WINTER BOWLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 206, 1 September 1936, Page 13

WINTER BOWLING.

tournaments postponed.

WET AND DRY GREENS

PREPARING for the summer,

(By TRUNDLER.)

Heavy rain early on Saturday morning, mushing with an exceptional downpour at about 11 o clock, almost upset the arrangements for the afternoon. It was early decided that it would be impossible to start the two-Saturday tournament at Auckland, and as this was the third postponement it was abandoned altogether. It was only the second postponement at Ha Ily burton Johnstone, so they decided to try again next Saturday and continue on September 12, and this will leave an opening for the addition of two or three rinks of those who were disappointed at Auckland. Hillsboro also decided to postpone tile second day's play in their two-Satur-day tournament. Both of these will now clash with the Balmoral tournament, fixed for September 5 and 12, and it would appear that in each case the decision to postpone was made rather hastily. it is easy to be wise after the event, but observation during many years suggests that after heavy rain from the north-east m Auckland an improvement may be expected when the wind swings round to the north and then to the north-west, as it did on Saturday.

It will now be rather difficult to fit in all these fixtures if there is another wet afternoon before- the opening of the summer season, for September 19 and 2G are booked by Mount Eden, and the earlier of these days will clash with the Thames Old Boys, and the second day with the Queen Street and Karangahape Road match. In another column will be found the advertisement giving details of the largest function for the following Saturday, October 3, the reunion of the Otago and Southland bowlers, and apparently this will be the last winter gathering this year. Already the Waitemata

summer opening is announced for the same day, and several for a week later. The Canterbury bowlers are early with an intimation of a reunion on December 18, most likely at Mount Eden. The Challenge Matches. It was decided during the forenoon to abandon the Edwin Stars match and the Diggers' Badges, as the Grey Lynn and Auckland greens were so thoroughly soaked that the local executives availed themselves of rule 7 in the regulations governing these matches, and the games were postponed.

Good fortune, however, attended those engaged in the Denison Pins and the Jordan Pins, for the holders in each case had acted on rule 9 in the regulations, and had intimated their intention to defend their trophies at Onehunga, their own greens being in course of renovation. On arrival they found the winter green in almost perfect order, although it transpired that it had been under water at eleven o'clock, and there was such a high wind blowing that it was rather an advantage than otherwise that the green was still heavy, for too many bowls would have been blown into the next rink if the green had been any keener.

This is a convenient opportunity to remind competitors that these contests would run much more smoothly if they made themselves familiar with all the rules, and not only two or three of them. In view of all the interruptions by wet Saturdays and club tournaments, it is most essential that they should give early advice of any clashings, especially if they are not on the telephone. The Fatal 13.

Another remarkable illustration of the fate so often attaching to 13 occurred in the Jordan Pins. The holders were getting on famously at first, everything going their way in the first half, so they reached 13 to 7 at eleven heads gone. This was the end of them, as the spectators seemed to expect, for they scored only one more point, about the sixteenth head, the challengers in the meantime getting such a run of success that the last head was not played: W. B. Stephens, J. li. Harloek, E. J. Gatland, L. Bray (Onehunga), challengers, 23, v. W. Stones, H. Johnson, S. Moore, T. Pilkington (To Papapa), holders, 14. The next challengers are H. L. Joll (Ellerslie) and Goldsbro (St. Helier's).

The next challengers in the Echvin Stars are J. A. Robertson (Waitemata) and C. J. Moon (Mount Eden), and in the Diggers' Badges A. Stanley, H. Cluett, C. Shine, J. G. Jeffrey (Transport).

A very fine contest was seen in the Denison Pins and the Transport representatives must be congratulated on thenexcellent attempt to capture these trophies from the Rocky Nook holders. They v scored on ten heads out of the 21, and were ahead twice, after a tie at 5 all and G all, but a 6 to Rocky Nook on the twelfth head was never quite overtaken. even though they won five oi the remaining heads. Taplin made a great attempt to trail for 5 on the last head, but Farley and Keatley had their bowls too well mixed for anybody to get a hatful, and the game ended with the fourth win for Rocky Nook: W. E. Oughton, J. C. Yeo, A. C. Farley, W. H. Keatley (holders) 19, v. V. Harding, J. G. .Jeffrey, L. Ure. J. Taplin (Transport), challengers, 14. The next challengers are W. Corrin (Waitemata), F. Firth (Glen Eden), R. S. Higginbotham (Henderson) and J. Clarke (Hillsboro). Club Notes. The Mount Albert greens have been renovated during the past few months and the lower green will be opened for winter play next Saturday. For the present, however, play will be limited to Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.

Clubs have different ways for electing their committees, but not many ate like Ellerslie, where the annual meeting elects the general committee, and the latter subsequently elect all the sub-committees. In addition to those whose names have already been published, the following have been elected:—Finance committee: Messrs. 11. Mclsaac, G. E. Wood, R. Corby, L. Scott, J. A. Godfrey and C. M. Whelan. Social committee: Messrs. C. M. Whelan, J. A. Godfrey, E. Maud and M. Griffin.

It is a good sign when the members are prepared to take off their own coats in order to improve the greens and the surroundings, and at Te Papapa the members will enjoy the coining season all the more for having recently given up a few Saturday afternoons for chis purpose. At St. Helier's they are holding a working bee next Saturday to see how they can brighten up the pavilion. More power to them a 11^