BOWLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 221, 18 September 1929, Page 9

BOWLING.

THE CHALLENGE MATCHES. TOURNAMENTS IN VIEW. LABOUR DAY FIXTURES. (By TRUNDLER.) The new holders of the Edwin Stars had a splendid game on Saturday, when they stood up to the first attack, from an Epsom rink, and won by three points, the teams being: J. Harlock, C. A. Lindberg, W. Flowerd'ay, H. A. Robertson (Onehunga) 22, v.'A. T. Kendall, A. Bruce, H. B. Jenkin, T. R. George 10.

The game was a close one throughout, for they tied no less than five times. However, the quickest and most effective way to describe the game is to give the score at each head, the first figures being Onehunga: 0-2, 2-2, 5-2, 5-5, 7-5, 7-7, 7-8, 9-8, 9-9, 11-9, 11-11, 14-11, 17-11, 17-12, 18-12, 19-12, 19-17, 19-18, 20-18, 22-18, 22-19.

For the winners the most consistent and pffective player was probably Lindberg, and the skip had a lot to do for the losers, to keep down the score. On the eighth head Onehunga were lying five when the skips went up, but Robertson had tried in vain to get one behind, to protect the trail. He had to do it himself, after George had just grazed the jack with his first, but the latter touched it with his second, enough to switch it across, saving all but two. Robertson drove at the saver for six, but just missed. George again depended very largely on his swinging run to keep down the score, which was too often against him, and it was just as effective as usual, on one head turning two down to two up, without losing his bowl. However, Robertson usually had the game well in hand, being well supported, and he was only caught napping once, when he let Epsom get five. The next challengers are J. Jones (Mount Albert), W. Lorain (Rocky Nook), Rev. W. P. Rankin (New Lynn) and J. R. McPhail (Waitcmata).

Onehunga had no difficulty in shaking off the Otahuhu challenge for the Jordan Pins last Saturday, and this week they will meet a rink from Hillsboro', J. J. Preston, J. Gregory, E. F. Jones, S. W. Thompson. The next on the list arc E. Bond (To Papapa) and J. J. Toy (Ellerslie). That will probably be as far as the competition can go this year, as most of the clubs interested will bo opening their summer season on October 12.

It may interest a pood many committees to receive an early intimation that the earliest official openings no far announced are Papatoctoc and Pukekohc, both on October 5. The former will open informally on September 2S for preliminary play, and St. Helicr's will open informally on October 5, reserving a more formal ceremony for November 21?. A'bout a dozen clubs will open on October 12. To some committees a reminder may be of value that Labour Day is October 28, not the 21st. Summer Tournaments. There will again be no dearth of tournaments oil Labour Day, for the following clubs have announced an open tournament for that day, in addition to several who are holding a purely local tournament: Carlton, Dominion Road, Ellerelie, Epsom, Glen Eden, Grey Lynn, Hclcnsville, Mount Albert, Onehunga, Ponsonby and Eawhiti. Pukckohc will also stage the usual tournament for the six clubs comprising the Northern Waikato sub-centre.

The preference that lias been expressed at several annual meetings for a good number of interclub matches has led to an intcrcsing result, for a full meeting of secretaries enabled a much wider range than usual to be arranged. Some clubs have a dozen or more during the season, frequently arranging for a large enough number of rinks t>o give a game to every member of the club. Another excellent scheme will satisfy those who are necessarily left out of a few of the pennant matches, even with the greatly enlarged quota' fixed for this year. On the pennant days two or four rinks will also play in ah interclub, and this will eminently suit those who do not care for the responsibility of the more strenuous pennant matches. Making Use of New Year.

An interesting feature during the coming season is the more adequate utilisation of the New Year holidays. For years it was pointed out that/ while a dozen or more clubs made a rush for Labour Day, often wet, no proper use was made of two splendid days at New Year, when the weather was more settled, the days were longer, everybody was at liberty,"and two full days avoided the disappointment over the unpopular short games. Kemuera filled the breach, and has put oh a splendid two-day tournament during recent years, the list being always over-subscribed. During the coming summer quite a number of clubs are following their example, and if they allow the qualifying rinks the option of playing the finals on the following Saturday, instead of insisting on finishing on the .third day, there will doubtless bo quite enough entries to fill them all. The Press Match. The annual match of the Press and the Printers, against Carlton,. will be played on Saturday week, the 2Sth. Intending competitors will facilitate the draw if they will kindly send in their names to their respective offices by Monday morning at latest. Obituary. Profound regret would be felt at the death of Mr. A. N. Sneddon, which occurred at Te Aroha on Sunday, for he had been at the very forefront of Auckland bowling for many years. It was as long ago as 1911 that lie was elected president of the Ponsonby Bowling Club, and it was in 1919 that he retired from the presidency of the Auckland Centre, in favour of' Mr. W. Co'ltmnn. Since then he had assisted his club in various offices, including that of secretary, from 1924 to 1926. Modest to a degree, and content always to take a minor position, he had his re.vtird in the high esteem of his fellows, forcing him to take positions which he never sought. The same applied to his play, for he was always included in one of the club's crack teams in cverv tournament.