ON THE GREEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 960, 1 May 1930, Page 6

ON THE GREEN

Bowls and Bowlers

lßy

JACK HIGH.

The Carlton nearly performed the hat trick in j the Easter tournament just completed, by winning the executive fours competition, the firstyear players’ competition, and providing the runners-up in the Easter fours competition. Indeed, if George Wright£on had drawn the shot on the final head, and he had a yard to do it in, it would have been an accomplished fact. Not that there is any quibble at his failing to do so. Quite the reverse! He is to be warmly commended on his brilliant performance in the first tournament, in which he has taken out a team. Moreover, he drew many brilliant shots during the games, and gave a splendid exhibition of wonderfully consistent bowling. The Carlton Club has had an exceptional run in tournaments this season, and has probably established a record for brilliant bowling achievement. The champion of champions tournament was won by H. C. Clarke, George Gladding and Sam Jenkin annexing both the Dominion and the Auckland pairs championships. The club provided the runners-up i n Max Elliott and Tom "VVetherilt in the latter event. The executive fours was won by W. Bates, George Gladding, J. ICilgour, W. Arey and the first year’s championship was won by W. Taylor, Shields, R. Brown and A. Brown.

While it was laid down from the commencement of the Easter tournament that the post-scctional and final games were to be played on the Carlton green, an exception might have been mado to the concluding game on Saturday of the first-year players’ competition, when it was known that the Carlton Club's team was participating. While it must be advanced that with experienced bowlers it makes no difference where a test is played, as long as the green is good and true, quite the reverse is the case with young bowlers. In the final of the nrst->ear players’ competition, the Carlton team was on the home green, and was familiar with all the details of the surroundings and the “feel” of the surface, while the HallyburtonJohnston team was on strange ground, and had the super-sensitiveness to these conditions characteristic with all young players. The tournament committee of the Auckland Centre would do well to consider this point in luture when staging the final of this important event lor the junior players.

Despite the fact that “the laws of the game” on the green are printed in conveniently-sized book form, allowing the comfortable admittance into any player’s blazer pocket, it is surprising that many contestants in tournaments do not even trouble to purchase a copy and study that book of instructions for their personal conduct and government of the game. This primary lack of knowledge gave cause to quite an unnecessary undercurrent of ill-feeling in a game in the Easter fours competition. A skip who saw the position of a head building badly against him, called repeatedly for a bowl from his team to cover the weak position, and did not get it. Finally, in desperation, he threw his bowl wiper down on the spot and exclaimed, “Draw to that.” The opposing skip objected to the practice, referred to the ruling on the point, and warned his opponent that if it was done again he would burn the bowls played for tho purpose. At the conclusion of the game one member of the offending team refused to enter into the usual courtesies of the game, and went away obviously feeling that tho point had been sprung on him. Rule 22 is quite clear: —"Indicating the positipn of the jack or bowls.”—“Under no circumstances shall a cap or other article be laid on the green or placed on a jack or bowl, but such article may be held in a position for the guidance of the player.” Surely it is time that all players important tournaments should be aware of their conduct in play, and not take exception to their opponents’ correct objections, and thus create unnecessary bad feeling.

A mead of praise is due to the Papatoetoe team, Bryant, McCullough, Bykes and Parker-Hill, for winning the ultimate honours of the recent Cambridge tournament. The entrants in the event presented a particularly formidable array, and the victoi'y therefore was all the more creditable. J. Sykes is now definitely establishing himself in the front rank of the bowlers in the province. His steadiness in delivery and consistency in play makes him always a bowler well worth watching. His previous victoi'y was number two in Otahuhu’s champion xink team, when he gave a brilliant exhibition of dead drawing. ParkerUiU’s participation in the Cambridge tournament is also full of the highest merit. He brought a team home to victory in the Cambridge tournament of 1928. His second win in such a prominent event shows conclusively tha he is capable of consistent skipping.

The win of the Epsom team in the Easter fours competition is a distinct credit to T. R. George and E. Richmond, both having figured in this annual event previously. Those who watched the interesting final games were keenly impressed with the defensive tactics of both these players. George played unconventional bowls, playing well up to the head on the opposing woods, and for trails of the kitty, while Richmond was equally successful in this style of game.

Eight rinks of the Press and Printers will play members of the Auckland Club on that club’s green on May 17. It is intended to stage other matches of this nature during the coming winter months.

A meeting of the delegates of the Auckland Centre, held in the Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday evening, nominated the following bowlers us members of the Dominion Bowling Council: President, Mr. James Pascoe; council members, Messrs. J. W. Hardley and J. M. Thomson; treasurer, Mr. A. PI. Yeoman. •

Tho discussion on the work of the council showed some dissatisfaction at the treatment of the recent i*evision of rules made by the special committee set up by the Auckland Centre. It was explained that the revision was only accomplished after much time and enei'gy had been spent, and that the Dominion Council, in turn; did not go exhaustively into that most important subject, but passed the whole question on to the Dunedin members of the council, in whoso hands it received some drastic alterations. Eventually the council circularised the amended rules to the respective centres throughout the Dominion, where again they had received very scant attention. From the facts disclosed at the meeting, it was shown that the Auckland Bowling Centre displayed a much keener interest by far in the progress of the game in New Zealand than other centres of tlxe Dominion, and that tho work which was done here should be to a certain extent nullified by the Southern members of the council was rightly open to resentment. Mr. J. M. Thomson was at some pains to explain that both himself and Mr. Hard ley were only two members of the council, and that they could not be blamed for not bringing questions ‘ submitted by the Auckland Centre to i a satisfactory finality. They had, he j said, done their best under the cir- i cumstances in which they were placed, j Ceiytainly there js much need for im- j provement in the matter of conduct- ! ing the work of the council. Mr. ; Thomson was asked to request the j council to send copies of the rules under revision to any club in the Auckland Centre which desired to study them and send forward its suggestions. The time fixed for all suggestions to be in the hands of the Dominion Council’s secretary is_ July 9, at the annual meeting of the Dominion Council, to be held in Auckland.

Delegates are requested to remind their clubs that at the annual meeting of the Auckland Centre, be held at a date fixed in June, all suggestions relative to the improvement of the game and the' attention of the Auckland Centre ax'e desired to be brought forward.