Messy programme for open singles bowls

Press, 18 February 1983, Page 19

Messy programme for open singles bowls

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

The Christchurch Bowling Centre has got itself into a right old muddle with its decision this season to switch its open singles tournament to week-end play. The move was made away from mid-week so that ail bowlers, not just those who are retired or could easily take time off work, would be able to play. However, to the surprise of some centre officials, the entry only increased slightly. The tournament began on January 16 and four rounds that day and four the next cut the field down to 11. two of whom still held two lives. That was a month ago and there is still no end in sight to the event. The week-end after January 16 was taken up w’ith the open pairs and the original intention was to complete the singles in conjunction with the pairs the week-end after that. This proved difficult when one of the singles survivors. Roy Bailey, got to the latter rounds of the pairs and impossible when another, Graham Stanley, took off to play in an Auckland tournament.

There is, nevertheless, a bone of contention here. Last year, much the same situation prevailed with three Papanui players who had an invitation to play in the

same Auckland tournament and had commitments to a local centre event.

They were given the ultimatum of going to Auckland and defaulting their home games, or playing at home, with an inference that entry to a tournament signifies the availability to play it out.

Bailey was eliminated in time for the singles to be resumed on the Sunday of the second week-end of the pairs, but with Stanley absent. the organisers felt there was not much point in making limited progress that day.

Since then, there have been no free week-ends, and there are none in sight. The week-end after the pairs ended was-given over to the Rothmans inter-centre eliminations and last weekend there was the champion-of-champions singles, in which some of the open singles survivors were involved.

The same situation will arise this week-end when the champion-of-champions fours is played, and the only hope seems to be that none of the 11 singles players will be required for the champion-of-champions triples the week-

end after — and this is unlikely. The remaining four weekends of the season are all taken up with other events, the Rothmans final and a big Linwood tournament on March 5 and 6, the cham-pion-of-champions pairs on March 12 and 13 and the preEaster fours occupies the last two week-ends of the month.

It is unthinkable, though, that a tournament which started in mid-January should still be uncompleted in March. To many minds, the gap is already too long. The centre has one easy solution, and that is to revert to mid-week play. This, however, would contravene the original conditions and at least one player of the 11 remaining entered for the first time this season, because of the change to weekends. And depending on the fate of the two-lifers, two more days might be required to find the winner. The chairman of the centre match committee, Arch Murray, admits that there is a problem and he says he feels as badly as anyone about the delay.

“It is not fair on the players, but we are in a very busy part of the season and getting the games off is not easy. Still, I am' sure we will,” he said.

The problem is unlikely to arise in the future. It is Mr Murray's intention to propose that next season the first eight rounds be played at week-ends and the third day be mid-week.

He contends that most players would be willing to play one mid-week day if they were in the last 12,’and knew in advance.

However, so far as this season is concerned, there are 11 bowlers twiddling their fingers, and very conscious of their form, as they await the call to tell them when the tournament will be resumed. It is a most unsatisfactory situation for an event of such importance.

To refresh memories, the waiting players are Elwyn Judson (Papanui) and Arthur Tall (Barrington), who are the two two-lifers, John Gill (Papanui), Bailey (Linwood). Ron Fridd (Woolston Park), Stanley (South Brighton), Brian McGowan (Papanui), Morris Nairn (Leeston), Hunter Bain (Sydenham), George Matthews (Kaiapoi) and Murray King (Woolston W.M.C.).