BOWLS.

Evening Star, Issue 12943, 5 May 1908, Page 3

BOWLS.

DOAHNION DEFEATS COMMONWEALTH. A AIEAIORABLE GAME. [From Our Own Reporter.] SYDNEY, April 27. The bowling supremacy of New Zealand has been established, the touring team of thirty players from the other side of the Tasman Sea having won the “ rub” against Victoria and New South Wales, and then defeated the pick of these combined States after one of the most exciting finishes ever witnessed on a green. This test game had been looked forward to for weeks in bowling circles here, and it was not therefore surprising to see a record attendance on Saturday. And it is satisfactory to report that the play was worthy of the occasion, and is likely to further increase the growing interest ip ‘‘ye ancient game of bowls.” A victory for the Commonwealth was generally predicted. The two States having gone down before the Maorilanders, their Match Committee hud, after some hours’ careful selection, chosen what was admittedly a first-class team, ;md players and public were equally sanguine of notching a substantial win. Candor compels me to admit that the denizens of the Arcadia Hotel, which was the headquarters of the New Zealanders, did not view tho prospects optimistically. All thev hoped for i was to put up a good fight. ‘ As already indicated, the whole bowling strength j available was thirty, and some of these [were “ passengers ’’—that is, men, who would never be regarded as fit for representative honors in their own country, and who had come as much for the holiday trip as for a game. For twenty of the number under such conditions to measure strides with the flower of Australian bowling was a big contract. Overtures had been made the previous day to limit the play to four rinks aside, but they were rejected. New, Zealand’s weakness was increased when it was found that the Afaheno’s departure was definitely fixed for 6 p.m., for this meant that two of her players (Wallace and Smith) would have to leave while the game was in progress, and that two substitutes would have to be provided. A Christchui-eli gentleman travelling with the bowlers wagered a case of champagne to a couple of dozen lemonade against his side, and these long odds fairly represented howling opinion as to the prospects. But as in politics, so on the green : it is often the unexpected that happens. Ihe Now Zealanders began splendidly, | with the result that at the fifteenth head they had such a substantial lend that it looked all Lombard street to a China orange in their favor. But Australia, who had lost j opportunities through lack of combination [ —mixed rinks had been selected instead of two complete rinks from each State, and one mixed if equality of representation was aimed at—now began to play together and to closely follow their skippers’ directions. The result was that the New Zealanders' lead slowly but surely diminished, and, encouraged by the plaudits of their “ barrackers,” tho Commonwealth representatives actually drew level jest before the end came. When the last rink to finish started the deciding head New Zealand was one point in the lead, and excitement was intense—so much so that the large crowd swarmed across the unoccupied sward and almost encroached on the actual field of play, quite regardless of the attention given for months by the caretaker to the Ashfield ground. The third men— Scouiar and Moses—were playing at this juncture, and with his last shot the New Zealander, in trying to draw a second, took the jack away from Chegwin's bowl and made the scores equal. All now depended on the skippers. The Dominionites recognised that the bowling honor of New Zealand was in Bentley’s keeping, and felt that he would prove equal to the occasion, while New South Wales and Victorians trusted confidently to Strong's proved drawing powers. Bentley came down with a fast trail, and though he slightly shifted the opposing bowl he failed to alter the position. Strong bowled wide, and Bentley with his final shot got in just behind the kitty and won the game, for though Strong sent down a good ball it did not alter the position. New Zealand thus won by two points a match that will go down in the history of the game as one of the keenest ever witnessed. While the visitors were the recipients of congratulations on their win, Bentley was made the subject of a specially wefLdeeerved ovation. The play wasvery keen from the start, but New Zealand at once forged ahead on four of the five rinks. Auttralia was 11 behind in the first five heads, the deficiency was doubled in the next five heads, and the. Commonwealth was 24 down with fifteen heads gone. Then her representatives began to improve matters, and to put another phase on what had begun to look like a runaway game. At the twentieth hetul the lead had been reduced to 9. In the lasi head but one Waddell was down 5 and Hain 4. Bishop, at the same moment, had four shots against him, but he drew a beauty, and saved the position. A few minutes before this Smith and Wallace had been replaced by Cross (an ex-Invercargill player) and M'Gibbon. While the honors are with the Dominion, it must not be overlooked that their opponents made a great fight when the apparent hopelessness of the position might have been expected to prove a weightly handicap. Details of the score: Stubberfield (Christchurch), Maynard (Christchurch), Findlay (Invercargill), Waddell (Camara) 22 v. Bromwich (New South Wales), Smith (Victoria). Sheedy (New South Wales), Waxman (Victoria) 24. Wallace (Invercargill), W. Martin (Invercargill), Johnston (Christchurch), Hain (Invercargill) 20 v. Taylor (New South Wales), Crawley (Victoria), W. W. Stephens (Victoria), Barr (New South Wales) 50. Bunting (Christchurch), Thompson (Wellington), Coltrnan (Waimate), Goldstone (Waimate) 22 v. W. G. Stephens (Victoria), Tatebell (Victoria), Whaley (Victoria), Stanhope (Victoria) 17. Bastings (Port Chalmers), Smith (Invercargill), Allnutt (Kaituna), Bishop Christchurch) 33 v. Walters (New South Wales), Johnson (New South Wales). 11. A. Young (New South Wales). Reeder (New South Wales) 14. Chegwin (Christchurch), Manning (Christchurch), Scouiar (Dunedin),, Bentley (Dunedin) 19 v. Mdrks (New South Wales), Francis (Now South Wales), Moses (New South Wales), Strong (New South Wales) 29.

Wljen the names of the New Zealand : team were posted dissatisfaction was ex- i pressed by the players, and to avoid threatened unpleasantness Alhnitt, one of ■ the Match Committee, who had been chosen ! as a skip, generously agreed to change places with Waddell, third for Bi.-hop. It is pleasing to be able to say that the alteration was a big factor in the result, for Waddell put up a fine game against a rink composed of all champions, and Bishop’s quartet ! put up a score which won his side the i game. __ Waddell was opposed to Waxman on rink No. 1. At the outset the New Zealander established a long lead, and was 17 to his opponent’s 7. But Waddell palpably tired towards the close of the play, and was out- i stayed by his younger and more vigorous j opponent. Australia scored a fiver on the : last head but one. New Zealand had scored on four successive heads at one stage. : Stubberfield led excellently after the first half-hour’s play. ' 1 Hain was three up (10-7) with five head? ! gone, but half an hour later Barr bad an advantage of a single point, while at the fifteenth head the score was 27 to 15 in his favor. Hain managed to reduce the lead to 10 at the finish. The Invercargill skip was not in his best form. Both Wallace and Taylor proved serviceable leads. | Goldstone pnt up two fourers against I Stanhope in successive heads—the twelfth i and thirteenth. The skipper only showed ■ spasmodic flashes of brilliancy, sending I down bowls that were short as the green ges heavy. CoJt.nan did consistently good ' work, and Bunting was a capable lead. ' Goldstone has proved without question his right to be styled New Zealand's champion skip. In the three matches played against i Victoria and against New South Wales, and ! in the seventh game with Australia, his I rink has only been down once—on the ■ Carlton Green, when ho was in a minority of 3. ■ It is a record of which the Waim >t»ite ha? reason to feel proud. The niiartet cantained by Hishcro made

the best showing of the five, fairly out- 1 classing Reder„ and scoring a 6 and a 5. Tho whole team played so well that it would be invidious to particularise. Bishop, however, deserves special mention. Neither the Balmain skip nor Young (a former single-handed champion of Australia) played up to form. At tho close of the game Messrs Mncleod (president of the New South Wales Association) and Woods (president of the Victorian Association) complimented the New Zealanders on their win. Both admitted that the Commonwealth team were comprised of the flower of Australian bowling. Mr Woods reminded the New Zealanders that the Conimonwealthites had beaten tho All Whites at Melbourne rin 1906. The decider would-be played in New Zealand next year. * ALVTCH AT AUCKLAND. [Per United Press Association.] The Dominion bowlers yesterday plaved a six-rink match with the Auckland Association representatives, beating them by 55 points. The results were as follow; Waddell 17 v. Wakerley 17; Bishop 15 v. W 7 right 54; Goldstone 33 v. Brookes 11: Bain 28 v. Kilgour 14; Bentley 26 v. Haivey 20: A. E. Smith 25 v T."'Wilson 13; totals—Dominion 144, Auckland 109.