BOWLING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13857, 21 March 1907, Page 5

BOWLING.

Br Rixker. In a few (lays bowlers will be again on tho move towards tournament. It is quite evident th;it the faster gatherings arc growing: more and niore in favour, perhaps because thoro is little lest time, anil three days' howling satisfies Ilio majority, Besides the. tourneys at Jnvereargiljl and Oamaru, if, is rumoured that 011 several of miv preens all <lay progressive tournaments will be held during tho holidays. That howls is a very curious gamp, was once again exemplified at Caledonian Green 1 ■ 011 Saturday, when the teams captained respectively by .T, Anderson and D. Smith played out the final of tho club rinks. After | Smith had chalked up 2, Anderson's 1 side J liutig so consistently to the. jack that until they had ecorcd 11 Smith's team did not get a look in. But this was the turniijg point, for Smith's men began to outplay their opponents, and finally'ran out easy winners. A most remarkable feature about ; this game was the fact that, while in tho ' early stages E. Hogg (third for Anderson) 1 was playing a perfect, game, he suddenly | lost his form. J. Edwards, who played ' third in tho winning rink, comes tlirotigii I tho season with a great performance, having a week or two ago successfully run the ! gauntlet- of two single-handed finals. Three first prizes fctf a fir?t year's player is really top going. A single-handed game, winch caused a. ' • good deal of interest, eventuated—or, I should say, was partly played— 011 Cale- ■ donian Ore-cn last Friday evening. Tile contestants were Messrs Maurice Conghlan and John Collins, two well-known and worthy howlers. It was an open secret that these two players had for some time been studying each other's .play, and those who know say that both are in earnest. Wei], the game went along, and alternate scoring was the order. There was no end of applause, and it was merited, for some tine play was witnessed. However, " darkness covered tho earth," and—there will be more of this later. W. Taylor, champion of St. Kilda, took on Greg. Wedderspoon's strong Oamaru rink on Saturday, and won. There is no joke about this, because Greg gave it to mo himself; and. _ furthermore, ho stated that Taylor and his men played an excellent game. Otago Club's rinks competition was won by W. Alloo's team, who defeated T. Seotfc and company. For the winning sido ,T. C'oolce and Hoancy played a steady game, and "W. Ewifig occasionally »ot. a chnlkor. Scott had an uphill task, as on many occasions his men were somewhat erratic, and the captain was loft to' negotiate some ugly' heads. Still for one who has really never played bowls as a skipper, he gave evidence of good things in the future, and the Otago Club has in him the makings of a steady drawing player. | Builders and Plumbers had another "try" on Tuesday, but again tho Builders we're victorious, winning somewhat easily. It looks as if tiie plumbers, to mako headway, will need to follow the wood seriously. But they only went for a day out, anyhow. and they had it. By the wav, j plumpers litwl made great preparations -lor iho inner man, for they brought Mr F. loaeock aH the way from St. Kilda to brew jno refreshing cup, the consequcrice being" that the upstairs room of Dunedin pavilion was well patronised during the afternoon, llio function which took place in Otago Clubs pa.vihon last- Friday may be said to nave l»on a, magnificent succcss. Mr Dawson had extended a large number of invitations to representative bowlers to meet the Dunedin section of the "All Whiles," and the response was a bumper house, fully persons putting in an appearance. Right from 'the start the affair was set going in splendid style, and there was plenty of "bowling." Tho | various toasts were handled by those who knew their business, and the musical portion was a revelation. A fairly full report of the speeches having already appcared_ in Saturday's issue I shall onlv deal with matter for which space could not be found on that occasion. Mr W. C Allnutt (vice-president of the N.Z.B.A.j m r ad fm? uite a r eply to tho toast of Tho Association.' lie was in good form, although ho told us he had not expected to be there. He told us that if . bowling continued in its present groove ; the game would go still further ahead; , said the bowling green was the one j place among sports and pastimes whero 1 men mot and made lasting friendships; and concluded a superb speech amidst the plaudits of brother bowlers. Messrs W. Waddcll (Phoenix) and H. Bull and W. C. Yates (Napier) spoke, and were 1 heartily received. Mr Bull said that bowli mg 111 the south had opened his oyos. Ho thought, when in the north, thatvtho . game was making giant strides, but- 011 going through the South Island he had . come to the conclusion that in the south i the game was going along much quicker; j it had, indeed, far exceeded his anticipaj tions. Messrs C. J. Payne and R. T. Wheeler "sang the tunc" for the "All Whites." Everybody is cognisant of their oratorical powers, and may take it for granted that "nothing was left undone." Mr E. C. Reynolds (vice-president of Otago Club) deemed it advisable to unbosom himself towards the close, and, in paying a compliment to Mr Dawson for his liberality in the cause of bowling, and, in particular, his generous treatment to tho members of Otago Club, made an apt speech. Mr Reynolds, in speaking of

pastimes generally, slated that lie lia< played nearly every game, but "the game of bowls—and, gentlemen, lam only , a icginner. and of course have not soon

a. groat deal of it ycl—is the game. ] am pleased that I have bccomo a bowler. I am quite convinced that, there is no game to equal it. What, lias struck jnc very forcibly as one of the outstanding features is the real, good, hearty feeling which immediately moots one on a bowling green." There were a couple of fowlers, too, in that room who lia.vc much

for the game—viz., Messrs 'C. F. Greorislado anil A. Mowat. Both said a few words, and the company demonstrated appreciation in good old song. When it came near the concluding item there was

a call for "Will yc no come back again '! And how did they "let it go!" The sang it as a parting to Mr Dawson (wh intends going to the Old Country nex month), and when it came to the chonu and everyone sang lustily, the north) president, unable to restrain his feelings, stood up, and, joining in, sang one Jim*: "Yes, I will come bade a»am!" Thus terminated the pleasant evening. In conversation wiih Messrs Bull and Yates—the latter, by the way. is a one-

time Dunedinito—they said tiiut they were amazed at- the hospitable manner in which they had been treated: everywhere the hand of fellowship had boon extended them, and tliev regretted that time would not allow of them accepting all the kind oilers on the part of bowlers. They would return to their homes full of nothing- but delimit and appreciation of the south. "'ho secretary of the Invereargill Tournament Committee notifies that entries for the Invereargill rink match must be sent in by to-'.novrow. It, is necessary to have them in thus early as sections have to bo arranged and cards made out, so that each skip may have the whole order of bis seven games plainly set out. Present indications point to a record entry. An enjoyable match was'that, played on the Olago Green 011 Saturday last between live rinks of colts from Roslyn and the new club. I'lie juniors wore as keen on the play as veterans, and tho majority of 1 tho heads were very creditable indeed. It would l.i) a. good thill); if more of such '■.matches were arranged during the season, ; as it brings out any (a-lent that may be ' hidden, ami, moreover, gives confidence to the younger players. Referring to the I game on the rink (!. Speight, v. W. A. I Smith, Roslyn scored 5 in the first four heads; then Otasro got 2 and 1, and did not score again til! (lie seventeenth head, Rosl.vn in the meantime raising the score to 26: then Otago put. 011 2. 3, 2, which 1 brought their score to 10, Roslyn scoring 3, Uius making their score 29. Both gkips

woro playing; a steady gamo, but tho hill team was too good for tho juniors. 11. L. Smith v. J. Garrett: Otago started with _6 ;md I. Roslyn scored 9in (ho next six heads, Otngo 1. 24-13. Theso rinks stopped play at tlio nineteenth head to rain. A. Lorrimer v. W. Nicolson" utago started with a3, and.a very even game ensued up to 16 heads, when Roslyn got. in thrc& shots which gave them a Jead of 5, and in the last fivo iieads Otago scored 3 and Hoslyn 5, the latter thus winning by 7 points. In this rink tlio several player;* woro-very evenly matched, and the skips played a K ood game. cutting out and drawing shots, the issue'bcin<uncertain till neiir the end, when tlio senior team got tho upper Land. A. rloneyman v. It. Wales: The hardest-fought game of tho lot. lioslvn .started with a 4 and Otago replied with 6. With tho last I Hoslyn were 2 down, and only managed to get 1 in, thus bciu°- 1 down at tho finish. Here ihe junior skip mail pa good go of it with his senior on ™ Ivoslyn side. W. Dawson v. W. A. Wilkinson: In Ihis game Ihe veteran skin's experience to!<l in favour of Otan-o. Otaro scored m 13 out of 21 heads, the game m i'hoir favour by 13 points. ~r 'he Champion Singles on (he Dunedin Upon a line game was witnessed boween I'. Pivi!;o and Captain Trask, victory resting wilh the latter by 21 to 20. 1" the earlv stages the ex-Nelson player took- tho lead, and, wilh tho help of a ?> and 4 on successive heads, was in front. bj lo # to 3. Pcako, liowever. responded in princely style, and with a. 3, 4, and a, single in quick succession quickly changed the position of affairs, and on tho last head was leading by 20 to ]9. His opponent then drew a couple of good ones, and scored a well-deserved win. Trask now meets V\. A. Durie in the semi-final, and the winner plays off with W. P. Gale, w ho succeeded m disposing of J. C. Whitelaw m tho same round.

Tho final for the Diinedm Club rinks' composition was played off on Saturday between rinks skipped br T..Neil and .T d BentJcy respectively. At- the outset BonttFi "?!! ? lv ,' a 't' lo ' ca< '' ant * had scorwl Wto 10 when he playod a.shot "not wisolr, but too well," and, robbing himself of one, Rove his opponent, four, thus making tlio SCOIO level. The .next few heads woro closely contoslod, and tlio fcoard showed 11 to 16 ill licrrtley's favour. Neil lay two at. tho next head—a fairly long one—when Iwntley, playing rather strongly, look out | Ins own bowl and loft tiro opposition with . four pjiofe, which Neil ndde<l another, and won the gamo 21—17. The following wire tlio _rinks:—J. Glover, J. Rodger, W. A. Dune, T. Neil (s); J. Hopcrofi, W. C. Young, G. Crow, J. G. Bentlcy (s). St. Kilda Club tics are now oilJier completed 'or noaring completion. In tho i champion rinks tlio winning rink wns com--posed of A. Stoncliam, F. E. Alfroy, P. T. Andeison, G. P. Mollison (s). tho runnorsup bonier A. Allen, C. U. Leith. ,T. G. Robertson, H. 11. Eu'ing (s). The doubles were won by .T. A. Cajmns and D. M'Farlane, ■ Adams and >T. M.'Lonnau securing eccond place. The single-handed championship is at tho final 6tage, J. M'Ourdy, G. I*-; Mollison, and l D. C. Cameron, sen., being still left in. Tho handicap singles anil! colts singles not being quite so far advanced. _ Hie ' Saints " have secured onothor scalp in their rapidly-filling Ijclt. Tin's time it is adorned that of a chief, Roslyn having gone down before it. There is no mistako that, the amount of enthusiasm ami deeiro for knowledge that possesses tho men of tho southern club must sooner or later placo them upon a very liieli .pedestal. This in exemplified bv St. Kilda defeating two such strong playing cluhs as Kaituna and R-osiyn in consecutive matches. In tho match _ against Jioslyn on Saturday St. Kilda jumped away with tlio lead from tho start and gradually increased the ultimately winning by 25 points. ° , St. Kilda will bo represented at tho O&OMini tourney by two rinkfi, composed as follows;—W. Jaoobsoii, J. M'Curdy, T. Iryine, ft.. P. Mollison (s), and J. A. Ciirdr.o, H. M. En-ing, ,T. D. Cameron, .T. White (s). On Anniversary Day St. Kilda intends holding a dcttble-liajidcd toumamont amongst its members, and probably if timo permits, a. drawing, guarding, and driving compaction. Messrs H. Bull and W. 0. Yates, two members of Ihc Napier Club, who spent a few days in Dunodin, and' who left for tho north on Monday, aro well-known North Island tournament players. At'tho la<rt Wellington tournament, when Jl'Laren's southern rink whs only 'beat-en once, Bull was tho skipper of tho winning team. Yatc3 has been champion of tho Napier Club on several occasions, Mr Pettersson (Quccnstown) was a visitor to tho Dunediu Green during tho week. Three rinks from the Canterbury Club will take part at Oamaru. | Mr L. Cox-head, one of Timaru's leading enthusiasts, wlro revels in a, tournament, was in town for a day or two this week. Ho informed mo that tho Timaru Club will bo represented at Oamaru at Easter.