BOWLING NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20807, 25 February 1931, Page 16

BOWLING NOTES.

BY SKIP.

THE PENNANT COMPETITION.

FIFTH ROUND ON SATURDAY.

POSITIONS AND PROSPECTS.

Another fine Saturday enabled many clubs to proceed with their competitive games and another round of pcrcontago and club fours was decided. There was also a number of intor-clnb visits and altogether a very enjoyable afternoon's bowling resulted. Next Saturday will see the resumption of the pennant competition, which lias been in abeyanco since December 13. This will bo the fifth and last round on the programme, bub tho postponed second round has yet to bo played, and will be decided on March 7. Of courso, a good number of tho competing clubs have now no chanco of winning, but there is a certain amount of objective yet to be obtained in tho way of bettering the present position, or else putting down sorao club which is well in tho running. Tho competition will resumo under vastly different conditions from those for the first three rounds played last year. First of all, the greens in most cases will bo keener and in some instances perhaps rougher and not so sweot in tho run than when tho moisturo was in tho ground. Then tho players are now for the most part well seasoned and should be at about the top of their form. This will lead to more even play. Owing to the lapse of time since tho last round, it will be necessary to rofresh one's memory as to tho positions of tho various clubs.

Carlton Leads Section A.

In soction A Carlton stands at the top with a percentage of 72.72. The club has had runs of 17, 15£, 15£-, or 48 wins out of 66 games. Its next opponents will be Remuera (12), Rawhiti (8) and Buckland's Beach (2). Much will depend on the- doings of the club's representatives in this round. The opposition cannot bo considered strong, but having regard to conditions of greens and improvement' in play one never knows whether this will turn out so. Most of Carlton's danger will come from the Rawhiti quarter, as it has bfeen noticed that several of the club's players have been prominent in open tournaments. The Remuera opposition, of course, cannot be treated - too lightly, while Buckland's Beach, which has not yet scored a singlo win, should not present any great difficulty. New Lynn is second on the list with a percentage of 62.5. The sequence of wins is 3j, 2, 2, or 7J wins out of 12 games. Remuera is the next opponent and a lot depends on the calibre of the teams the larger club cares to place against it. This round is also a momentous one for New Lynn, as a good showing on this occasion will place it in a good position to tackle tlio remaining opponent, Hallyburton-Johnstone. West End lies in third position with a percentage of 54.16. Its record of wins is 7A, 6 and 6, a total of 19j- out of 36 games. Dominion Road (8) and Henderson (4) are the next opponents. Tho former is fourth on the list 'with a percentage of 51.19, so a good contest should result on Saturday. Henderson is near the bottom of the list, but like many others' the club may show better form now.

Teams in Section B,

Onehunga shows the way in section B with a percentago of 61.22, which compares unfavourably with the record of the leader. Carlton, in'section A. The port club spoiled its percentage in the last round by securing only four wins out o! 12 games. Its previous records were nine and nine, making a total of 22 wins out of 36 games. The club will play Mount Eden (4), Helensville (4) and Te Papapa (4) on Saturday and will have to look to its laurels, as the opposition is fairly sound. Helensville may by now have struck better form and that being so the task will not be too easy for Onehunga. Ponsonby occupies second position on the list with a percentago of 58.33. In its last essay the club won 10 games out of 14, which brought the total wins up to out of 42 games played. Ponsonby's next opponents will be Mount Albert (12) and Edendale (2), both of which, in the light of previous showings, are not strong. There is thus justification in believing that the once famous club should do well. However, tliere is no knowing what improvement the opponents have made in the interval. Manurewa, with four teams, is in third position with a record of 54.16 per cent. Three wins were secured out of the four games last time, which was .a distinct improvement over tho first two results of 1£ and 2 wins respectively. Manurewa will play St. lleliers next and the opposition should be good enough to make the way hard for the smaller club. Grey Lynn occupies third place with Manurewa with wins of s£, 9 and 5 to date. Th 5, opposition 011 Saturday comes from the parent club, Auckland, and a good series of games should result. Papatoetoe is also in third place. In the last round six wins were secured out of eight games and if a like record can be obtained 011 Saturday against Edendale, four teams, and Hillsborough, four teams, the percentage would place the club in a sound position for the final round contest.