BOWLING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7027, 15 January 1910, Page 12

BOWLING.

CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNEY. SECTION WINNERS MEET IN SEMIFINALS. INTERESTING PLAT. Bowlers from far and near, with many who cannot claim the.designation, gathered in. great force . on the "Wellington Club's greens yesterday to witness the play-off between the section winners in rink and pairs matches in the Northern.. Bowling Association's championship tournament. The attendance was exceedingly large, especially in the afternoon, and the play throughout waa of the moat interesting description. Rink and pairs matoheß were gone on with simultaneously on adjoining greens, but by far the greater amount of interest was taken in the progress of tie former, The .result of the day's play is Ithat the following teams are left to fight out the final, which will be begun ex 2 o'clock this afternoon:—. Grey Lynn—M. Casey, Pascoe, V. , Casey, Baildon. "Wellington —.Mayer, Carroll, G. Brown, T. L. Churchward. i SECTIONAL TIES DECIDED.

The ties in three of the Beotionß, G, H and J, were the first to receive attention, with the following results:— CHURCHWARD—KILGOUR, 14—13. i- The first tie in section G between ■OHurchward (Wellington) and Kilgour (Carlton) was played off m the forenoon, and attracted considerable attention. .■ The game was closely contested throughout. At the eleventh head the score was Carlton 7, "Wellington 6. With his last bowl Kilgour took out the Wellington shot, giving the. northern club a. lead of. two. At the fifteenth head Carlton still had a lead of one, Churchward was lying one, and with a splendid final shot drew another, thus getting a lead of one. Fine . play on both sides followed for several .heads, resulting in Carlton getting a > lead of three on the. eighteenth head. ' .At.the twentieth head Churchward, wifh r- a splendid draw, brougKJ up the scores .'to Wellington 12, Carlton 13. This left A Wellington to make one to draw ~, and ; two to win. Churchward, with his final •.-.bowl, succeeded in making the scores ■ even. Kilgour then, unfortunately for his side, knocked the jack on to two of x his opponents' bowls, Wellington thus "'Winning by one point. ; . CHTOCBCWABD—FISHER, 25—10.,, Churchward then had to meet Fisher ■■■=■ the other skip left in the •..'•Botion. The game may almost be v , described as a. runaway for the Welling- " ton veteran, who held, a commanding' throughout. After the seven- ' teenth head he was a.ble to take things ' quite comfortably, and finished with a. •win by 28—10. ' j ■'.';..' BAILBON—NASH, 23-13. . j '■•'■. Baildon, as substitute for Casey (Grey! Lynn), had a fairly easy task in playing' off with' Nash (Palmeraton) on the tie in '

Section H. He was in the lead practically all the way, and on the eighteenth head the score stood in his favour by 21 —11. Nash got a oouple on the next head, to -which Baildon responded with a single, repeating the performance on the last head, and finishing with 23—13.

BRACKENRIDGE—LOCK, 22—16. Another tie —that in Section J—was decided. when the Brackenridge (Newtown) team met and defeated Lock (Te Hiwi) by 22—16. Lock jumped away at first, and' ran his score up, mostly by singles, until on the thirteenth head he was . leading T by ■ .15 —9. There, however, he stayed for "the- next seven heads while his opponent crept up to a score of 22. Lock. got in a single on the last head, but was very decisively dealt with. ' SECTION "WINNERS MEET. ■ . The rest of the contest, so far as rinks were concerned; was devoted to the meeting of the sectional winners in successive rounds. The results were as under.:— PICKERING—BELL, 24-15. The meeting between the winners of Sections A and B provided an easy victory for Piokering (Palmerston), who disposed of Bell' (Wellington) in short order. The very fast green beat everybody in the Wellington team, while the visitors took to it much more kindly, and soon got out of sight. Pickering was leading by 24—-15. at the conclusion of the nineteenth head, when the game was abandoned. ','■'", » A game In which much interest was • taken was played between Wylie (New-, town) and Hendry _(Hutt), the winners of r Sections D «ud E .respectively. The scores stood 15 all on the eighteenth head, while on the .nineteenth Hendry drew away witn a four. To this. Wylie responded with a three after ■ an interesting head. /Hutt was lying the shot when, Newtown's No. 3, Pollock, in an endeavour to'make it a dead head, left Newtown lying one, the jack having Tebounded from the bank. Hendry then, in playing for a dr&w, took one of, his - own out, and . Wylie, with his last bowl, -drewv another and, .left New- 1 town 8 skips went down on the -fast head Newtown was lying 2. Wylie, w^th ; a splendid draw, came upland made it 8, and Hendry, in fattempting a: drive, effected no change. > Designing' to meet these tactics Wylie drew his last bowl in to the. rear of the jack, but Hendry gave up driving and attempted to , draw the shot. The bowl wds a good one but being too narrow, left Wylie'on top by 21—19. . , BAILDON—LAND, 30—19. A keen-,' tricky, -green., was the principal reason for the downfall of Land; the winner of Section C, when he.came to meet Baildon/ His-team was beaten right through and -, clean out ■: of sight, so far,, in'' fact, that'-it was not thought necessary . to Keep the scores The final figures were given as being 30—19 inßaildon's favour. The Grey Lynn man drew his opponents right off their feet, and when Land resorted to vigoroute.'driving"he mad© mistake after mistake. . . ■'■■'-.-. .- '' : BRACKENRIDGE—MASON, 23-16. The Braokeniridge ; quartet continued its victorious way in the game with Mason's rink (the winner of Section F), and defeated,it very easily by 28—16. it was a good and interesting game, but real fine genOTalsnip on the part • of Bracken-ridge, senr., won the day. Starting off well, the Newtown mem were *l2

up on the tenth head, the scores being 16—1. Mason then pulled up somewhat, and was onlv 5 down when the twentieth head was finished. For four heads running he did all the scoring, but on the twenty-first Brackenridge came awaj ■with a great rush and" scored a 'i Pihama at the end concentrated their energies on driving, but only succeeded in shifting their own bowls. One particularly vicious drive carried tho_ jack on to 'a back bowl and caused 'it tp rebound so far that it increased Brackenridge's score. PICKERING—WYLIE," 27—11. The leader in Section D, Wylie (Newtown), after winning twenty games ■ out of twenty-two, including those in the Wellington tournament last week, went down to F'ickering (Palmerston North), and the hitherto successful Newtown team was thus put out of the semifinals. Until this game was played Wylie was looked upon as having the great est olianoe of winning the "fours" match. At the seventh head the scorq was 7 —7. Pickering then added two, followed by one on the next head for Newtown. From that up to the seventeenth head Newtown failed to add to its score, whereas Pickering by that time had increased his total to 23, and subsequently, on the twentieth head, to 27 —the scores then being: Pickering 27, Wylie 11, when, the Newtown team retired: The actual scores hardly give a correct estimate of the quality of. the play on Wylie's part. It was a goodgame, both i teams frequently playing splendid shots. Pickering and his team were in great form, and by accurate drawing and all-round first-class play steadily added to theia- score, and won the match with a handsome margin. Wylie's performance is said' to be an Australasiam record. His "lead" and '"No. 2" were untried men in tournament play until Wylie selected them, and his "No. 3" had never before played in that position until he joined Wylie's team. THE SEMI-FINALS. ' ~ J CHURCHWARD v. PICKERING. The close and highly interesting game between Churchward (Wellington) and Pickering (Palmerston) in the semi-final attracted great attention—a large gathering of bowlers and others remaining to witness tho conclusion .of the match, which did not take place till about 7 o'clock. Amongst the spectators was the "Prime Minister (Sir J. G. Ward) and the Hon. J. Carroll—the Hon. J. A. Millar being engaged in a pairs -contest on an adjoining green. At the end of the third head, Churchward was leading by 3, "and on the next he w?s lying one when Pickering drove and made it a dead-heat, 6 —3. Some fine drawing followed, a dluster of four bowls lying very close to the jack, with one ■ a shade in favour of Churchward. Pickering- drew on to them and gave his opponent another, B—3. ' Churchward continued hi 6 and added three ■to his score on the sixth head. After the Nos. 3 had played. Churchward was lying, and Pickering with his first shot altered the position, eomewhat,' but left Wellington lyinatwo. Churchward drew another, and Pickering failed to make any change —the score" then being 14—3. Mowlem, lead for Palmerston North, retired at the eighth head on account of indisposition, and has place was taken by J. Young, a member of another Palmerston team. Palmerston. gradually gained on their opponents, and at ? the eleventh

head the score was Churchward 17, Pickering 14. On the nert head, Wellington wag lying about sixth when the skips went up, but Pickering, with his first bowl, took out the jack and made a dead head, amidst much excitement. Wellington's Nos. 1 and 2 drew the shot, on which Palmerston's No. 2 drew, a fine shot and lay one. Palmerston's No. 3 cut out a bowl, and trailed the jack—giving his .team 3. Wellington's No. 3 responded with a beautiful draw, and lay the shot, and the head ended, 18—11. When the seventeenth head was finished the positiou was Wellington, 20; Palmereton, 18; but on the next head Palinerston got three in, thus leading by 1. Pickering added three on the twentieth head, 21—21, and Churchward had thus to make three to tie on the last head. Wellington lay two before Pickering's last shot, when Palmereton got one in. last bowl completely altered the position, and Wellington finished with four bowls lying. There were three certainties, but the position of the fourth was only determined after a "measure." The finish was a most exciting dne. The game ended Churchward 25, Pickering 21. The scores being compiled in the Mowing manner:—Churchward: 1. 2—3, 3—6, 2—B, 3—ll. 3—ll, 3—17. I—lß. I—l 9, I—2o, I_2l, 4—25. Pickering: 1, 2-3, 4—7, 2—9, s—ll. 2—16, 2—lß, 3—21, 3—24. BAILDON v. BRACKENRIDGE. A steady pile up of scores right from start to finish was the record, of Baildon in his last match with the Brackenridgo family. At no time did the Newtown men look, like winners, and. indeed, the eighth head was reached before they started to score—with a 3. Five more heads went without addition to their score, and by the fourteenth they had only made 6. Baildon, on the other hand, went along steadily and finished on top with 27—12. THE PAIRS. A ftiir number of matches in connection with the pairs competition were played off, but there are still a number to be decided; SECTION TIES FINISHED. The nine, section ties were decided as follow: Section A.—Williamson (Kelburne) beat Beatson (Hastings), 15—11. Section B.—Kilgour (Carlton) beat Ballinger (Wellington), 19—15. Section H.-Dall (Wellington) beat Wilson '(Carlton). The latter retired on the seventh heftxd. Section 11.—Mowlem (Palmerston North) beat King (Thorndln), 21—16; Bell (Wellington) beat Mowlem (Palmerston), 23 — Section T.-rWooler (Remiiera) beat Crane (Wellington), 26—19; Wooler beat Wilson (To Hiwi), 18—15. Section"" V.—Laughton (Newtown) bent McLeUn (Wellington), 27—21. Section X.—Prince (Newtown) beat Foy (Hawera), 24—13. SECTION WINNEKS MEET. Wylie (Newtown) beat Curteis (Carlton), 24—19. Still (Wellington) beat Porteous (Wellington), 23—18. Prince (Newtown) beat Dimock (Thorndon), 27—8.' Smith (Thorndon) beat Mcßratney (Pahiatua), 25—14. Dall (Wellington) beat Nasinith (Turanganui), : 28—13. • Prince, (Newtown) be'at Hill (Te Hiwi). 28—13. :■ : Wylie (Newtown) beat Wooller (Eemuera), 20—17. ~. .- -Lock (To Hiwi) beat Still (Wellington), ; Several games-were left unfinished, owing to the approach of darkness, . but they will be gone on with this morning. : ; TO-DAY'S DRAWINGS. The following lire, the drawings for the semi-finals in the pairs; to be started on the Wellington green at nine. o'clock this morning: Bell plays James Brackenridge, rink 8. ! Dall or Smith plays Wooller or Wylie, rink. 9. ... : Lock plays Williamson, rink 10.Prince plays Mason, rink 11. . • Pickering plays McHardy or "Webb rink 12. .-.,'. ■Pascoe plays John Bi'ackenridge, rink Williams plays Casey,, rink 14. ' VISITORS ENTERTAINED. • SMOKE CONCERT AT THE- TOWN ! HALL. ; After a strenuous week of • bias, driv- I ing, drawing, and a host of other things, ' the bowlers competing at the Northern ' Bowling Association's tournaments, and l others, indulged in pleasurable relaxa- < tion last evening at the Town Hall. A smoke social" was held for their bene- ' nt in the Concert Hall, there being a ' large attendance. The proceedings were .( of an informal, convivial nature, and 1 were presided over by Colonel E. J. \ Collins, 1.5.0., chairman of the- Northern Bowling Asociation. : "■. ~ * The toast of the "Visiting Bowlers" ' was proposed by the chairman, who expressed the hope that the visitors would return to their respective homes" with J the most' favourable recollections of the I Empire City. The tournament had J shown hxm the game was progressing, and with the "open-door" policy they J could look, forward to a muoh larger { attendance nest year. (Applause.) Suit- . able response was made on behalf of * the visitors by Mr of Auck- " land, who said that he hoped the tour- c nament to be held at Auckland next year B , would be as successful as the one now i being brought to a conclusion. i

The toast of the "Northern:. Bowling Association" was proposed by Mr Bland, of Newtown, who remarked upon the successful initiation of the open-door policy, and hoped that it would be continued. Mr J. H. Mentiplay, the retiring secretary, in responding, alluded to the regret which it gave him in resigning 1119 official position. He thought they would have done well in following the lead of the Soottish Association instead of deciding in favour of the opendoor policy. ■ The old, system was responsible for greater enthusiasm, but at the same time.he could wish the newpolicy every success. Ho urged delegates to keep more in touch : with the clubs, and thus influence' the "decisions of the council. ,He hoped the Northern Bowling Association- would long: have much success., (Applause.)., ' Other toasts honoured were ; those : of, the "Winners of Sections," responded to ■by the respective winners; 'the ' "New Zealand Association," proposed by Mr T. Bush, and responded to by Mr J. C. Maddison; also, "The Ladies. ■ : During the evening songs and other items were contributed by Messrs White, E.- J. Hill, A. J. Black, Newton, E. Parkes, J.- Dykes, and Marks.: One of the most successful items of the evening was the haka by the leading skips, led-by the well-known local bowler, Mr Taare Parata. The bowling chorus of the Auckland contingent, "Bowl, Boys, Bowl," t was vociferously received. A GROWLERS' TOURNAMENT. A correspondent of. ths Sydney "Telegraph" suggests a fixture as above, tin-: der the following conditions: ■ — Any number of rinks from all clubs to be allowed to enter.

Eight rinks to be reserved for special growlers, and men who leave their clubs because of the selection committee. All entrants to be paid 2s Gd for entrance and Is for green fees. All refreshments to be free to contestants. Three prizes: Third prize, an ordinary whistle; second prize, a flute; first, a trombone. Costume, any old thing will do. Contestants to be allowed to nick the position thev wish to play in. All will no doubt want to play No. 2. but the committee will perhaps be able to insist upon some playing 3 and 4. The Association selection and bowltesting committee and others who ; are spoiling the game'at present will be provided with special 6oats. where rubbish can be thrown at them.