BOWLING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18751, 3 January 1923, Page 8

BOWLING.

Bz Jack. In the final game of the Christmas tournament S. Hutchison’s rink (Dunedin) proved too solid a combination for Portman’s quartet (West Harbour), winning comfortably by 22 points to 13. Hutchison’s lead, Smith, played a great game for ms skip. In fact Smith’s leading was a feature of the game. He had the pull of the green to a nicety, and he kept a very accurate length throughout. When he was at fault with his first bowl he demonstrated ability to correct it with his second. Hutchison though he had an easy game to play, was in fine form, and rarely failed his team when danger threatened. The West Harbour rink failed to reproduce the form shown in its earlier games. Hutton (third player), who had been one of its mainstays, was off his game, and this made a big difference to the combination. Mutton, however, deserves credit for several sterling performances for which he was responsible. With the Dunedin men outdawing them the West Harbour rink badly required the services of an accurate driver. With regard to the above game I certainly think it should have been played on a neutral green. The Dunedin players were given a decided advantage, and although I am convinced they would have won had the green been changed, the rinks contesting a final should be placed on an absolutely even footing. The Queensland bowlers have made a host of friends during their short stay in Dunedin. As a combination they could not be considered strong—considering the distance to be travelled and the expense entailed. that could not reasonably bo expected—but anything they lack from a playing point of view, they more than make up for bv their good sportsmanship both on and off the green. They play the game for the game’s sake, and there is an_ entire absence of any of the little objectionable elements which are at times noticeable hi players who are perhaps over keen or too highly strung. A Dunedin bowler who spent the Christmas holidays in Timaru sends me the following notes: The annual bowling tournament commenced here on Christmas Day under ideal conditions, ' glorious weather and keen greens prevailing throughout the week. Four green were utilised, and some very keen and interesting games were contested. Several Dunedin players took part: rinks from St. Clair, Taieri, North-East Valley, and Anderson’s Bay being among fhe contestants. and it is pleasing to note that each of them was going strong almost up to the semi-finals. One cf _tne most unpretentious and unassuming rinks that ever competed in a Timaru tournament was that skipped by Thompson, of Taieri, with Gibsoh 'third nlayer, Gilligan second, and M‘Loan lead. By their undemonstrative behaviour they made hosts of friends, and had success attended them in the final it would have been indeed a popular win. The feature of the semi-finals was the sterling play of Dave Gibson, who was undoubtedly the mainstay of the Taieri rink_ in this game. Head after head, when Taieri wore in a bad position, he would niter the head in their favohr, and it was solely due to his solid nlay that their win was rewarded. The Timaru green, on which the finals were plaved on Thursday, particularly keen, and a blazing sun made it most difficult to find the “kitty.” The final rink game Ixdwcen Sunnier and Taieri produced some very fine bowling, and full credit must be given to the Sumner rink for tbeir win, although it was chiefly duo to Raphael’* play as third. On the sixth head the score was; Sumner 7. Taieri nil. The southerners then fettled down to foil'd drawing, and notched 4 on the seventh end, which score they increased to 13 against Sumner’s 8 on the eleventh head. Splendid play on each side showed the score 15 all on the fifteenth head, then 18 all on the nineteenth head. Sumner got 3 on the next head, and, securing a single on the last end, won a, great game by 4 points. The final of the Bairs also produced a keen contest between Moyes, of Timaru. , and Higgins, of Ashburton. Moves had with him as load W. Smellie. rf Green Island. The score, which was 14 all on the" seventoon Hi head and 16 all on the nineteenth head, indicates the closeness of the game. The twentieth end resulted in Higgins’s favour by 1 point., and Moves scoring 1 on the twenty-first head made it necessary to play an extra end. when Moves again got 1 point, winning ,a remarkable contest by 18 points to Higgins’s 17 ’The tournament all through was admirably conducted, and must bo accounted one of the most successful held by this energetic and progressive centre. HOW TO OBIP THE. BOWL. It is not as easy to explain on paper as it is to demonstrate what is meant (writes “T. A. N.” in the Melbourne Sporting Globe). Any bowler can demonstrate it himself. Grip the bowl as usual. Holding the bowl, turn the hand over so that the back is uppermost, and note the relation of the fingers to the rolling surface of tho bowl. It they run parallel to the rolling circumference, well and good. But in too many cases tho fingers will this surface, so that the pad of the forefinger tip is situated at tho centre of the rolling surface. In this case the bowl leaves finally this finger tip; such a bowl is more, liable to little deflection of balance frem absolute evenness of keel than a bowl which finally leaves all four fingers together, as happens when it loaves in. the lino. of. tho scoop formed by the palm and fingers, tho finger tips forming tho, gently-curved edge of the scoop. In this latter case also tho “propulse” is more easily .transmitted to the bowl by the whole four finger tips. These little deflections of balance most certainly affect th evenness of “grassing” and delivery, and, as was previously stressed, this is the most vital point in the procedure. The voluntary factor is the variable and flexible one, which has to contend with the varying conditions of play and green. This factor is that “individual skill,” which is a personal endowment of each bowler, and which varies as the man. The voluntary factor varies from day to day. and is the factor that has constantly to bo tuned up by practice or training and enthusiasm. The other factors for success in bowling can be learnt, and once well learnt, are fairly constant and permanent, and common to each _ game. So that if the stance, the position of the arm and forearm and hand, the grip and the grassing of the bowl are properly learnt and sot .right, then the mind is saved a lot of worry, and attention need only be concentrated, each day, each game, and each delivery on the voluntary and variable factors, force, length, and amount of “green” to take. ■EFFICIENCY AND CONSISTENCY. In the fixed factors, stance, grip, grassing, trueness of the bowl itself are not correct, they are then constantly upsetting the voluntary factor. In competitive bowling the chief factors in success are efficiency and consistency, and both are necessary. These factors can most surely bo found in those who learn and fix aright the fixable elements in bowling, and who train the voluntary or temperamental ones. The bowl is a mechanical worker, which works always the same, given the same (grassing and the same lawn conditions. So that this factor can bo depended on a-s a constant by the bowler, provided he delivers the*bowl on tho same lawn with tho same “grassing” and force. The bowl is a dependable factor in tho game, controllable or alterable by tho flexible factor, tho bowler. Tho build of the bowl is such that it does not roll straight along, but pursues a curving course, tho amount of incurving increasing as the momentum grows less. A bowl works true to its bias. THE LAWN. Each particular rink is a fairly constant factor on any particular day, but each bowling green is different. Hence an important duty of the voluntary or flexible factors or the bowler is to gauge the characteristics of tho green, that is, “find the grass” nr “pick up tho green.” Bowling that is not first class and consistent must bo due to one or more of the foregoing factors being wrong, and improvement can only bo obtained by seeking out the rectifiable wrongs. Tho bowl must be tested and found true, and it then is a correct factor. The mechanical factors of the bowler when corrected, should bo relatively constant, and should be rectified if not. perfect. HABRA WAYS v. ALLAN \VILKIE COMPANY. Special care had been taken yesterday by Caretaker Crawford to provide his keenest carpet for tho challenge gartio between tho above-mentioned teams. On the score of weather nothing bettor could have been desired, and the game prdved most enjoyable. The play at the first head demonstrated the fact that the teams were evenly matched. Skip Harraway’s last bowl was close to kitty and his side lay four, but Stan Henry displaced the family of Green Islanders’ "spot bowl and chalked up a single, thus getting the touring side out of a nasty hole. Give-and-take play followed. A nicely-executed draw by Henry carried kitty away from Harraway, and on conclusion of the third head scores wore even—--2 all. Henry exhorted Wyntt to carry the jack, but the green puzzled the “comedian.” M’Donald’s arm was swinging like a pendu-

lam; not a short bowl did he put down, but —well, the game was being taken almost ■. s seriously as g midsummer night’s dream. Nothing within 9ft of kitty. Wyatt succeeded in placing both his bowls, llou/v put in the second, but Harraway almost got up with his last, saving two. Scores, 5 all. Loud applause greeted McDonald’s successful effort to cover the jack in the following head. A. Harraway succeeded in snicking the white, and then Neville felt that the time was opportune for him to gain a white cross. Four down, Skipper Harraway playod wide, the profession jubilating over the result of the head —a four. Harraway 5, Allan Wilkie 9. To get out of “a ’ole,” Harraway sent up a couple of swingers, and succeeded in cutting out Henry’s bowl, notching four —9 all. Neville “accidentally” put up a counter right in the draw/'which caused Wyatt to run narrow. Harraway played both bowls a yard on, both wide, and Henry improved by bumping up in a leading bowl. Wilkie Company 10, Harraway 9. Whilst a lady visitor took a “snap” of the teams during the tenth head, the bowls wore nicely “placed” by a spectator, and the skips became slightly nonplussed, evidently arriving at the conclusion that the worms had . been acting during the photography process. A running bowl from Neville snicked the white and Wilkie’s lay one. H. Harraway afterwards succeeded in carrying kitty into the ditch and counting. Keen play enabled Henry to hold the head — Eleventh head: Wilkie Company 13, Harraway 9. Twelfth head: M'Donald hugged kitty, A. Harraway lay beside his opponent, and Neville’s first bowl was another counter, but Wyatt rattled the head and Harraway emerged from the mixup one to the good. Thirteenth head: A four to the family livened up matters, and Wilkie Company made a gallant effort and evened scores at the next head. Play of more than average order was demonstrated by both teams. The fifteenth head was disastrous to Wilkie Company. The family piled them in, and Henry endeavoured to smash on the backhand, both bowls running wide, and Harraway chalked up 5—19 ‘to 14. Henry sprung the jack, but a rebound gave Harraway the advantage—22 to 14. J. Harraway played a beautiful draw and 11. Harraway followed suit. Skipper Harraway planted a third, but Henry upset calculations by drawing to the jack and scoring. Nineteenth head; Henry saved the situation by trailing. Harraway 23, Henry 17. Twenty-first head: Good play on Henry’s part brought the scores to 24 —20, with the “pros.,” a full sail on, setting out to oven up matters. Hnrraway’s rink went on to win easily after the twenty-first head. The teams were: —A. Harraway, J. Harraway, H. Harraway, E. Harraway 30, M’Donnld, Gus. Neville. W. Wyatt, Stan. Henry 23.