when Ponsonby was only one point behind. Tho challengers thenceforward retained their useful lead and registered a seven-point victory. The Onehunga rink was constituted as follows: Plarlock, Lindberg, Flow'erday, Robertson, and next Saturday will meet at Onehunga Kendall, Bruce, De Launay and George, representing the Epsom Club; While it is always interesting to see these challenge trophies change hands at frequent intervals, a well-deserved tribute must be paid to this Ponsonby x-ecord-making rink and it is safe to prophesy that it will be many a long day before the achievement will be in anywise approached. It is, moreover, pleasing to record the return to fame of the Ponsonby Club, which has been victorious in so many tournaments in the past, and it is to be hoped that the winter successes may px-esage many important victories in the days to come.

Saturday’s contest for the Denison Pins was the occasion of Ernest Jury making his reappearance for Ponsonby. The game was played between Carbines* Aitchison, Dick, Jury (Ponsonby), and White, Wrigley, McMaster, Johnson (Stanley). The holder, Stanley, was successful in resisting Ponsonby’s challenge by the margin of four points, but was always holding a comfortable position. The Stanley skip. Johnson, is always a reliable and steady player, and although his three, McMaster, did not display the form of which he is capable, the skip was always able to extricate his side from difficulties. It is universally acknowledged that the Carlton Labour Day tournament is the outstanding one-day tournament of the year. This year promises to be no exception, and although the event is more than six weeks ahead, no less than 37 entries have already been received by the club’s indefatigable secretary. Mr. W. E. Arey, and all the leading skips of Auckland are taking pax-t. The tournament will close with 4S entries. It is to be hoped that the club will see fit to divide the entrants into eight j sections of six rinks each, instead of making four sections of 12 rinks. The objection to the latter arrangement is that each l-ink in the section has not the opportunity of meeting, and perhaps ; downing, the leading team in the section. This possibility always con- j tributes one of the interesting features : of section play when each team meets in the section. Even if the tournament reached only f the semi-final stages at the end of the j day’s play, the honour of taking part 1 in the final would be sufficient incen- j tive to induce the semi-finalists of • meeting during the week-end to permit the final to be played on the following Saturday. The most unsatisfactory feature of one-day tournaments in the

past has been the method of disposing of the semi-finals by comparatively short games of seven heads or so. After playing hard and successfully during a whole day’s play, it is not entirely fair to the loser to be outed in a hurried game of a few heads played in the semi-darkness. * ■* * The Auckland Club has recently suf- ! fered a severe loss in the death of one of its oldest and esteemed members, Mr. W. H. Atkin. Mr. Atkin joined the club in 1909, and during his membership always took a prominent part in the administration of the club’s affairs, filling the offices of vice-presi-dent, sole selector and at various times member of the Management, Green and Match Committees. It was only the press of business affairs that prevented Mr. Atkin hold- ! ing the position of president, with which club members would have been ! pleased to honour him. Without a j doubt, Mr. Atkin achieved an outstand- ; ing success during his tenure of the j office of sole selector, and his qualities of fairness and encouragement of.: promising players, combined with the j most necessary requirement of firmness, rendered him the ideal selector. As a player, Mr. Atkin always represented the club with credit, and his figure will be missed on the green during the coming season. NOMAD TEAMS The following teams will represent the Nomads against the Carlton Bowling Club at the Carlton green on Saturday:—W. Beckman, A. Gray, Rev. W. D. Morrison. Sutherland. J. B. Ramsay, W. F. Hardley, H. N. Bell, S. W. Thompson, IT. K. Clayton; C. Paget, A.. S. J. Lamb, J. R. Lundon, C. G. Maher: R. Dawson, J. Whitehouse, J. McDougall, T. Price; J. J. Donnell, J. Am bury, C. W. Ross, A. H. Roylance; C. E. Clarkson, T. Fairbrother, J. Wylie, Rev. C. F. R. Harrison; W. Platt, M. Young, W. Edgerley, Rev. W. P. Rankin; E. Yearbury, Rev. J. Pattison, IP. Needham, J. H. Colthurst; J. Poole, J. Christmas, W. Boyne, Rev. T. H. Roseveare; J. „ S. McMillan, G. C. Pickens, F. Stubbs, A. A. Kenny. In the event of the weather being threatening players are requested to ring Information (394) to see if games have been postponed. MOUNT EDEN CLUB The following teams will represent the Mount Eden Bowling Club against the Hillsborough Club at Hillsborough on Saturday, leaving the Mount Eden green at 1.30 p.m.:—Chambers, Campbell, Mi Ilex*, Gatenby; F. Taylor, Sissons, W. Reid. J. Smith; Cave, Spence, Oatridge, N. Robertson. HIKUTAIA CLUB At the annual meeting of the Hikutaia Bowling, Tennis and Ci-oquet Club, held recently, the following officers were elected: President, Mr. E. Elliott; vice-pre-sidents, Messrs. A. R. Robinson and W. K. Morrison; secretary, Mr. I. M.

Robinson; treasurer, Mr. H. H. "Valin- j tine; green superintendent. Mr. W. j Morrison; executive committee. Messrs. W. Alley, W. K. Morrison and A'. Young; auditor. Mr. R. W. Evans i (Paeroa). PONSONBY CLUB A very successful full-rink tourna- j ment was held yesterday. The green j soon recovered from the early rain J and by midday was in perfect playing 1 condition. Some very close games ; were witnessed, the winning rink. ; skipped by Let ham (Ponsonby), going i through without a loss. Following is a summary of results: Rolfe. Hill, Clarke. Let ham (Ponsonby). 5 wins; Carbines. Allen. Buchan. Parsons (Ponsonby); Drummond. Hill, Bridges, McCarthy (Ponsonby); 2 wins, 1 drawn, 2 losses; Della more, Campbell. Trayes, Fraser (Mount Eden): Stewart. E. Thomas, J. Thomas, J. Alleley (.Mount Albert). 2 wins. 3 losses: Oates. Ormerod, Waterworth, Miller (Ponsonby), 1 win, 4 losses.