BOWLING NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20255, 15 May 1929, Page 18

BOWLING NOTES.

CHALLENGE COMPETITIONS. MATCH FOR EDWIN STARS. DENISON PINS CHANGE HANDS. BY SKIP. Tho Ponsonby green presented a busy appearance on Saturday, when the inaugural matches of the winter season were begun. An unusually large number of spectators was present, being no doubt attracted by the staging of the matches for the Edwin stars and Denison pins. Besides these two games a small tournament, accommodating 12 teams, was in progress. The policy of the Ponsonby Club in re- j serving entirely a full-sized green for the purpose of winter play would seem to be fully justified, judging upon the initial results. The green is in good order and when thoroughly broken in by play it will be a fine contesting ground for the p'aycrs of the western suburb. It was rather unique that Hie Ponsonby Club's representatives should be the holders of the two sets of trophies, but the iesult of the afternoon's play saw one of (lie sets taken away from them. In the match for the Uenison pins Sheath's Hillsborough team just got home after a particularly good game all the way. The outstanding feature of the game was the display of the challenging skip, which, for dogged resistance and unerring play, was worthy of a more veteran bowler than Sheath. Defeat on Last Head. The Ponsonby team was as a combination a much stronger force than the Hillsborough team and tho wonder was how it lost. Plight up to the final head it looked a winner, and so it would have been if Sheath had failed on any one of tho last seven heads. However, lie did not, and if ho did not achieve his object with his first bowl he duly in ado amends with his second. Goldsmith, t.lio Hillsborough number two, gave his skip material assistance, but the lead and number three were not dependable by any i means. Both Gates and Best, the Ponsonby number one and two respectively, played really well. The former was on the jack right up to the closing stages, but faded a little at the finish. Best was seen to advantage in all classes of shots and whether it was a draw or a fast one he generally made his objective. Dick was not as successful as lie might have been, while Let-ham suffered only in compari- j son with his opponent skip's opportune play. Ponsonby held a five points advantage at tho ]4Ui head when the score was 13—8. On the 15th head Ponsonby was lying well, but Sheath drew the shot. On the next, head Ponsonby scored two, this being about tho only time Sheath failed to save over half the game. Ponsonby was now six up and with but five heads to go success looked like going its way. However, on the 17th and 18th heads the irresistible Sheath notched a single. On the 191 li head his team, no doubt heartened by the recovery, gave him good bowls, and Letham was not successful in removing the scoring woods. The result was three to Hillsborough and one point the difference with two heads to go. Hillsborough held the position on the 20th head and Letham tnade a good attempt for shot, his bowl being a trifle over, and Hillsborough scored a single. A Splendid Finish. With the scores even a fine fighting finish resulted. The Hillsborough leaders held the position until Best sent the jack back to tho ditch and Ponsonby lay one about Oft. awav. Dick added his two to the total. The play of the skips was then watched with great interest. Sheath went out too far with his first bowl and it did not come in the link. Letham added another. Sheath gauged his green and strength to a nicety with his final shot and he just beat the nearest opposing bowl. Letham decided to have a run at the shot bowl, but his drive, being a swinging one, encountered the short woods up the green and tho effort was nullified. Hillsborough thus won by 16 to 15. Tho next challenger is Morgan, Devonport. The game for the Edwin stars between Blakey, Epsom, challenger, and Parsons, Ponsonby, holder, was even for two-thirds of the distance, but after that the Epsom team collapsed and Ponsonby scored freely over the last seven heads. Blakey had tho assistance of do Launay as number three, but even then could not stem off the Ponsonby rush at the finish. Parsons and his three partners all played well. Epsom was 2 up on the 13th head, but a couple of threes in succession against, it seemed to dampen the team's ardour and Ponsonby took tho remaining heads. Tho final score was 21—9. The next challenger is Brcmner, West End. It has been before noted what a fine team the Mangere first-year players made. The combination has since upheld its good name by winning iu open company tho final tournament of the season played recently at Mangere. Sucli a performance is really outstanding when it is considered that many of the other teams were strong and composed of good players, TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP. SUPERIORITY OF FRANCE. "Will France retain her present tennis superiority?" asks a French writer. I am convinced of it. Perhaps, maybe certainly, we shall know defeat, and tho Davis Cup will emigrate from time to time, but from the day it found its way to our "Arc do Triompho" wo can presumu that that will be its favourite road in the future. Behind our Lacostes, or Cochets, our Horotras, and our Brugnons, follow in close ranks our young hopes, led by It. do Biu'.nlot and Christian Boussns. I watched them the other day struggling to win the French junior championship, and for us seniors there was no more pleasing and comforting sight. In our provinces as well as in Paris, the champion seed grows magnificently. COCHET'S CHEAT YEAH. ACHIEVEMENTS AT TENNIS. ' In spite of Coehot's defeat at Wimbledon at tho hands of Lacosto last year, it was easily his best season, and for the first time lie attained the position of top-rank-ing player of tho tennis world. He beat both Borolra and Lacosto to win the French national title, and was runner-up to them in tho doubles, paired with Rene do Buselet. He again teamed with Brugnon at Wimbledon, and won the title for the second time. ITis greatest achievement was in the challenge tie in Paris, when he beat Hennessey on the first day. teamed with Borotra to account for Til clou and Hunter in a five-set struggle, and then gained the greatest victory of his career hv defeating Tilden in straight sets on (lie third day. His win of the championship of the United States was a fitting climax to a season of wonderful play,