ROUND THE BOWLING GREENS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 32, 8 February 1939, Page 4

ROUND THE BOWLING GREENS

GONVILLE HOLDS OFF CHALLENGERS IN KEESING CUP

HINTS FOR THE NUMBER THREE

(By “THE SKIP.”)

Conditions were ideal on Saturday for the deciding rounds of the Senior Shield and Willis Shield contests. There was only a very slight breeze, and greens were fast. The Wanganui Club succeeded in winning all its games in the Senior Shield, and therefore hold the Shield for the season. The Wanganui East Club were successful in the Willis Shield, only suffering one loss in seven rounds. A Remarkable Recovery. The board, in a Willis Shield game on the Wanganui green on Saturday, instanced how fortunes fluctuate after the tea adjournment. When the interval was taken Victoria was leading a Wanganui rink by 22 to 4. On resumption Wanganui rattled on a 6,7, 1,3, 2,2, to Iheir opponents’ 2, running out victors by 25 to 24.

Keesing Cup Challenge. Wanganui East, after having the game in their “pocket” collapsed on the last two ends in its challenge to Gonville for the Keesing Cup, on Monday evening. Gonville opened pioceedings with a 3, and after the fifth end were leading 5-2. The eighth end saw the score at 7 —5 in Gonville’s favour, but after that Wanganui East dominated the play and on the 16th dhd were leading 17 to 7, Gonville having stuck on 7 for 9 ends. On the 17th Gonville secured a 4, followed by a single, and the board on the 19th end was 18—12 in favour of Wanganui East. Gonville needed seven to win and two ends to go—the odds looked against them. But the Gonville rink was composed of experienced players, and responded well to secure a 2 and a 5, winning by 19 to 18. Wanganui East did remarkably well, considering that the lead and two were lirst-year players. The teams were: Bellringer, Hawkins, Stewart, Haworth (Wanganui East), and Kirk, Laird, Corby, Mailman (Gonville). Open Pairs and Singles.

Entries for the Wanganui Centre’s open pairs and singles closed yesterday, but as they are not up to expectations an extension has been made until 5 p.m. on Thursday. The tournaments commence with the pairs on February 14 and 15, followed by the singles on February 16 and 17. “Hutchins Cup.” The singles, this year, will have added interest, by the fact that the Wanganui Centre has decided to allot the cup, presented by Mrs. Hutchins to perpetuate the memory of her late husband, to this competition. Bowlers’ “Dress.” A glance round the Wanganui Bowling Club’s green on Saturday, when the Centre’s Shield games were in progress, presented a pretty picture, but it was marred to some extent by a number of bowlers dressed in “civies” and greys. The new rules issued by the Dominion Bowling Association definitely slate that in all centre game’s whites or creams MUST be worn. We do not know why the offending bowlers refuse to appear on the green properly attired. The rule is there! There is only one remedy! The same conditions appertained on all the other local greens. ♦ * • ¥ Standard of Play in N.Z. To show what the general standard of play is in New Zealand, it was pointed out that, although the seven players who represented the Dominion in the last Empire Games secured two firsts and a second at Sydney, not one of them at the Dominion tourney at Auckland reached a final or anywhere near one. Hints to Number Three. The number three player to achieve the best results apart from the actual playing of shots, must have implied confidence in his skip, without which, unless the shot asked for looks right from the mat, failure is certain. He must be able to exercise sufficient selfcontrol not to interfere with his skip’s first bowl, unless of course, asked for advice. It is the common practice for a third player when meeting his skip on changing ends, to suggest this, that, or the other. It may be all right for some skips, but to say the least, it is

a poor compliment to pay the num who is studying not. only the game, but the play of his opponents and has made up his mind, or should have, before leaving the head, what shot he is going to play. Apart from this aspect, why let the other side know what you propose to attempt? Position of the Head. Now for a word of advice to a third man when asked by his skip what is the position of the head. If you have the slightest doubt as to which side is lying the shot tell him it is a measure—nothing is more disconcerting to a skip to find, after playing a careful or guarding shot, that the opposing side had the shot all the time. The number three should be able to play all the shots called for in the game. If one were asked what shot this player failed in mostly, he would probably plump at. once for the position bowl—but it has to be admitted that it Is a difficult one—for ofteii there is no guide, other than the skip’s direction, usually to be played over new ground, and no bank applause. How often is a perfectly built head

ruined by the oppositi-*i just for the want of that good guarding shot or a well placed bowl on the head. Concerning Driving. This player (No. 3) should, as an essential, be able to sum up the head and have a good knowledge of. the finer points of the game.. In addition to all these, he must be equipped with the necessary fireworks of the game in the form of fast shots. Ho should be the driver of the team. In Scotland he is termed the driver, not a player who is content to sacrifice accuracy for pace, but able to break up a head and still have control and the feel of the bowl

Wanganui Club Jottings. In the Wanganui Bowling Club's full rinks competition nine rounds have been completed. This competition is to conclude on March 25 in order to obtain finality before Easter. If, on this date, any skip, three, two, or lead has an outright number of wins, such player is to be deemed lhe winning player in that position for the season. In the event of tics finality will be obtained by matching such players against each other on subsequent Saturdays. The present positions of players arc as follow: Skips.—Bond (7 wins), Boyd. Johnson. and Moir (6 wins), Gemmell. Goodey, Engebretsen, London, Quarterman and Tilley (5 wins). Three.—Doust, Gordon, and Jones (6 wins each), Adams, Anderson, Bretherton, Hally, and Jackson (5 wins each). Twos.—Jannings (7 wins), Carruthers and Dr. G. H. Robertson (6 wins each), Blennerhassett. Stockwell and Strachan (5 wins each). Leads.—Hayward and Glengarry (7 wins each), Boulton, Franklin, Frankish, Hanson, and Young <6 wins each), Armstrong, Barclay, Buchan, and Roche (5 wins each).

The other club competitions, with the exception of the Gordon Pairs, are all well under way. and should easily be finalised before the end of March. The position in the various competitions is as follows: — Open Singles.—The fifth round concludes next Saturday. Those still in are Goodey, London, Gordon and Engebretsen (two lifers), and Cade, Stone, Leslie, Price. Sperring, Patterson, Thomson. Bond, Quarterman and Capp (one lifers). Handicap Singles—ln this competition the two-lifers are Doolan. Gordon, Boulton, and Quarterman, the onelifers being Roche, Cado, A. D. Tilley, Sperring, Rhodes, Engebretsen, Boyd, Hales, Hammond and Tomsett. A Pairs.- The only two-lifer in this is Goodey, the one-lifers being Crawford, Capp, Boyd, A. D. Tilley and Thomson. B Pairs.—The only two-lifer here is Cade, the one-lifers being Roche, Sperring, Hayward, and Bretherton. Junior Singles.—The only two remaining in this are Tomsett (twolifer). and Jannings (one-lifer). Gordon Pairs. This competition will need to be pushed along very quickly if representatives are to be found by March 18. So far, only one round has been played, the second round being due to finish next Saturday. As there are 21 pairs engaged players in this competition have a very full programme ahead of them for the next few weeks.

Bowlers generally will be pleased to learn that Mr. H. F. Tilley has recovered sufficiently to return to his home. It will be several weeks, however, before he will be able to be about, again. Mr. Tilley has, for many years, been one of the stalwarts of the Wanganui Bowling Club. For years he has served on the committee, and during the years 1934-36 he held the position of president in the club. In addition to his work in the club he has also been a most valued member of the Wanganui Centre for many years. Bowlers in Wanganui wish Mr Tilley a speedy recovery and trust that he will soon be able to resume the game he loves so much.

Marton to Visit Rapanui. The Marton Bowling Club will pay its annual visit to the Rapanui Club I during the coming week-end. This I visit is always looked forward to by I both clubs, and by Marton in particuI Jar, for Rapanui always turn on a [great day’s outing. The surroundings : at Rapanui are gradually being turn- [ ed into a real beauty spot by a band : of lady supporters, who have taken charge of the flower gardens. There '■ is no doubt that the Rapanui ladies i are a wonderful asset to the club, in more ways than one—as Marton will realise when they make their visit. Rotorua Tournament. Fifty-five rinks, representative of 26 ;■ different clubs in the North Island, are [ competing in the thirty-seventh open j annual tournament of the Rotorua • Bowling Club, which commenced on ’ Monday of this week. It is stated that : approximately 80 entries were reI ceived, but owing to the limited number of greens available, only 55 could | be accepted. | Care of the Greens. • Work, work, work, is what a green ’ wants and this is why some greens in I Sydney stand up to all the year use, ■ comments an Australian bowling authority. Dropping a hose down and shifting it every half hour, he says, is “murder”; light watering and tons of cutting in different directions, with necessary rolling, is what is needed. Greenmen should not spoil their reputation and a good game by cutting and rolling the same way (only) as they intend the play to function. Regularly done that way inherits faults in plenty for the surfaces, cutting, sun and wind influences all assisting to caus<j the grass to grow in one direction.