BOWLING.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1915, Page 8

BOWLING.

SECOND BANNER MATCH. . WEST END AGAIN VICTORIOUS. Yesterday Fitzroy made an unsuccessful attempt to deprive West End of the banner, and there is no question that on the aitemoon's play West End fully deserved the win, but the individual performances of most of the players on both sides was not up to banner competition form. At the same time there was occasionally some brilliant work, though this was the exception and far from the rule. On many occasions when the skips went down to play, the heads presented a very scattered aspect that betokened bad judgment in taking paddock or estimating strength. There was a tricky wind blowing across the green, and this may in some measure have accounted for some of the shortcomings, but it did not prevent several heads from being really good. No fault eould be found with the green itself, it being in excellent condition and highly creditable to the club. In two rinks out of the four the visitors topped the score of their opponents by a small margin, while the difference between the scores of Beal and Abbott was 10. Abbott's team was certainly the weakest on the ground, and the skip had consequently a hard time. The contest between Sole and Smith was keenly contested, and the result of the match practically depended on the scores at this ■rink, wh'ich was three or four heads ■behind the others owing to burnt heads, for which the Fitzroy skip has a great propensity. Olivers and'Newell had a ding-dong go right through'the game* but ons the last head the Fitzroy skip had the good fortune to notch four, giving him two. to the good. The game between Johnson and Rennell was also well contested, and had Johnson been up to last year's form he would, no doubt, have won; but, possibly, as he only rejoined the club a day or two ago, lie has not yet got into his stride. West End may be again congratulated on its successful defence of the banner. The visitors were most hospitably treated.

During the final 9tages of the game between Sole and Smith, the jack was struck and jumped back some distance, and it was only after most of the playera had measured the distance from the mat to the jack that the Fitzroy skip was convinced the liead was not burnt. The occurrence is extremely rare. Following are the details of the scores, West End being mentioned first at each rink:— Lye, Oliver, Hill, Beal (s.) 23, v. Cook, Heel, Jackson, Abbott (s.) 13. Humphries, Johnson, Curtis, Sole (s.) 21, v. Beadle, Dingle, Lealand, Smith (s.) 18. » ■ Reston, Petty, Lobb, Johnson (s.) 14, v. McNeill, Bennett, Allen, Rennell (a.) 17. Putt, Lee, Wood, Newell (s.) 19, v. Lister, Higgs, Price, Chiverg (a.) 21.