Around the greens

Press, 1 November 1977, Page 30

Around the greens

The new conditions introduced this season for the Robinson Shield competition do not seem to have found much favour. In fact, in a number of clubs there have been strong words of criticism.

Extended one year last summer to cater for bowlers of no more than five years experience, the conditions then made possible various combinations of bowlers within this category. In most cases only one first or second year player had to be included. However, under the new conditions each team must include two first or second year bowlers and the other two may be third, fourth or fifth year bowlers with the stipulation that the combined playing experience of the four shall not exceed 13 years. These conditions have presented problems for both large and small clubs. In the case of the smaller ones there is the difficulty of finding the first and second year players to form a team and in one or two clubs it is an impossibility, with the result that more senior players have been left without a game on Saturday mornings. In the larger clubs, which have enough first and second year bowlers, the third, fourth and fifth year members are being unfairly penalised. Once the two colts have been named, .only two places are left for the more senior ones — and in many cases they constitute a larger number of eligible members. For example, if a fifth year bowler is chosen as the skip and the front half of the team is a first and a second year player the 13-year limit leaves just one place open for the third and fourth year bowlers — and they are the ones who would probably benefit most from selection. To meet the conditions, selectors have had to pick teams that are clearly lopsided: two fifth years and two first years and apologies are all that they can offer those in between.

It is known that in at least two clubs, bowlers who have been the colts champions in the last two years have not been able to wifi Robinson Shield selection this season. In one large club, a fourth year bowler with impressive credentials was so disgruntled when he failed to win selection that he resigned on the spot.

The 13-year limit was introduced this season at the request of clubs and accepted largely because it simplified team selections. It still seems a step in the right direction, wrecked only by the need to have half the team first or second year players. This stiplation was made to keep faith with the wishes of the donor of the shield who when he presented it many years ago asked that it be used for a colts’ competition. The said Mr Robinson has long been dead and it is questionable whether he would be of a like mind today. In the view of some coaches, it would be better if first-year players were restricted to match play within their clubs or until they had progressed to the level where they were ready to take on more serious competition. The new Robinson Shield conditions will almost certainly be debated by the Crhistchurch centre and there will very likely be a move next year to drop the requirement about first and second year players. In the meantime, however, many third, fourth and, possibly, fifth year bowlers are being sadly ignored.

Linwood beat New Brighton, 338 points to 270, in a recent match between the two clubs for the BismanHall Trophy. Each club was represented by 16 fours and

both teams were successful on their home greens. At New Brighton, the home team won, 165-148, but at Linwood the margin was a more convincing, 190-105. There was an exciting finish to the president’s fours final at Papanui. Playing the last end, Andrew Sharp led Eric Farmer, 21-18, but when Sharp came to play his last bowl he was five down on the head. However, Sharp made light of his predicament and calmly drew the shot, to make the final score, 22-18.

Sharp’s team was George Fright, Ted McGuigan and Bill McKissock, while Farmer was partnered by Len Cox, Bill Jones and Jim Charlesworth.

The winning skips at Papanui’s Labour Day tournament were John Gill and George Anderton. The runners-up were Bill Boyd and Hapi Nepia. The winner of the booby prize — four losses from four games — will mercifully go unnamed. Johnny Johns, a stalwart of Canterbury club for many years, was presented with his life membership badge at the club’s opening. Canterbury hopes to begin work shortly on the building of a new pavilion.