BOWLING

Evening Star, Issue 20055, 21 December 1928, Page 13

BOWLING

[By Measubeb.] Bowlers were lucky last Saturday, for after a week of dirty weather there was a surprising change, and with the exception that the greens were somewhat heavy conditions were first-class. As to results, there were no startling surprises, but there was some very in-and-out scoring, together with some very close finishes. A good deal depended upon the result when Roslyn and Fairfield sections met. The former headed the Shield table with a four-point lead from Fairfield, and a win for Roslyn meant relegating their opponents to a much lower position on the table. But the miner players secured a one-point victory, and this places them equal with Roslyn for total shield points. The Fairfield men are making a gallant fight this season. Ualmacowen players narrowly missed winning their four sections. Port Chalmers fell to them easily in two sections; also one Taieri section gave little trouble. The other section at Taieri finished a tie, and the rinks skipped by E. Omand (Balmaeewen) and W. Carswell (Taieri) had to play an extra head, on which Taieri scored 2. The way the game will run sometimes was shown when the Green Island section played St. Kilda on the latter’s green. Good bowls was being played by each side, but after four heads Green Island had scored 8,8, 10 without anything at all being written on St. Hilda’s boards. This lead of 26 was more than maintained by the Islanders throughout, they finishing well up in each rink. Cavorshara did well to win two sections of three against Kaituna. West Harbour defeated a Caledonian Club section, and North-east Valley won one of tnxee against them. Kaikorai came to light with two wins of tliree against Dunedin. Anderson’s Bay won a section against two losses when meeting Dunedin. St. Clair, besides defeating Mornmgton in all three sections, had a good win against a strong Green Island contingent. A very handy 12 points came St. Clair’s way. One or two of the wide scores on Saturday: Macdonald (Balmaeewen) 31, Tait (Taieri) 9; Millin (Balmaeewen) 86, Culbert (Port Chalmers) 6: Henachan (Caledonian) 26, Mnir (Valley) 7; MTntosh (St. Clair) 29, Cooper (Mornington) 7; Anderson (Roslyn) 27 Mackay (Leith) 8: Jacobsen (St. Hilda) 25, Walker (Otago) 9: Cormack (Kaituna) 32, Blackwood'(CaverBham) 12; Bentley (Dunedin) 39, Robertson (Anderson’s Bay) 8; Harrawny (Dunedin) 34, Pitts (Anderson s Bay) 8; Stewart (Dunedin) 36, Wilson (Kaikorai) 10. The following table shows the results of last week’s matches and the total shield points gained by each club so £«>♦. . ..

‘Caversham v. Outram not played. The entries for the Dominion Bowling Association’s tournament, to be held at Wellington in January next, are satisfactory, though in no section is a record made, despite a strong entry from Australia. For the brinks 126 are entered, for the pairs 220/ and for the singles 256. contribute 16 rinks, 32 pairs,' and 68 singles. Just prior to the tournament a six-rink-a-siac “test’’ match will bo played under the title of “ New Zealand v. Australia.” Officially this will go on the records. Great interest should be taken in the result by bowlers generally, but “ Measurer ” doubts whether anybody is taking serious notice of it. Nobody can assert that there is anything of a “ test ” nature about the gninc. Neither, Australia nor New Zealand is anything like adequately represented. Under present conditions they cannot possibly bo, and to the writer’s mind it is a mistake for bowlers to try to run on the same lines ns sports where “ gate recipts ” allow a choice of the true representatives of the particular game to take part. The four-rink games are still causing satisfaction and dissatisfaction, according to results and the choice of members selected to represent their clubs. The results are, as in all other bowling contests, difficult to forecast. As an example, Kaituna representatives, who had carried all before tljfijn, came a thud against Otago; and Momington at the finish had a lead of over a score

against Caledonian (Smith’s Morning ton rink leading D. Scott’s by 33 to 5). On Wednesday night St. Kilda gave St. Clair its first defeat by half a dozen points or so. The results of the fourrink games are hard to follow—they appear in all sorts of odd corners in the daily papers—but 1 understand that in A section Kaituna stands best with only one loss, while in B section Dunedin Club is the only one so far undefeated. , .__ _ , Reading the death notice of Mr John Thomson (for many years a member of Dunedin Bowling Club) who passed away at Auckland this week, in his 89th year, brought back memories. About thirty-five years ago “ Measurer ” played with Dunedin Bowling Lawn Tennis, and Fives Club for two or three seasons. It was not the game of bowls that attracted him in those days, but the fives court. After an hour or so at that exhausing game he would sometimes look on for a while at the elderly gentlemen playing bowls. Members were not so numerous in those days, and any onlooker would be invited to take part. Among the regular attendants the writer remembers Messrs Jas. Hunter, A. M'Dermid, M. Sinclair, D. Russell, A. Gillies, W. Cowie, T. G. Young, C. N. Manning, “ Major ” Murray ; and John Thomson. “ Measurer ’’ would be persuaded to play, and on many occasions Mr John Thomson took him as a partner _ and gave him sound advice, which, if it could only have been assimilated, might have qualified him to rank in the first class. The players of those days took immense pains with their pupils. They gave evry encouragement, but they were not slow to call one to attention if any carelessness was shown by the learner. Among those teachers John Thomson was one of the best. He was a good bowler in every sense of the term, and many will have road of his death with regret. 11l musical affaire he took much interest, and even to a great ago he could sing a sweet Scottish song which charmed his hearers. Last Saturday quite a party had been arranged by Caversham Club members to go to Outrain, where a section was to be played against the local club. It was intended to make something like a picnic of it, and several lady friends were to be of the party. A bus had been engaged, and all preparations made, when an hour before the time appointed a telephone message came to the effect that the Outram green was unplayable and it was no use the town people starting. _ Disappointing, of course, and most likely unavoidable. But could not more notice have been given? The match is to be played to-morrow. A rink from St. Kilda Club which will take part in the Invercargill New Year tournament wil comprise Messrs P. Edwards, J. H. Hinton, J. M'Cnrdy, and D. C. Cameron (s). A Caversham rink for Invercargill at New Year is Scott, Anderson, Will, Thomson The first three of these are also gomg to Timaru for the Christmas tourney there. Dunedin does not seem likely to be strongly represented at the Dominion Association tournament at Wellington, which is a pity. There is a likelihood of three rinks from Dunedin Club and two from Caledonian Club going; possibly others of whom I have not heard. For the convenience of bowlers and others who may wish to get off at Ravensbourne, the railway official have arranged that the train that leaves Dunedin at 1.33 p.m. on Saturday afternoon shall stop at Ravensbourne.

iir:— Won. Lost. Pts. Tl. Pts. F airfield 1 0 12 60 Roslyn 2 1 8 60 Green Island 1 1 6 54 West Harbour 2 0 12 48 Dunedin 3 3 6 46 Balmacewon 3 1 9 45 Kaitnna 1 2 4 44 Caversham ... 2 1 6 42 Caledonian ... 2 2 6 39 St. Hilda ... 2 2 6 39 Kaikorai 2 1 8 36 Port Chalmers 0 2 0 30 St. Clair 4 0 12 30 Taieri 1 X 6 30 Anderson’s Bay 1 2 4 28 Otago I ■2 4 22 N.E. Valley 1 2 4 20 Mornington ... 0 3 0 16 Leith ... ... 0 3 0 13 Outram 0 0 0 12