BOWLING.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 64, 15 March 1919, Page 18

BOWLING.

Auckland bowlers have little time to grow stiff in the back from remaining too long upright this year, for what with Dominion, local centre, and club tournaments, tbe season has feeon one long feast of trundling. Easter falii late this year, but already inquiries are being made by eager spirits aJbout the April fixture, and Mr. A. M. Bryden, the popular centre secretary, hae the preliminary arrangements in hand. Tae Easter tourney is always a strong draw for Auckland bowlers, and the present year promises to be no exception. Whether last year's record number ot entries will be rivalled it is yet rather early to guess at, but it is cafe to predict that the quality will be there, after the competition practice of the season. The 191S champion pairs attracted no fewer than 124 entries, which is a big hurdle, while s-ince then also quite, a number of top-notch bowlers have sailed for the wars. The conditions this Easter will be similar to those wHieft governed the 1918 tournament, bilt bowlers will do well to note when the time arrives that in the full rink ! match; that is to say, the club's executive fours, the second game each day will start not later than 11.45 a.m., and the third game not later than 3.30 p.m. In addition to the executive match, -which 16 always one of the most popular competitions of the season, and the champion pairs, there will of course be the first year championship, a match that is ever strong for keen and interesting play, bringing out, as it does ( the moat brilliant of the season's young bowling blood. Entries for all three matches will close this year with the secretary of the centre at 5 p.m. on April 10th, while the business of the tournament! starts at 9 o'clock sharp on Good Friday morning, April 18th. The Kemuera Bowling Club is holding a tournament on ite fine green to-day and Monday, St. Patrick's Day. TwerityTour teams entered, and as the green is in splendid condition, it goes without saying that play is keen and interesting. Just before war broke out Mr! Arehi* Bryden received a letter from Mr. A. H; Hamilton, secretary of the Seottiett Bowling Association, Edinburgh, stating that it was the intention of a number of Scottish bowlers to pay a visit to the Dominion, and seeking information which might be a guide to them in arranging their programme. The cohv ing of the war upset calculations just at arrangements for this interesting tour of trundlers from the Homeland were being completed, but it is hoped that now peace reigns again that the inters rupted tour will be undertaken. With this end in view Mr. Bryden has now, as I secretary of the Dominion Association, sent a cordial invitation to Scotland and England for bowlers of the Old Country to visit New Zealand next year to take part in the Dominion toiirnament» which will be held at Christchurch in January. New Zealand bowlers will look forward to this visit, if it can be arranged, and a royal welcome and » good time can be assured for the vialtors if a British team makes the journey to shake the hand of fellowship with their 'brother triindlere in tKte Britain of the Pacific. (Mt. Eden members are fortunate in possessing a green, which, despite the long spell of dry weather, plays very fast und absolutely true, arid in coheiquence some fine bowling has beeii wit 1 nessed on the green lately. In tfifc eighth round of the Percentage Foilie last Saturday some stirring contests eventuated. In the match between Ure and Vugler, Ure led on the seventh head by 9 to 1. Vugler caught and PM-j-ecl him. and on the fourteenth head led by 15 to 13. Ure again got away, •iiiil mi the nineteenth head had a margin of six points. Vugler scored two on the twentieth head, and when he had played his two bowls, each of whiria improved his chance, lay four (a tie) on the twenty-first head. Ure, wHo Had the last toowl, drew the shot dead with a perfect beauty, and thus won by fiv* points. Tlio match between J. Trayes and J« Findlay was also a sensational one. Trayes led on the seventh and also the fourteenth head. Findlay, with a four and five on the fifteenth and sixteenth heads respectively, took the lead, arid on the eighteenth head was leading by seven points. Trayes, who, by the way, is as full of fight as a bull ant wnen facing a deficit, scored 2, 1, and 5 on the last three heads, and thus snatched *■ victory on the post. Jim Smith and Dcs Grattan also liad a dingdong go. Dcs scored 5, 1, 1, 1 on the seventeenth, eighteenth, nine-ti-enth, and twentieth heads respectively, and thu score was 20 all with one head to go. By scoring one on tha« head Smith registered a narrow win; Findlay, Ure, Miller, and Surman are the leading skips in this competition at present with six wins and two lossM respectively. Some fine singles competitions have 'been witnessed lately, that lietwoen Trayes and Vugler in the handicap singles feeing a great exhibition of drawing. Trayes eventually won. This player also met Bigelow" in the champion singles. Kadi won a game, and in the third and decisive game, though Bigelow clung to his man like a cat to a bottle, Trayes got the verdict by one point. Trayes and Miller are now up to the semi-final in the championship.