BOWLING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 23525, 14 March 1940, Page 16

BOWLING NOTES

[By Draw.]

Adm Shield Competition. The Dunedin Chib, won the Adess Shield for the first time since the competition was inaugurated in 1925. It will be. remembered! that* the Dunedm Club had many successes in the four- ' rink championship, but the Adess Shield games always brought'about fairly early defeat. - Many times" they were out after the first game, and prior to the .1940 game, the closest they reached was the semi-final on one occasion. This club has had many strong teams representing it over the years, but with no success. This year the four players comprising tb& Dumcdin . team were considered a fairly strong combination— Rigby’ and Hutchison were members 0 f the winning four in the South Island tournament, and.Yeitch won the singles /at the same tournament. The odd man, W. Easton, who] played in No. 2 position, has been playing consistently this season. J. Hutchison, who is regarded as * very fine shot player, appears to hava found !his ■ right position m a “big” team. The winning team—J. C. Rigby, W. Easton, J. Hutchison, and J. Veitch (Dunedin)— defeated Caversham (W. Deuchrass, A. MDoujrall, C. H. Mackay, and IV. Foster) hr 19-15, though the game could have <rona the other , way with Foster’s last bowl had he contacted the jack. He was just a little wide. The final game was much, better than some of the finals played in this competition, and the winner/could not be named until the last bowl had been played. St. Clair won the first game in 1925, Taieri in 1926 and 1936, Kaituna 1927, 1929, 1931, and 1933, Anderson Bay * 1928, Green Island 1930, West Harbour 1932, Balmacewen 1934 and 1935, Northeast Valley 1937, Caversham 1939, and Dunedin 1940. In 1938 the competition was played as usual; but owing to some breach the final was declared' null and void. ' .

Laws of the Game and Umpires. This letter from “ Past Champion ” was addressed to ‘ Draw ”;— ■ I spent last Saturday on the Caledonian Club’s fine property and enjoyed myself, as I witnessed some very good bowling. However, during the day I saw the mat laws infringed on many occasions. One • prominent player did not conform with the one foot on the mat ruleon any occasion on which he delivered his bowls. Another player, who had a very forward delivery, did not let his bowl go until his foot had reached the turf about 2ft from the front of the mat. It looks to me like a joke to appoint umpires to games if no notice is going to be taken of infringements such as I have mentioned. Another played, in third position, when he was called on to drive, took up a position about 3ft from the rear-of the mat, and from that position walked on to the mat fairly quickly and then let go his bowl. This class of play does not fit in with my idea of bowling, and I firmly believe that such methods should be stopped. My object in writing to you is to draw attention to the duties of umpires, who, 1 consider, are not carrying out these in a proper manner. “ Draw ” is certainly of the opinion that many infringements of the laivs of the game take place in our centre fixtures, and that the mat laws are the ones mostly broken. The .reference to the player walking to the mat to assist the get-away of his bowl is noted, but in my estimation, there is no law of the game broken in the method i sed.

Bowling Umpires’ Association. The monthly meeting of this association will be held in the board room of the Caledonian Society, T. and G. Building, Princes street, on Friday evening, at 8. All bowlers are invited to these meetings, as the object is to talk over the laws and rules so that players will, by understanding the laws, cause few breaches, if any, while engaged in competitions. If the player does his part in a Etporting manner there will be little for the umpire to do in the way of .correcting, offenders. Perhaps our friend, “Past Champion,”

could find time to attend some of those meetings. New Zealand Bowling Council Executive, The minutes of a meeting of this body, held in February, clearly state that in future no clubs will be allotted self-blue blazers. In answer to a question from a southern centre, it was stated that in future clubs making application for affiliation must have a green not less than 110 ft in length one way. The Suva Bowling Club has notified xhe New Zealand Council that it will not hold the usual annual carnival until world conditions tire favourable. The executive, in answering a query by a northern centre, in connection with the rumour that umpires had been instructed not to press the foot on the mat law at the late New Zealand championships, stated that no such instruction had been issued.

Champion of Champions. This competition is set down for Friday and. Saturday of this week. On Friday the Kaituna and Kaikorai greens will be used, and the finals will be played on the Saturday at the Kaikorai preen. There should be no exception taken to this selection, as both greens are in excellent order. Dave Gardiner (sou of Harry Gardiner, president of the Dunedin Club) put up a great performance in winning the Dunedin Club’s championship. At one period he was 17-4 down against J. Veitch, but by a steady drawing and an occasional yard oh shot be drew level with his formidable opponent with a head to go, and winning the last end secured his club’s championship. Another young player to win club honours is E. Olsen, of Otago. He, like Gardiner, is a fine draw player. Bolt, who annexed the Tainui championship,, is our old friend Spencer, the well-know ex-Zingari footballer and fine amateur billiardist. Kirkland (Mornington) showed great promise last year and no one is surprised to see him in the .championship list. W, Anderson, well-known Dunedin player, is the Portobello champion, for/which club he has been placing this season in centre fixtures. The veterans of the competition are C. Tyrrell (Roslyn) who won in 1928, 1929, and 1934: and W. Foster who won in 1922 and 1937. J. Veitch won in 1918, 1931, 1932, and 1936; and -I. Tonkin in 1920. 1926, and 1930. J. Scott (Caledonian), W. Carswell (Taieri), J. M’Faddcn (then of Taieri), and D. ’ Campbell (Iloslyn) each won the champion of champion honours twice. .Tyrrell has a chance this vear of equalling the record of Veitch, who has four wins to his credit.

Otago v. Canterbury. This game was reported ip. the daily papers, and there is little to add in connection with the play. The Caledonian green, where the game was played, met with many complimentary remarks as to the excellence of its surface. One visitor remarked—and he was then playing on an end rink—that it had been worth while coming from Christchurch to play on such a green. The visitors were well looked after by the centre officials and local players, and on the evening of the game were entertained in the Kaituna Club’s social hall. A splendid programme of items arranged by Jack Leech was enjoyed by all present. The using of eight rinks to play this annual fixture, is in the opinion of many people, overdoing things. No doubt the green is cramped with eigl’v lots of four a-side, and if the number was reduced to 20 players, that is five sets of four each, this would allow of a good width of rinks. Visitors from Taranaki. Thirty-two players will now make up the Taranaki party which this week is touring the South Island. The party will arrive in Dunedin late on Friday evening, and on Saturday morning will ho entertained at the Caledonian green. Six teams of Caledonian players and two teams from the centre members will take the field against the visitors. In the afternoon the Kaituna Club will entertain the visiting party, and in this game the centre will again be represented by a team of officers. The two presidents—Mr H. A. Ncwall (Caledonian! and D. Standage (Kaituna)— are sure to see that the visitors are well treated, and no doubt the northerners will enjoy playing on the greens mentioned, as there are few. in the Dominion that can be classed ahead of them. “ Draw ” wishes the visitors a happy stay in this fair city.

Dunedin Centre’s Easter Tournament. The entries of 72 singles, 196 pairs, and 96 fours must be very pleasing to the Centre Executive. Last year the entries were 74, 184, and 92 respectively. Again many visitors will be with us. and thev include N. M'Gorlick and J. Blank (bluff), Sid. Smith, J. Ure, ■ 1). Scandrett, T. ■ Pryde, .1. M'Cornish (of Southland Centre). Tom Hickev and W. Chaplin (of the Edendale Club), and 11. Drummond (Ashburton). There will also be players from the Central.

Bowl Testing Dunedin Centre. Players should note that next Monday morning the testing staff will, he at the Dunedin green from B'to 10 o’clock, so it any player has overlooked the date stamp of his bowls he should remember that next Monday will be about his last chance to get his bowls run through. Players should remember also that all bowls used in competition must bear a distinctive mark of similar design permanently engraved, apart from a number, on both discs of each bowl. Bowls which are in use and which bear a distinctive mark on the large disc and a number on the small disc will be sufficiently marked to comply with the regulations if the numbered disc is permanently engraved with the owner’s initials or a design similar to the large disc. A study of the laws of the game will save players much trouble; so read up your law books.