BOWLING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7319, 24 December 1910, Page 7

BOWLING

(By "Sir Francis.”) . Forty-four teams entered for. tho New Year tournament of the Wellington Bowling Centre, so that there will he plenty of competition. Wellington has eleven rinks engaged, Thorndon six, Newtown eight, Kelburne three, Victoria five, Karoi'i five. To Iliwi three, Hutt two, Jolmsonville three, Petone two, Khandallah and Hataitai one each. There aro some hot rinks engaged, and it would need the gift of second-sight to pick the winners. The Wellington, Thorndon, Newtown, and Victoria greens 'will be utilised for play. Tiro draw appeared in Tuesdays is=ue. No possible complaints could be made as regards tho weather on Saturday, when the pennant matches were- resumed under ideal conditions. Wellington, met Newtown a.nd won. on three rinks out of four. Bell's men having, the biggest majority in their favour. The most ■exciting finish was, however, between 11. Dali (W.) and Price (N.), the latter just snatching the verdict by a single point. On the aggregate the senior club had a 90 to 67 majority. Tiie To Iliwi boys, who visited IChaiidallah 'on Saturday, speak in. warm terms of the way they were treated by the players up tho line, who could not do enough for the visitors. Te Iliwi finished a long way up, and they were much pleased with the green and its surroundings. At Island Bay Khandallah, thanks to Dumboll, finished one up, which makes the serious reverse on their own green the more unaccountable.’ However, Eatham’s men are going in for same hard practice, as they are quite determined that they will do better in future.

Whatever was the matter with Thorndon on Saturday? Always before when, they have met Peton® the latter • lias gone under. It was quite tlio reverse at the last med Hug, for the men from along the lino fairly “wiped the floor” with the light blues, who were worsted to the extent of 99 to 51. Wyllie’s four were in great form, winning from King by 31 to 8, a rather surprising result, as the “skipper” has shown up well this season.

The battle between Kelburne and Karcri tor the Edwin Feathers on Saturday was as pretty a game as ono could wish to see.. Five times during the game tho scores were even, but on the last head Karori wanted four to tie. They got three in, and a fourth was only measured out when every, member of the team had had- a try with the string. It was, in fact, one of those ding-dong contests which help to make the game so popular. The entries for the Auckland provincial tournament, commencing on Tues.day, show a considerable increase on last year’s figures. There are 59 in the full rink match, as against 60 last year, 57 in the pairs, a« against 23, and 45 in the singles, as against 14. A prominent Tasmanian bowler, who has just returned from a visit to the Old Country, states that what struck hiin most forcibly , was the-manner in which composition bowls were ousting tlie lignum vitae in public favour. Hero the manufactured article does not seem to'be making any very remarkable headway, and it will he, many a long ■ day before the woods are laid aside. ■ ■ It seems evident that a mistake has been made in arranging to have around of the pennant matches played during the Christmas holidays. So many .prominent players Will he out of town that the clubs cannot possibly bo represented by their strongest men. Of course, in a large club, such as Wellington, for Instance, where there are many good players, this may not be so severely felt, but with tho smaller clubs the loss of some of the top-sawyers must inevitably be a tremendous handicap. With two. big, tournaments looming ahead there may have bean a difficulty in getting a clear Saturday, but, if such could be obtained, a postponement until after the holidays would, be very desiiahle. |

The Christmas tournament at Blenheim bids fair -to bo a great success. Quite a number of VVelbngtau. bowlers intend going over for it, and the local men aro laying themselves out to entertain the visitors in trne Blenheim style. Three rinks from Thomdoin went to ICarori on Wednesday, aild after most strenuous contests won on the aggregate by five points. The, most curious game was where a visiting rink was twelve down with five heads to play, but thenscored fourteen in three heads, this including a seven, ultimately winning by four points. I do not know the name of the caretaker of the Karori green, but he is evidently a very square peg in a very square hole. Time was .when the green was not all it should be, but that is a thing of the past, and now there is no better, green in Wellington. A man who can prepare a,green as is Karori, to-day is worth his salary, and a bit over.