BOWLING.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 136099, 25 April 1908, Page 10

BOWLING.

WITH THE DOMINION TEAM IX AUSTRALIA.

AUSTRALIAN MATf-HES

(SI'fXIAX TO ''THE PRESS. , ' J < t SYDNEY, April 18. T!io first match against South Australia took place on tho Hindmarsh ureon. The weather has been very dry for some time, and the committee of this dub have kept the green well •watered in order to preserve the grass. Wo all wished that there had been a littlo lcst> preservation, even at the cx•ponso of bare ends, as tho green was ihe heaviest that wo have, played on, not excepting .St. Kilda. Clarence Moody, the popular secretary of the iS.A.IJ.A., was drawn against Allnutt. He has a fine free easy delivery, and is not afraid of taking a rink. At one time his rink were pretty far behind, \i\\t tho tea adjournment helped them, ;iud they pulled up level. Allnutt Johnston and Co., however, pot moving again, and finished, up four points to tho good. At the next rink Uoldstone was playing Hill (Clem's father), and tho old South Australian went oil at once with tho lead. At the. fifteenth end lie was nine points to the gorxl. butMaynard. third for Uoldstone, put in some very tine work, ami helped tho skip to retrieve the situation. Cbogwh. has been one of tho uicst consistently good loads on the tour, and in tliio match again ho was in good form. Hill's majority was just wiped off at tho last end, the game ending in a tit. Ham met tho local champion, T. Walker, bnt he failed rather badly on the heavy green. J>tubberliekt, too, who is looked up as one of our crack leads, was all abroad. Thompson, of Wellington, played third, and Galbraith second, but noiie_ of them were able to <lo much, and Walker won by 32— 20. It is quite a treat to si , ** AValker's play. Drawing, driving or trailing nil seem the banw to him, and, Jikc Moody, he is all thero for a ri.sk in order'to get a "hatful." Tho ercniped stylo of delivery seem* to have disappeared in Australia. In this match Ham's inability to appreciate tho heaviness of the green let his oi>|>oneuts fccoro a seven at the feccond head, and later on a iive. so that tho>,9 two beads were responsible for tho whole majority. Pedlar's leading was t>o accurate that New Zealand had t>omc very awkward ends to negotiate. Ueutley has up to the present done remarkably well, and ho continued in his well doing by defeating his opponent by 8 points. He ■was not well on the Adelaido trip, and, indeed, should not havo been playing in tho second match, but with Findlay, Seoullar, Wallace, Coltman, and Bunting left behind in Melbourne, there was' no choice. AVaddell skipped against Walsh, Bishop taking third place to him. Tho finish of this game was most exciting. With their last end to go, South Australia were ono point up, but D. Neave put his bowl Inir and square on the jack, and Bishop drew ono p( his -within a foot, and the attempts of .South Australia to upset the head failed, and Now Zealand wero victorious by one point. The samo evening tho local players (who have treated us to tho best of everything) entertained us at a dinner, and songs and speeches helped to pass away a very pleasant evening. Next day the match was at the Oval, but whether the dinner was too much, or whether it was that tho alteration of the local rinks mndo them much stronger, I cannot altogether toll. Anyhow. New Zealand went under at every rink. When I look back over these games, I am driven to think that, we were lucky in not having lost both matches. South Australia have improved in bowling so greatly that they would prove worthy foenien to any centre. They have tho style, they have the go, and they are thoroughly good sports. It' is possible that Moody will bring a rink orer with him to New Zealand nest year, hut there aro ono or two Jittlo things that may prevent him. Jack Cresswell is ill, but ho turned tip to -witness the second game. Clem Hill -was on the ground, and I was introduced to him. Ho told mc that ho jntonds to take up the game- (bowlling) seriously next year. We left Adelaido on Tuesday evening, and travelling that night and ."Wednesday night iv the train, got to Sydney on tho 16th. Good Friday was spoiled by continual rain, but tho* New Zoalanders, who aro thoroughly tired with tho continuous round of play and travel, wero heartily glad of a* holiday. ,