BOWLING

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1939, Page 23

BOWLING

VERSATILE PLAY

NEW ZEALAND- STANDARD

An Auckland bowling writer, "Trundler," in the "Star," remarks that W. C. Franks (Balmoral) won the Dominion singles by his ability to drive as well as draw, and that he also won the rinks because of his own success and that of his No. 3, Benson, in driving. Those bowlers who two years ago on that damp January day watched C. Spearman (Sydenham) win the Dominion singles from J. H. Mingins (Epsom) will recall that Spearman found the Wellington lower green so wet that he took to driving when the head was against him; Mingins, on the other hand, almost entirely depended on the draw shot. It was, however, the general opinion that had the green been dry and fast, the championship would probably have gone north, as Mingins was 'Spearman's superior on the draw. On a fast green, too, Mingins no doubt would have used the driving shot if required, knowing that his sense of touch in such circumstances would not be disturbed so much as it would have been on the wet ground. It is correct to say that bowls in New Zealand has now reached such a high level that a bowler who wishes to reach the front rank must be versatile; drawing or driving ability alone will not gain him championships. Had he not been able to drive as well as draw well, T. T. Skoglund (Wellington) would not have skipped the wirjning ,rink, in the last centre Christmas tourney, as the opposing rink was, generally speaking, outdrawing his men. It has been suggested by "Trundler" that variety of play is cultivated more in New Zealand than in any other country. While there is a good deal to be said in support of this claim, it is a fact, however, that high-class players in Australia are able to exploit the draw, driving, firm, or trail shot, quite as well as Dominion expert performers can. This applies particularly to Victoria, where the fine, fast greens breed fine bowlers. The general standard of' play, however, in New Zealand is higher than it is in Australia, and this is confirmed by the opinion of the president of the Queensland team which lately toured the Dominion. The skittle or drive shot is hot much favoured at Home* : the overseas visitor who puts in "whizzers" on English greens is liable to receive cold looks. Perhaps the

greatest number of dead heads on record in one game was in 1904. This was in the time of the old Northern Bowling Association, before the N.Z.B.A. was formed. The annual tournament was held in Auckland that year, and in a game on the Ponsonby green the late Tom Ballinger (Wellington) made nineteen dead heads in a fruitless attempt to -beat G. B. Osmond (Auckland).