Bowling

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 122, 20 November 1930, Page 25

Bowling

THE PENNANTS

BAD LUCK AT THE START

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES

Enhi last. Saturday necessitated .a postponement of tho first rouud of the senior pouaut competition. This was very unfortunate, but Wellington was no better off than Auckland, wlicre- a thunderstorm necessitated- tho second round of tho pennants being called, oil. So far this season bowlers throughout the Dominion have not had much luck with the weather, and the only thing to do seems to be to hope for the best and smile. The Wellington Centre had provided for only five rounds in 'the pennants, which is a small enough- programme in all conscience, and too many postponements will not be very welcome. Three rounds -were scheduled to be got off before Christmas and two after. Last Saturday's games will now be played on 28th February, the second round being fixed for 29th November. The other Saturday set apart for'apost-, pbned round is 7th March If the season should be a wet one it will be seen that there are not over many Satui days in hand on which to play off any postponed'matches, v —r----."■•:■■-■■-'- ■■'-■"• The reduction in' the- siz'fr fit the programme, ana the. faej^that-the farst round may now turn out to be;the last draws attention to tho fact that bowlers are getting any amount of opportunities to stay,at home to play on their own greens; In the days when, a largo number iof rounds had to bo played the cry was, "Keduce the length of the pennant competition and let players have more opportuiuties of staying at home to mix withi-their own club mates," They aroy Certainly staying at home, and it i&to.M&oped that club officials are taking advantage of what days aro available, to get^well forward With club.matches iif.readyiess for the centre champion inatchesj. the dates for which are:—Singles, 13th "February; pairs 25th February; rinks, 4th March. In regard to the champion matches, it will be iomenibered that last season some mild conditions were drafted for the purpose of providing that tho club champions should be found by competition and not by nomination. At last week's meeting of the centre tho quesr tion was asked whether these conditions would continue, and it was pointed out that until the resolution of the centre was rescinded thoy would stand. The opinion was expressed by mors than ono delegate that tho''conditions were not of much value, and others said they con-i sidered tho ' imposition, of conditions amounted "to. an ..unnecessary interference with'the, control and management of the individual clubs. v lt was decided, however, toiallow the conditions toremain in f oreo-for tho presen: season to see how they operate. The conditions are very broad, and can only be adhered t' in tho spirit, and not according to the strict letter of the law. Briefly, they provide that clubs must certify that their champion representatives havo been found by competition after at least four games. Bach club decides its own method of competition; Last season tho Thorndon Club's method of finding tho . .champion rink was severely "criticised, but it was passed, as. being^withinvtKej letter of the law; This "club selected- a;*rink" anxi left it open to ehallengo by any other rink within the club, but the seloeted rink had to be beaten twice before it was displaced,. Hutt has,adopted the same methoc". this season. Victoria, on the other hand, is pervaded;by the democratic spirit, and is insisting that everybody shall bo included! in the rink.B, and that there shall bojpan all' round "competition, the principle! of the survival of the fittest determining who wins the competition. Last year Kelburn selected what were considered to be the four best rinks in the club, and these played offi to decide -which rink should i-epreseiit;; the club. "Wellington followed a soniewhat similar prbceduro, its number, of "selected rinks being ten. This-, year ■dti.eii number of methods of; finding-clubi'champions is as diyerse as everj.- and : it' would appear that the selective system has not been altogether abandoned. As .long as a system is fair, no objection can; lie, but there is something to be said ;for uniformity,'even if it'be. regarded,/although wrongly, as smacking, of ■'interference with.itho do-: nicstieT affairs ;'of: fe clubs. If club representatives compote in a competition conducted by the centre, why should-not the centre lay flown the conditions and: why should: it ;npt say that th&se shall; be "uniform? : Tliie point may be debat-: able, but it is worth while considering whether the thiilg should not b<js put on a ■.-definite; lbasis.j :' ; The Mid-Week Games. The players who take part in the midweek'games have been fortunate so far in the' •weather conditions. } _ Three, rounds have: been played, and •Victoria and Hutt'hav'e: each come through with; three wirisi.'-.'lsland Bay, which won; the'competition ;last year, have'^had one! loss this' season. , t . _ • A misconception exists regarding the name of tho mid-week games, which are: 'usually,''.though'"incorrectly, cabled the "'Mid-wrick- Pennants." Unlike the senior and-junior pennants, no j^nnant is: awarded for! tho -mid-week} games, only' a ccrtificatb to the winning club' ut .the..end of the season. The games were not intended to bo of a highly competitive character, but to afford op--portunities for the retired members of' clubs to meet in friendly inter-plub games so as to give them opportunities of meeting the members of other «lubs.' That the' games have become popular is quite true, and that shows there was warrant for inaugurating -thorn, but they are in no sense'pennant matches. Marlborough Visit. ; A centre with which Wellington has most coTdial relations is Marlborough. When Wellington bowlers go on tour in. Marlborough they are entertained like, kings, which makes tho excursion to the. Sounds district so pleasurable. Thisyear it is Marlborough's turn "to visit Wellington, but the suggestion has come from across the Strait that Marlborough is ■willing to defer coming over until next'year if this Would fit in better with tho Wellington Centres-arrangem-ents. This is a very generous attitude for Marlborough to take rip, for as things are the interchange of visits between jjjarlborongh and Wellington is a little out of step with this centre's general programme. If Wellington, which sent a team to Marlborough last season, were to pay another visit this' season, tho visits would be made to alternate in their proper order, especially in- connection with the Dominion tournament, for Wellington would bo visiting Marlborough in the year that the tournament is being held here, and this would obviate tho Marlborough men having to make two trips to Wellington: in the one year. It would also make- the touring programme fit in better so far as the Christchurch visits are concerned, for Wellington would be going to Marlborough in the year that Christchurch sciif's its representatives here.for the Barnett Tiki fixture. Christchurch is duo to send a team here this season, and this will bo returned uext/.seas'bn. If Wellington were not to visit Marlborough'untii next "season","lf"would mean haying to send two -teams away, next

BY "NO Two"

year, on<3 to Marlborough andtlie otliov to Chriatehurcli. ■■ That'can be avoided by going to Marlborough again this season. Wellington and Marlborough havo so much in common,-in bowls as in everything else, that it is wise to work in with one another's wishes and to preserve amicable relations. '■.'What with fast steamer services and travel by ah', Wellington and Marlborough ■ art1 becoming closer :rieighboiirs than ever. At one time, when Marlborough left the Nelson Centre. it wanted to link up with Wellington, but finally it was agreed tlint it should paddle its ovrn canoe. There are five clubs "in the Marlborough Centre, and these go out of their way to give the party of 50 or so bowlers from Wellington a good time when they' go over there. Bowlers' Touring Expenses. A great controversy is going on in Australia on the question whether bowlers on tour should have their expenses paid., The proposal, as made by Mr. Tom Yates, of the New South Wales Bowliiig Association, is that a capitation fee of one shilling per head should be levied. . ; It will bo recalled that a similar proposal was made in New Zealand some time ago. but it did not find a very ready, acceptance. Miny bowlers hold thp view that to introduce a system of paying travelling expenses would savour of. professionalism, and) in' any case, wonld tend somewhat to lower, the social standard.of the game. ■. .This attitude, :of"course, overlooks the fact that the big battalions, with the ready cash to meet the cost of oversea tours do not necessarily contain the-last word, .in bowling talent, and that .• if. exponses ■•were-paid it would often, bo possible, to ■send abroad teams containing far better material than is possible at present. At the same time, it. must bo confessed that, many bowlers would_ think twice about acceirting inclusion in a team on anything like a' charity basis, holding that it would not bo quite iv keeping with- their dignity- to have their fares rand expenses paid.. ( To those of an iadependeat tura .of niind it -would-be repugnant to. accept any sort of financial help, and if they could not pay ,their full expenses they would prefer to stay at home. Tlio position of a bowling team going on tour is liot altogether analogous to a cricket, or football team. Cricket and football teams, are composed of■ young men who in tlio majority, of cases have not reached , a stage when they can afford to pay for anything in the nature of a tour even a . honeymoon tour, whereas bowlers are for the most part men of mature :years whose futures are mostly behind them,,:and who, "if Fortune has not been unkind, have either amassed wealth or: been able to establish themselves in some degree .of comfort. By the. timo they have reached anything approaching that state-they probably have, got past the stage of being willing to take on sport- j ing tours at somebody-else's expense.- . .' Personal. Mr. J; C. Bedmond, of the Wellington. Bowling Club, who lias been ■ spending the winter months in Sydney, will. be returning to the Dominion in,,a few days':time. His brother, Mr. George Redmond, of the: Victoria. Club, >yill bo remaining-in Auckland for the. summer. ■ Versatile bowler, Vie.:. Casey,.,- is ■ beginning to fee] the call of tho Dominion, and will shortly kiss his hand to Bandwick (Sydney) Club and skip across to Auckland, says "Boomerang" .in tho "Eoferce." Victor, who is immensely popular oil both sides of the Tasman, will play pennant with Carlton (Auek-' land), and when that is disposed of, return to his pals at Kaudwick for another spell. ■■''■■ Weighting of Bowls'. An impression seems to be gaining ground that a bowl may bo altered by weighting it, without any penalty being imposed on the; player.: : This supposition is totally erroneous, as the use of bowls which havo been tampered with or. altered by weighting is distinctly prohibited under '_ tho rules, and any player-using such a bowl shall bo dis.qualiflcd for the match or competition in which he is . taking part, says "Jack" in the "Otago Daily Times." I feel sure tho Dominion Council'would view with very grave,concern any. attempt to alter the'weight;of a bowl, as it. might lead-to wide-spreading and disastrous effect were such course allowed. Thei-Q aro certain well-known firms who mako. weighted'bowls, and their goods are approved by tho council and listed accordingly, so any player wanting1 a bowl of a certain size with more weight can .buy one of these, makes. But any player who has weighted his bowls, is running a risk,': because if-the knowledge, comes to his-Opponent's ears he maylbe challenged,' and."thereafter disqualified. In fact, any club which knows any of its players possessing wcijjhtecl bowls should,'-for its own'protection, insist on these being done away and not allowed to be rolled loii tho green itself. ; ' • ■■"•. ; Balance and Driving. j :/• '.'What is thp secret of accurate driving .in the strict sense of the term??' That query was'put.to me\;it-Victoria Park : (Sydney), when the WarringahRandwick battle in the "President's" was on, writes "Boomerang" in ' the Sydney "Referee." The answer to the query is.'iiv one word/'.'Balance." All the .good grips:'and,'stances ",in the world,' all the, brawn or "other, power that can:bo brought- to bear are useless without absolutely correct, balance.' If I niiss an objective ■in a. fast drive I know the- reason for- it. "Correct" balance includes letting the bowl from th'e'fingeis at the very moment that'is necessary, else, you "pull it, off," or "throw it out," and so-miss-direction. The Beginning; of Bowls. ; : ■''■■' : • Bo\ylerß in New Zealand.: arc not familiar with crown greens, but a' discussion.in England concerning tho antiquity of' that type of green and the flat greens is of interest. Tho- statement that both : styles originated when tJie .industrial era began has been vigorously ass died,-for whilo there may bo warrant for fixing the:institution of tho crown, game at that,time the other style goes much further, back in years. With tho exception of archery, bowls is the oldest British outdoor' pastime. Even putting aside a vague ■reference to tho game iv a twelfth ' century ' life- of Thonias- a'Bockett, tho"testimony of illustrated manuscript shows it was well known in the next century..' The drawings mako plain several surviving. features of tho game, especially, the incidental' grotesque attitudes of players which may be' seen on any modern green.. Though the game was popular down to Stuart times, excessive gambling connected with it brought, it into disrepute, and until the modern revival it survived only as a tavern game.