BOWLING

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 149, 21 December 1926, Page 11

BOWLING

DOMINION TOURNEY

EBCOBD ENTBIBS.

(By Telsgraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day.

The New. Zealand Bowling Tournament, to be held in Auckland from. 10th to 18th .January, should be a great success. The entries in the rinks and singles competitions are a record, and the total number of competitors also eclipse all the previous standards. The new'records are all the more pleasing in view of the alteration made in the procedure of playing off the games in, the sections' of the rinks competition. This has resulted principally from the agitation of tho local competitors, who had taken part in previous Dominion tournaments in the three southern centres.; Th^ir experience went to show that two games of 25 heads each day were waste of time, and a means of prolonging the event, and prevented the competitors from arriving at the accommodation .houses in time for the evening meal. The King championship; the blue1 riband of Dominion bowling, has attracted' a record entry of 170 teams. Of this number, the North Island supplies J4B, the South Island 20, and Australia" 2. A further analysis reveals the fact that Auckland has contributed over half the total, with an. entry of 94. Wellington supplies 16, Cliristchurch 9, Dunedin 5, Nelson. 3, and Southland 1. The remaining South Island teams are Timaru and Temuka one each. Auckland's entry demonstrates the great local interest in the event. The entries from Wellington and Christchurch .are highly gratifying also, but more Dunedin teams would have been welcome. Nelson has acquitted itself well in nominating three. Southland's solitary team does not lack quality. Seventeen greens are required to accommodate the 272 singles competitors, and fifteen clubs will supply them.

It is pleasing to note the presence of the present Dominion champion skip, Harraway. No doubt he will have a largo following of spectators. He brings a powerful combination in the endeavour to retain the banner. His former, lead, Best, .an ex-singles champion, .is with him again, but two new men, .pastier and Smellic, occupy secand and third positions. Naylor (Thorndon), champion of champions in Wellington, is known locally through competing at Botorua with the Hastings team. He is a fine all-round player.who will not be far way at the end. Gray comes again from Kelburn with the aaine team with which he did so well at Dunedin ; laat year. J. Lowry, formerly of the Carlton Club, is his No. 3. Sha'ddon' (Victoria, Wellington) •is a Very' old player in these events. Stewart (Dunedin), who was runner-tip to Pilkington in Wellington in 1925, has the. Sams' rink". Fielding (Hataitai) is one of the Wellington, contingent Who will be hard to beat. Beynon (Petone) who woiihis aection Without loss in Wellington in 1925, comes again with vissions of lifting the championship. Kerr (Masterton), well known in bowling circles^has a good team.