BOWLING.

Auckland Star, Issue 291, 9 December 1925, Page 13

BOWLING.

THE BRITISH VISITORS. IN SYDNEY AND AUCKLAND. (By TRUNDLER.) The British bowlers met -with a great reception in Sydney when they arrived from Melbourne, en route for Queensland 4bout 200 bowlers met them at ithe Central Railway Station, headed by Mr John Spence, president of the Aus-. iraiian Bowling Association and Mr. James Wall, president of the N.S.W. ■Bowling Association. The visitors were taken for a motor drive round some of Sydney's famous beaches and suburbs, ■which was much enjoyed, and they were then entertained at lunch at the Hotel Sydney. Mr. George Redmond, of the Victoria Bowling Club, •writes to say that he was invited to thie historic lunch in the dual capacity of a New Zealander and the actingeditor of "Bowling Life" during the absence of the editor, the latter being away in Melbourne, where he is playing in an inter-State match aginst Victoria. Mr. Redmond was introduced to Mr. Walter Wake, manager of the visiting team, who is commonly known as Wally Wideawake, and found him a most' charming and breezy personality, full of lumour, and a real live wire. He would need to be, to look after such a large party properly. Mr. Redmond took the opportunity to tell him that the New Zealand bowlers were delighted to know that the British team's long expected visit would soon be realised, and assured him that the Dominion trundlers were looking forward with the keenest pleaeure to the visit of their distinguished fellow bowlers from overseas. Mr. Wake desired him to convey through the channels of the New Zealand Press the following message to the army of bowlers here: "A greeting from Wally Wake, manager of the British bowlers now in Australia, to the bowlers of New Zealand. We are longing to meet you. greet be. welcomed by you all." Mr. George Wright, captain of the team, is a fine type of Englishman, as might be expected regarding a man who also occupies the proud position of president of the English Bowling Association. He also desired Mr. Redmond to convey in the same way fraternal greetings and kindest wishes to' New Zealand bowlers. He said that they were all looking forward ■with the utmost pleaeure to their approaching visit to New Zealand, the Britain of the Soufh, of ■whose lovely scenery and charming . people they had heard so much. Mr. Redmond also met Mr. Robert Husband, captain of the Scottish section of the team, and says it was quite a treat to hear his broad "Gaelic, 15 and that of the other Scots in the team. They were only in Sydney a few hours, as they left for Brisbane in the afternoon, and had a splendid tour through Queensland. Civic Reception in Sydney. -: On their return to Sydney last Thursday they were accorded a civic reception by the Lord Mayor, Alderman Stokes, when the lady members of the party accompaniedv-thfe players, and there was naturally-a large attendance of metropolitan bowlers. Mr. George Wright presented the Lord Mayor with a British howler's -Badge, andii«sßrir,essed.-:keen appreciation., of" the ; receptions; were meeting; He- pointed'" out '.thatVtheii , team was not really representative * of" the British Isles,-as it 'included .onlythree out of the ninety international players, in Britain. Nevertheless, they •Would do their best. As it-happened, their best was.a very good one, for in the afternoon .they went to the Marrickville green, and won. an eight-rink match by 154 to 149,. their opponents including most of those who visited Great Britain in 1922. This match was~ played under most trying conditions, the temperature being '91 in the shade at noon, and it did not fall till after three o'clock.- However, the fact that the visitors won the match, may be taken as an indication that they have struck. form under the entirely different conditions from what they have always experienced at Home, where the greens are .muck .heavier. This will invest with, .much interest their matches In Auckland, especially the test match on the second day, when the city will put its very best against our distinguished visitors. Arrival in Auckland. ■ They will first see Xew Zealand on the morning of Monday week, .December 21, or possibly oh the previous evening, but at whatever hour the Aorangi arrives there will be a great crowd of local ■bowlers to greet the first team of British bowlers-who have ever honoured NewZealand by an official visit. The Scottish' section of the community will ■ not l)e in the background, for half the forty visitors are from their country. During the morning they are to be given a civic reception by the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. George Baildon, one of the best known . and. mos.t .successful bowlers in the cjty, several times champion of his clubhand : after seeing some of the sights of the city they are to be taken across the harbour, where they will be entertained by the president of- the centre, Mr. James Pascoe. Owing to their very short fitay in Auckland, it has been quite im- . possible to accept all the invitations from the clubs who would have liked to entertain them, and there. has been substituted a plan which will enable a few Representatives of 34 out of the 46 "clubs in the Auckland Centre to meet them on four selected greens. The Thomson Shield. The Carlton representatives did well to win both matches yesterday against Wellington, for although the latter club played fourteen of the sixteen who were in Auckland last' year, the increase to five rinks enabled them to strengthen •the team by the inclusion of such redoubtable players as H. W. Frost, late of Onehunga, the Wellington Centre's champion of champions. E. J. Hill, whose euccesses are known all over New Zealand, and J. J. Roberts, the winning skip at the last Easter tournament at Nelson. Of course, the Carlton team would have brought home the trophy in any case, put their win ensures that their name is inscribed on the shield for this season, ]ust as it was last year, when Wellington took it home. ° Public Service Final. The Public Service pairs tournament was brought to a conclusion by a splendid final on the West End green yesterday, when W. J. Campbell and T. Kelly defeated P. Bourke and J. E. Green by 21 to 12. Both teams represented the Telegraph Department, and both played well. The scoring all -went to Green at flrsrt, a lead of eight-being established, and by the fourteenth head the score was 12 to 10 in his favour, but he never scored again. A peculiar feature was the difficult heads to which Green had to play, Campbell putting in a wonderful lead, as regards position, although . Bourke was never far away, so that the fcead wa§ nearly' always-- blocked, Jie

only time that' Campbell missed Bourke promptly seized the opportunity to get in three counters, but Kelly played a magnificent shot, iputting his bowl right on the jack, with three or four in front to block the drive, and that settled the match. - • THE AUCKLAND PROGRAMME. The Centre has finalised arrangements in connection with the visit to Auckland of the British bowlers. Under the present programme representatives from 34 of the 46 Auckland clubs will play against the visitors during the four days they are here. The. visitors leave Sydney by the Aorangi, and will arrive either on the night of December 20 or next morning, when a civic reception will be accorded them. The afternoon will be devoted to a president's day on the Devonport green, when the visitors will play representatives of ten clubs. After a sight-seeing trip next morning, they will play the Test match of four rinks aside at the C'arlton green in the afternoon. An unofficial match of four teams aside will also take place at the same time. In the evening the visitors will be the gueste of the Ponsonbv- Club, and will play at the' club's electricallylit courts. ' j • For the morning of December 23 another motor drive, is planned, and at the Remuera green in the afternoon there will be games against ten clubs. A social will be held in the Town Hall-Concert, Chamber that evening. . • : . On Thursday, December 24, the final games with the ten remaining clubs will be played on the Auckland green, and the visitors will leave for Hamilton and Rotorua by the daylight express, on Christmas Day. • THE ZHAS TOURNEY. DRAW" FOB THE CONTEST. The following is the draw for sections ana greens for the Auckland- Centre's annual tournament, commencing at 9 'a.m. on Saturday, December' 26th inst..— Section A.—J. Tru'scott, F. Laurenson, Young, E. Roberts, K. Brookfleld, J. McLeod, J. Smith, A. Gatland, R. Scott, A. Brookes. Umpire: Mr.- A. Coutts. Section B.— J. Mantell, C. Elvy, G. Walker, T. West, A. Stone, I. Turner, E. S !?£&■ C - V - L «e»*oKl> B. McMaster, P. White. Umpire: Mr. R. G. Cox. Section C—L. Russell, ■N. Meßobie P. Gould, A. Parsone, J. Wakerley, J. FindJ*y- G. Clark, G. Osmond, E. Buckley, H. Ereritt. Umpire: Mr. l>. Mclnnees. D. —S. E. Lamb, T. Proctor, B. Ramsey, J. Torrance,. W. Allen, J. Trayes, u»se"ri£ J - potter - E.—C. Warren, S.. Kiesling, B. Allsoppß. Johnson. B. Clarke, E. Gatland. A. Jenkin, F. Snoad, G. Clements, Dyson. Umpire: Mr. W. Flowerday. Section F.—J. ,Kilgour, F. > Sanderson, A. Brown, H. Garry, R. Eagleton. W. Hllle, W. Bremner. W. J/ Gatenby. W. Edwards G. Inglis. Umpire: Mr. F. E. Brittain. GKEENS. Section. A.—First day, Epsom. Second day, West End. Third day, Dominion Road. Section B—First day. West End. Second day, Dominion Road. Third day, Remuera. Section c—First day. Dominion Road. Second day, Remuera. Third day, Stanley. Section D.—First day, Remuera, Second day. Stanley. Third day. Mount Eden. , Section E.—First day. Mount Eden. Second day; Epsom. Third day, West End. Section F.—First day, Stanley. Second day, Mount Eden. Third day, Epeom.