Bowling.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 79, 4 January 1902, Page 19

Bowling.

Ask Captain Wix what he thinks of ' progressive bowls." He played a leading part on Thursday Senator McGregor, leader of the Labour Party, is the champion bowls player of the Federal Parliament. McEldownev gave "Geordie" Wright a, good run the other day. George only won the nevr hat by 19 to 18. Burns, of Thorndon, burnt lus fingers all rieht in trying to snuff out McKerrow on Saturday afternoon 3."5 to 12 is rather warm work Neil McLean has got back to Wellington in ttp-top form. Sample sampled him in a rink match on Saturday. Result of analysis 28 to Sample's 12. Champion Brightwell and Sid Lambert are getting ready to w ear the Diamond Buckles next week. Whispered out Newtown way that Harry Smith and Bell will need several refrigerators, as the play is going to be red-hot. Longton and Co. still hold those Edwin Feathers. A Victorian team, skipped by Hueston, went for them the other day, and got nearer the mark than any other challenging team so far They were staved off by 20 to 14. But there was just a bit of luck about it Heavy defeats were the order of the day in Saturday's rink matches at Newtown Underwood's team carved up Swiney's for 27 to 17, Brogan's dished Davies team for 2G to 15, and Martin sat down on Alpe's with all the weight of 29 to 13. Eliott's battery did not run so smoothly as usual on Saturday. Even with the assistance of Hickson's stamps the score did not mount higher than 12 against Sievwright and Co.'s 28. The "Times" was not out. of joint on this occasion .

The stiuggle between the tout rinks which have \oluiiteered for the honour ot lepiesenling the Wellington Club, hat, begun Onlj two are wanted, and, ot course, two have got to be bumped' out McGlaShan's and Balhnger's rinks weu> the hist to try conclusions, and MlGla&han came out on top bv 20 to K> The second game was between Ballingers' and Sample's rinks, and was « fine illustration of Ballinger's capacit\ for pulling a losing game out of the fiie His motto always is "Nil desperandnm " When the frame w as half through he w as only 7to 18. On the 20th head th j score was 19 all. On the 21st, Veitcli (Sample's leadei) placed one right on the lack. Churchward (third man) iust touched it out, and made it visible and Ballmeer with his last bowl, drew the shot, and won the game — 20 to 19. Prass quill-drivers are going dow n like nine-pins on the Thorndon green. Archibald beat Sievw right bv 23 to 14, and now "Freddy" Reeves has succumb ed to Rose bv 22 to 10. The returned Town Clerk has turned over a new "page" all right for those Hamerton Badees Brackenbridee's rink, after holding them for over twelve months, wa.s knocked into a cocked hat on Saturday. The ffarae was lost by o noints. and W Hendry Trevor Baeerett and Page (skin") now wear the badges al«o a happy smile. Powell, of New town, Kershaw , of Victoria and Councillor John Smith, and Smith the younger. of the Wellington Club, feel that they are "some pumpkins" since they got back from that Christchurch holiday <trip Actually tackled the champion Chnstohurch team for the Dunedin tournament (Jackson Bishop Gibb and Barnett) on their own ground, and only got beaten bv five points. What a let-off for Christohurch' The Newtown two-rink team that went across to Blenheim, to teach the benighted inhabitants how to bowl, seem to have barked up the wrong tree. They are still trvmg to explain how the^^ lost the match Bv the way. their friends are advising them to leave bikes ailone for the future. Giddy old boys' The Newmarket Club, which holds the champion banner, has chosen a waim team to defend the trophy. Herbert W. Brookes and J. Kilgour are again the skips, and C. G. Laurie is once more leading. But his wellknown brother, surnamed "Lyddite," from his deadly drives, will never more play bowls. He has put up his last head, and gone over to the great maloritv. But R. Eagleton (formerly of Devonport) will be on hand whenever tho order com.es to "drive." Napier are also said to be sending a very hot eight to Wellington Evans Yates. Stubbs, and Co. are all in it, and their combination is said to be sweet and harmonious in coaxing the kitty. That was a most enjoyable "progressive bowls" tourne<v with which the Wordsworth-street people celebrated Boxing Day Nome. Bell, by very consistent play, won the skips' prize, and Still was the successful leader Do you notice that both prize-takers are watchmakers? '"Watch and play" is the motto. New Zealand bowlers crop up in the most unexpected places, and astonish the natives. The Shanghai bowline championship has fallen to a New Zea lander named McAlister, who in the final match of the tournament, defeated an "all-round sportsman" named J Mann by the comfortable margin of 21 to 13