YESTERDAY’S PLAY POSTPONED

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28474, 2 January 1958, Page 10

YESTERDAY’S PLAY POSTPONED

Announcement To Be Made This Morning For bowlers in Christchurch taking part in the national bowls tournament, yesterday held little excitement. No matches in the opening day’s play for the national pairs championship were completed because of heavy rain. All pairs were present at their respective greens at 8.30 a.m. and on most greens several heads were played before the rain made it impossible to continue. Shortly after 10 a.m. the tournament executive announced that all games for the day were postponed, and advised the bowlers that their matches would be continued at 8.30 a.m. today. The curtailment of play yesterday has caused the tournament to be set back one day. If the weather today prevents play once more, there may have to be some reorganising of the programme—a move which the tournament executive is reluctant to make. The reorganisation of matches for more than 1000 bowlers is a tremendous task. The executive is to make a radio broadcast at 7.15 o*clock this morning explaining the position to the bowlers, and if any changes are necessary through wet weather again today, this will be announced. The postponement of yesterday’s games was welcomed by the players at one green, where an umpire had received instructions from headquarters to stand by for a quarter of an hour. This he misinterpreted, and the players, in spite of good-natured disapproval, were sent out into the heavy rain for a quarter of an hour. When the mistake was made known, the players, wet almost to the skin; had some caustic comments to offer.