BOWLING NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20713, 5 November 1930, Page 16

BOWLING NOTES.

FINAL OPENING CEREMONIESFIRST ROUND OF PENNANT., THE TWO SECTIONS REVIEWED. ft Y SKIP. Tho two chilis, Ponsonby and Buckland's Beach, which opened the season on Saturday and were last on the list, were favoured by bright conditions. This allimportant factor had a significant bearing on tho two functions and everything went off well. Tho opening round in tho pennant competition will bo decided next Saturday. There has not been much opportunity for players to get into form for tho first round and consequently the clubs which have had a good percentage of their members playing during the winter season will, or should, do well in tho first match at any rate. Twelve more teams will play in this season's competition, making a total of 1152 players. This is indeed a splendid patronage for the ovent and tI«J 1930-31 competition should bo jnoro successful than ever. One very pleasing prospect is the knowledge that the various greens are all in good order, but, of course, at such an early stage of tho season players will have to expect and experience greens which will bo slow and holding. Tho second round of the competition takes plaen on tho following Saturday, and, if matches go off Ijo programme, four rounds will bn disposed of before Christmas, leaving the final round to be played on February 28. Carlton's High Quota. Last season Waitemata, with u six teams quota, led off with tho fine total of five wins and headed tho percentage list in section A. Its quota now, is eightteams and consequently a repetition of tho former success is hardly likely. Carlton is the highest burdoned club, carrying 22 teams as against, 20 last season, when in the first match it ran second to Waitemata, as a result of 14 wins. However, in spite of the rise in quota, tho club should again do well in tho initial attempt. The influx of seasoned players to tho club should moro than balance tho extra weight to be carried this time. Stanley lias been, reduced from six to four teams and should occupy an improved position. Similarly Rocky Nook has a lighter burden, down from ten to eight teams. This club is now on a mark that makes it a particularly dangerous competitor, especially to tho highly burdened Carlton Club. Buckland's Beach is a newcomer io the competition and has to provide the minimum, two teams. As it is a new club with an almost entire list of new players its chances arc, even with tho low quota, no<t to be seriously considered.

Carlton will play Devon port (101, Waitemata (8) and Stanley (4). The lastnamed should cause most trouble to the big club, which no doubt will concentrato some of its strength in that quarter, Waitemata should receive the next attention and the highly-weighled Devonport Club will tako tho residue, •which, ns most people know, is not a tail by any means. The rest of the Devonport quota, four j teams, goes against New Lynn. Tho lat- [ ter is a club, now it has a better green, that will be decidedly improved this season, and a good start against Devonport may be tho means of having a good moral effect in the ensuing rounds. Even at this early juncture this club can be considered as one of the likely candidates. The club is possessed of the necessary qualified skips and it only requires an improvement in the plav of tho others for tho club to assert itself. Bocky Woofs Prospects. West End plays Epsom (6) and Rocky Nook (6), a fairly hard problem for a start, as both opponents are good. Epsom's eight other teams meet Ellerslie and Rocky Nook's two other teams meet the same club. Epsom's contract is not too easy, but Rocky Nook should, in the light of past performances, go very near 75 per cent, of wins. It will take Carlton all its time to reach 70 per cent, of wins, so that Rocky Nook seems to be the more likely of the two clubs to take precedence. Otahuhu made a very bad start last season, only notching 3? wins out of eight games, but with a better commencement this time tho club is likely to be among those at the top. Saturday's opposition is Remucra (6) and Bucklands Beach (2) and tho chances are very much in tho outer suburban club's favour, particularly in view of the easy opposition that will be met with in the latter club. Henderson, 4 teams, is a club which should do better this season, as its complement of young players has had a fair experience of the game. Remuera is its opponent on Saturday and the result, of this meeting will give a lino as to its future possibilities. 'Teams in Section B. The Auckland Club commenced well in section I? last season and played off the final with Helensvilla, boing beaten for tho honours after a closo series of games. The club carries additional impost of four teams this season, bringing its quota up to 18 teams. This will, no doubt, have a steadying effect upon the parent club, but it is a good thing in one way on account of tho present playing strength. Tho Manurowa and Hillsborough Clubs figure in this section and both started off with possible percentages last season. The former retained a good position fo;quite a while, but once the losses came the percentage dropped very suddenly on account of tho low quota of two teams. This season Manurewa has to provide four teams which will, of course, weaken its chances ol' figuring among the top teams. Hillsborough, on tho samo mark as last season, stands a good chance for section honours. The club's representatives are rapidly gaining experience in the game and should on this occasion bo ablo to produce four solid combinations. Takapuna has been reduced by two teams and with a six teams quota is in a handy position to make itself felt. Glen Eden, Ponsonby and St. Heliers have all been increased by a couple of toams. On Saturday Auckland meets Onehunga (8), Takapuna (6) and Glen Eden (4) and will have to display a fair amount of prowess to come out of tho meeting with fair success. Tho Onehunga and Takapuna opposition is bound to be fairly solid, but on tho other hand much progress may be made against Glen Eden. Manurewa plays the balanco of Onehunga's quota, four teams. Last Season's Winners. Much interest will centro in tho meeting of last season's winners, .Uolensville, with Mount Albert, and a lot depends on the calibre of tho teams tho latter club places in the field. Edendale will play Mount Eden, six teams, and it is quite possible the smaller club will come out of the fray with a good record. This club will be much stronger this season on account of the acquisition of two or three good playors. Hillsborough has a very good chance of opening well against the Te Papapa opposition but, of course, surprises always occur. Papatooloe is also a club that has more than a reasonable chance in the section. Good greens make good playors and as the club has the former, and also a good sprinkling of tho latter, a successful journey is anticipated for the outer suburban club. Ponsonbv would appear to carry too much weight to hope to carry of£ the section, but at the samo time the old club can produce good warriors who can battlo their way through many obstacles. The ciub did very well v>ith twelve teams last season, but tho added impost will bo bound to havo an effect on this occa sion. Ilowovcr, in the first round, tho club has a reasonable chance of starting off with good figures against Grey Lynn and St. Heliers.