BOWLING IN PROVINCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21115, 24 February 1932, Page 14

BOWLING IN PROVINCE.

PENNANT COMPETITION. FIFTH ROUND ON SATURDAY. POSITIONS AND PROSPECTS. RV SKIP. The last round in the pennant bowling competition was played on December 19 and the next round will "be played on Saturday. This round does not complete the series, as the postpoued second round has still to be played and will come up foi decision on March 5. The final between the section winners will bo •played on the following Saturday. ' In section A two clubs, Papatoetoe and Stanley, divide first place honours with 66.66 per cent, of wins. Carlton is close up with 65.15 per cent. St. Helicrs comes next with 58.33 per cent, and Ponsonby has 54.76 per cent. Carlton's opponents on Saturday are Ponsonby (10), Ellerslie (8) and Avondale (4). This will be a hard round for the first-named club and it is difficult to forecast the result. Carlton, however, has good prospects, although the Ponsonby opposition may be troublesome

Papatoetoe will meet tit. tleliers (4) and Te Papapa (4). The games with St. Heliers will no doubt he hard ones. The To Papapa opposition seems to he stronger now than in the early stages of the competition, and therefore no risks can be taken on this score. Stanley will meet the rest of Ponsonby's quota, four teams, and here again much depends on the smaller club's showing against a more powerful, but more heavily handicapped, club. New Lynn, which is next lo Ponsonbv on the list, will plav .Mount Eden. Ouehuuga, last season s winner, is fairly well back, but two good rounds would give it a chance. 1 lie present percentage is 54.16, and the opposition on Saturday is Mount Eden (10) and Ilawhiti (4) West End is in much the same positiai. as Onehunga and will have,to put up good records in the next, two rounds fl " have a chance. Leaders in Section B.

in section P> Otalmhu lias the lead with 66.66 per cent. Mount Albert comes next with 63.53 per cent., and Hillsborough is third with 62.50 per cent. Auckland, Henderson. Rocky Nook and Takapuna follow in that order, all near 54 per cent. Otahuhu's opponents on Saturday are Auckland (4), Glen Eden (2) and Howick (2). The parent club will no doubt pay some attention to the suburban club's opposition, and a very interesting ronfest should result. Glen Eden has only won two games out of six so far. so it looks as if Otalmhu will have good prospects in that direction. The Howick opposition must not be taken too lightly, in spite of its low position in the table. Mount Albert meets Epsom (6) and Henderson (4). The first-mimed club has done very well so far and has excellent, prospects for section honours. Hillsborough will try conclusions with Reiiiuera, and much dopnids the class of teanj the larger club will place against it. In the absence of any particular concentration the small club's representatives have a good chance of doing well. Besides placing the four teams against Otalmhu. the Auckland Club has to find fourteen teams to play Devonport. A good round on Saturday would place the parent 'lub in a handy position and would make the last round interesting. Rocky Xook, well-known for results over the closing rounds, has a chance of doing weil with the Epsom j opposition, six teams, and Mangere, four teams. Takapuna will meet Waitemata in a straight-out contest of six teams aside. Hardley Shield Matches. Hie heavy rain on Saturday and pre.v:ous days caused a postponement of play. The loss" of a day at this period of the season is rather unfortunate, as it upsets the competitions, particularly club championships. which have to be finalised at nn earlier date than the other matches. Wet weather has interfered greatly with the Hardley Shield matches between Auckland and South Auckland. Three times now the event has resulted in fruitless visits by either one side or the other. The Auckland Centre's representatives started for Te Aroha early on Saturday morning, but, a halt was made at Pokeno, where it was found that it was useless to continue (he trip. Last season the Auckland representatives visited Thames j and rain made play impossible. The ! match was played later at Pukekohe and i a similar arrangement may be carried out ' this season.

On account of the weather little progress has been made with the various club championships. Some of the games played are worthy of note. Another fine game was seen at Takapuna, when N. Bell, jnnr. defeated by a narrow margin last season's champion. E. Bennett. As on the previous occasion when the pair met, the game was stubbornly contested and it was anybody's game right up to the final head. Bell, with his two lives intact, un<] Rennet, eliminated, appears to have a fine chance of carrying off the championship. Some Good Contests Smnc line contests were seen at the Auckland green last week Contrary to calculations, Di. Macky went down rather easily to the only other two-lifer in the contest. Dr. Mai die Neil. Rather a peculiar result took place on one head, where the ultimate winner scored a four. The loser drove on a very short head, and. in sending the jack back, look out all liis own bowls. Some of the scoring woods wet, thirteen yards away. Dr. Macky made amends for his earlier defeat by beating Walko in I lie next round A likely candi late for the club's championship is h newcomer !o the club. \V. Smith, late of Te Kuiti. A fine draw-

iii£ player, and possessed ol a ncsil resting shot he will he hard to dispose of Th" Auckland Centre Executive is call injr for applications for a howl-tester m succession to Mr ,f Jenkin, who has held the position lor a long term of years, hut is now retiring. Applicants who have a suitable plant and are interested in this delicate* process of wood turning should make early application to the secretary. Mr 0. I, Cladding.