BOWLING

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7419, 22 April 1911, Page 7

BOWLING

(By Sir Francis.) 'BowlcftE, one nnd all, who wont out of town at Easter to take part in tho carious, tournaments, returned with many a growl at the weather, which quite spoilt tho pleasure of the play. They ruefully admit that rain, was badly wanted, but think that it was hard luck'that Jupiter Pluvins did not come on duty after the holidays instead of during them. However, ’Us an ill wind that blows no one good, for tho country greatly benefited, even though .tho holiday-makers had a watery experience. In a game between Nelson and Thorndc.u, the redoubtable Munro Got badly worsted by the local skipper. Heaps. “Davo” is such a brilliant player Hint a defeat by ill to 10 was unlocked for, especially as ho had such a steady nuui as Khailcrass us No. 3. .They have some lino exponents of the game at Nelson, for ouch players as Allen, Crawford, Stevens, Watt, Heaps, Tasker, Harknoss, pjnd others aro very hard to beat. On their own greens they gave the strong visiting teams all they wanted in, the way of high-class play. Tho Taranaki bowlers now in Sydney do not appear to bo meeting with much success in their matches, tho club teams defeating them one a Her tho other. Tiio travellers aro of .•course only a travelling combination on pleasure bent, and cun in 'no spneo bo considered representative of tho district. At tho same time it. was expected, that they would make a bettor showing than has been, tho case. Their beat effort so far has been against Manly, tho seasidora .going under by 10 , points. E. PnscciC*. a brother of tho ex-Wel-lington and To Hiwi player, wan. tho champion of .champions tourney of the Victorian Bowling Association, boating W. J. Stanhope, of tho South Melbourne Club, fn tho final by 31 to 10. 'iSho final of tho executive's match at tho Auckland IMS.A. Easter tournament was very exciting. Grey Ljtnu and Otuhuhn were left to fight it out, and the former started well, and at ono utngo wore 11. to their opponents’ G. ODihuhu then, commenced to pile up points, and at tho twentieth head the teams were IQ—all square. Tho last head was a great battle. The leads, sccond-s, and thirds bent .each other, aim! then Grey .Lynn’s skip (Baiklon) failed to score by a Hair’s breadth.- Harbutt, the Otahuhu skip, with a. lovely draw, played the shot and won. the game by a single point. .:

Williamson, who has shown consistently good form this season, won tho President’s Bowls bn tiro Kclburne green, beating A. Johnstone in tlio final after a rare tussle by 18 to IG. At the Kelburno progressive pairs tournament on, Monday Hoxxtley played exceptionally well, taking tho first prize without maki'g a loss. The final of 'o doubles of tho Easter tournament was played on the Christchurch green on Wednesday between Jam,e3 Bx-ackenridge and Dr Goxv and John Brackexvr„ge and W. Barnett. At tho ninth head tho score stood 11 all, at the thirteenth .head 1G all, and at the seventeenth head 119. aid. At the twentieth.Jiend it was 21 to 19 in favour of James' Brackenridge, and the final sdoro .' was: James Brackeiiddge 21, John Bx-ackenridge 21. ■Two nexv clubs from the'Nelson district are joining, the Northex-u Boxvling Association. Next season, there will be, six clubs'in exiatexxce in the neighbourhood of Sleepy Hollow. ; Tho death is reported in Auckland of Mr W. Gorrie, one of tho oldest boxvlcrs in the Dominion. lie was, '.I .fancy, one bf the ox-iginal members of the Auckland Bowling Club, xvhioh was founded as- far back aa 1861. For. many years ho xvas one-of the A.B.G.’s best skips and at ono tinxe held tho' position of president. Ho xvill bo much missed from the ranks of the old brigade.

THE PALMERSTON TOURNEY. Wellington players who assisted at , the Palmerston North tournament speak in high praise of tho management of the competition and tho warm hospitality extended to tho various visiting teams. On . Friday the weather , was fine, and tho greens very keen, but 1 on Saturday a drizzling -rain set in, which made matters very unpleasant. The wet, however, hod cleaned off by Monday, and the greens rolled out very well. The, Petono players have every (reason to bo proud Of their reoord. They had a “hot” four engaged in Jones, Ross, Coles, and Wyllio (s.), and these. wont right through tho teams match without a single defeat. This is tho second occasion on which Pctoino has won at Palmerston. To emphasise Pcto.ne’s good form Jones and Wyllio (s.) competed in tho pail’s match against twenty-four teams and once again went through without a loss, if was a big performance) indeed.

To Hiwi had two teams,engaged, viz.. Hall, Johnstone, Ingram, Leighton (s.), and Cohen,. Martin, Wakeman, Wiggins (s.). The latter did best witktiireo wins and two losses, while in the pairs Johnstone and Leighton did well with four wins and one loss. Palmerston North, ’Hastings, Dannevirke, Pahiatua, AVbodvillo, Petone, and To Hiwi had teams engaged. ■ ’ Tho play was full of incident,’one of tho most curious happenings being as follows A, Hastings and To Hiwi fonr had tied «n tho laist head. Playing off tho Hastings lead with his finst'dtow] trailed 'the jack to within a foot of the edge of the green. Despite the keen surface, Cohen, tho Te Hiwi lead, drew a beauty within three inches of kitty, whereupon his opponent ran the jack into tho‘ditch and lay Alongside it, with tho jack and howl touching. As it-'was impossible to beat this the head was closed with only three howls plaved, a curious ending to. a hard fought match.

THE TOURNAMENT AT NELSON. Nino rinks went over . from Wellington t° compete at the Nelson tournament, Wellington) Thorndon and Newtown sending three each. Except for Good Friday, which turned out wet, the weather was simply perfect, there being plenty .of bright sunshine and an entire absence of wind. In all twenty-four visiting rinks took the mat. : Tho Thorndon Club proved victorious, going through without a loss. One or two of the rinks were beaten, but their companions pulled them through on'the aggregate score. D. Mnnro was in great form and his four were undefeated at the end of tho battle, the result of some’particularly fine all-round play. Tho Nelson Club was severely handicapped by having to put too many rinks in tho field,'tho result being that the btst men were not playing together. But for this they would hare made a much better Tho Nelson folk charged no 'entrance fees and . their hospitality was unbounded. ,