BOWLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 199, 24 August 1925, Page 9

BOWLING.

LAST WEEK'S MATCHES.

THE COMING SEASON.

{By TRUNDLER.);

The magnificent weather that prevailed last week enabled quite a number of important matches to be played. On Tuesday the final of the Ponsonby tournament took place and a splendid game resulted in a win for a mixed team, (J. W. Hardley, C. E. Hardley, V. Casey, A. Parsons), who defeated someof the cracks of Carlton (Percy, Gordon, Warren, G. R. Hosking). What makes this victory of particular interest is the fact that it is the first effort of the team that hag been arranged for the great carnival in Sydney. By the way, intending competitors will be interested to know that this commences on February 22, and as this is a Monday it means that Auckland competitors will most likely have four days in Sydney before the tournament. According to all accounts they will be able to utilise this to advantage in becoming accustomed to the Sydney greens. Reverting to the Ponsonby final it is very pleasing to know that the former Dominion champion skip is still able to reproduce his best form, for he had to win with his last bowl, and did it with a

phenomenal shot. On the following day he took a trip to Grey Lynn, to join in a pairs tournament, with S. Miller as lead, and won it even more easily than he won the centre pairs tournament last March. Although both these tournaments are unimportant in themselves, probably the least important that Mr. Parsons Ims ever won, they add two more trophies to his list, bringing it up to fifty, and strengthen the hope that he will represent Auckland with distinction next February, in the largest tournament in which a New Zealand rink has ever taken part. In order to avoid clashing with the route march last Wednesday, the usual match for the Denison Scarfpins took place on Tuesday, and these trophies changed hands after a very close game Challengers (Auckland): H. P. Wyatt, G. J. Mackay, P. J. Scantlebury, A. j' Parker 22, v. holders (Epsom) C J Blakcy, T. Hill, W. Taylor, E. J." VVilkmson 18. This match was played at Dominion Road and as the Auckland green is closed down for the winter the new holders will defend the trophies where they won them, the challenge this week coming, from Mount Eden, with the same team as played for the Edwin istars last Saturday.

Devonport was last Saturday invaded by a strong force of visitors, who were T V VelComecl by tlle President, Mr 1. X Gooding, although he expressed his regret that a few members of the club would consequently have to stand down the capacity of the green being fully taxed. He was pleased to see a second team cross the harbour to challenge the Devonport holders of the Edwin Stars, while the club were be in* Visited for the first time by the cosmopolitan club who called themselves Mr T t? W e xr ral - At the Cl ° se of d *y ' J W- Hardley, in the absence of i , L George through acknowledged the kind hospitality of the club. The visitors were met at the wharf by a few enthusiastic motorists and taken to the green, the same courtesy being shown at the conclusion of play. Quick work enabled an early start to be made, and it was soon decided to play 25 heads, instead of only 21 which will account for what would otherwise look like extra heavy scoring. The results appear in another column, and it will be seen that although Devonport staved off the Mount Eden challenge for the Edwin Stars, the visiting skip having hard luck with his Jast bowl, they were not so successful against the City Central. The latter took four rinks to Devonport, the first time they have had so many, and they secured three wins, which "is quite in keeping with their usual record. It is rather a coincidence that the three winning skips were the singles champions of West End, Onehunga and Dominion Road, whereas the team which was not in charge of a champion had the only loss, even though the champion of Mount Albert was playing as number three. However, they cannot be very well blamed for this, for they were up against the president of the centre, and he won the match with his last bowl, with one of those phenomenal shots which have to be seen to be fully appreciated. Next Saturday's challenge for the Edwin Stars will be fr-*n Grey Lynn, the team being F. Baildon, H. Whittle, E. Buckley, W. Mincham. The Pennant Matches The centre executive are at present very much concerned over the programme for the coming season, for although 32 clubs were notified only twelve have so far intimated how they would like to play. Of these twqlve, six are entering for the four-rink championship and the pennant matches, and

six for the latter only. Strange to say, almost the first replies were received

from Auckland and Howick, and there will be general satisfaction that these two clubs are not standing out any longer. As for all the other clubs, it is very strange that they have not

replied, for it is nearly two months since the question was first mooted. At present the executive are probably inclined to quote scripture and ask in the words of the prophet: "Plow long halt ye between two opinions?" If the replies are much longer delayed, however, they may be inclined to use much stronger language, for the matter is most urgent, as it ia absolutely essential that the information should be forthcoming at once, in order to prepare the fixture for the coming season.