THE GAME.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 27, 1 February 1907, Page 8

THE GAME.

A WIN FOR WELLINGTON. It was by no means ideal bowling weather. The green itself was in first-class condition, and was greatly favoured by the visitors, who described it as more nearly approaching the Sydney green than any they had yet played on in the colony. There was a bit of a grip in it, they remarked, and in that respect it compared (to their minds) favourably with the Auckland greens, which were too fast. The "grip" 'was intensified before long, for aftft about half-an-hour's play the rain came down, end an adjournment for about balf-an-hour was rendered necessary. Meanwhile, the wind blew in fearsome BquaUs, and the conversation centred on the virtues of the Empire city as a health resort and a place in which, at times, bowling could by no means be regarded as a game particularly favoured by climatic conditions. On the whole tho visitors flayed a good game, and although they lost on the totals, they made it evident that, but for the gale which swept the green pod made naught of Judgment, strength utd bias, they would have made a far better showing than they did. Wellington players are used to the wind, ma make allowances ; it is difficult for strangers to become acclimatised at ihort notice. On the other hand, they JisplajeeL- all «tho -capacity/sof -the = sea-.

soned bowler to accept defeat with as much cheerfulness as he welcomes victory, and earned golden opinions from their opponents by their evident knowledge of "how to play the game." The match throughout was interesting, although all along it was in favour of the local teams. There were, of course, the usual close shaves, and shots won or lost by a fraction, When the measure was requisitioned ; but at the tenth head the scores were : — Wellington 41, New South Wales 29, made up as follows: New South Wales (Phippard) 8, Wellington (Hendry) 5 ; New South Wales (Evans) 4, Wellington (Brackenridge) 14; New South Wales (Roarty) 9, Wellington (Moult) 12 ; New South Wales (Al-Clure) 8, Wellington (M'Lean) 12. At the seventeenth bead Wellington had slightly improved their position, the scores being : New South Wales 59, Wellington 76, as follows : M'Lean 22, M'Clure 20; Phippard 17, Hendry 11 ; Evans 8, Brackem-idge — ; Roarty 14, Motdt 23. The progress of the game from that out was watched with great interest by a numerous crowd of oijthusiasts. On the nineteenth head Neil M'Lean. and his opponents tied — 23 all. On the twentieth head the Wellington skipper scored a single, and a score of three on the last- head made him absolutely safe, an effective Teply to the six that his opponents had scored against him on the fifteenth head. Moult had a lead of ten j against Roarty --n the twentieth head (26 to 16), and stood to win. His opponents scored foor on the last head, leaving him six to the good. Brackenridge won Ms game with ease, but Hendy was not so successful. However, he pulled up towards the finish, and, scoring two on the last head, lost by only a single point. The full scores were: — New South Wales — Goodwin, Cox, Sledge, Evans (drip), 11; Wellington— Kitto, Benaatt, Mack, Brackenridge (skip), 25. New South Wafcs— Grouch, Coulton, Hingst, Phippard (skip), 18; Wellington — Macaskill, Coles, Scott, Hendry (skip), 17. - New South Wales— Bissett, Anderson, London, M'Chme (skip), 25; Wellington — Alpe, Campbell, Wylie, N. M!Lean (skip), 27. [ New South Wales— Ward, Sutton, 1 M'Leod, Roarty (skip), 20 ; Wellington— f Lockie, Knapp, Hamilton, Moult (skip), 26. Toiak— New South Wales, 72; Wellington, 95. The proposed harbour excursion in the Cobar was abandoned, owing to the stormy character of the weather. In its place another game is being played between the visitors and the following rinks from the senior Wellington clubs : Wellington — Haybittle, Veitch, Bush, M'Lean (skip) ; Thomdon— Wiggins, jun., Barcaad, Wilson, Leighton (skip) ; Victorisi — Anderson, Townsend, Keith, Brackenridge (skip): Newtown—Brigh|twell, Sexton, Roberts, Prince (skip). Arrangemente axe being niade for the bowling matches by electric light this evening, and, should the weather turn out fine, a large-attendance and an in.teresting series ol games may be anticipated. * ! To-morrow morning two rinks of the I visitors will play two Victoria rinks, on the latter's green. At Wanganui yesterday the visitors | played a four-rink test match against the local bowlers, and were defeated by 20 points.