BOWLING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20310, 19 January 1928, Page 5

BOWLING.

By Jack. Christchurch is following the good csample set by Dunedin in January, 1926 and Auckland in 1927 in the matter of weather for the big bowling carnival. Ibe and 1927 tournaments had an unbroken run of fine weather, and at the time of writing, although there has been some overnight rain in Christchurch, practically no tmie has been lost on account of wet weather conditions. The Singles Championship saw quite a a number of ex-champions eliminated early, including \V. Foster, J. C. Rigby, ami J. Best (Dunedin), and Maxwell Walker (Aucaland). Dunedin's hope is centred m J. Scott (Caledonian) and T. h erguson (Balmacewan), the only two local players renminiiiT in tbo competition. Both are onclifors " Scott lias a hoe record as a singles player, and in his best form is one of the lincst exponents of the game ui New Zealand. , r . In the Rinks Championship all the Dunedin rinks, at the time of writing, have been eliminated with the exception of twothoso skipped by Foster (Caledonian) ano Tvrrcll (Roslyn). Foster has two lives and Tyrrell one. The following seems to be the position of the links post-section play after Monday’s games:— Rinks with two lives. Maxwell \V alkoi (Auckland), W. Foster (Caledonian), W. Fielding (Haitaiti), J. Edwards (lemuka,. One life.—C. E. Tyrrell (Roslyn), W. Brcmner (West Bud), G. S. Gordon (ot. Johns), J A. Redpath (Canterbury), J. Kerr (Masterton), J. Rennie (Christchurch), J. Findlay (Mount Eden), J. Moyes (iimam), J. F. Chambers (Sumner). It is gratifying to find that Foster (Caledonian) and Tyrrell (Roslyn) are still in the rinks competition. Generally the Otago men have done well. J. D. Smith (Unnodin) and T. Ferguson (Balmacewan) are to bo congratulated on havinc had a good number of successes, and though now out.el it still these two have worthily upheld the honour of Otago. .Foster and iyitcn may make the opposition feel that o\ e,y effort will be required to beat them. Bowlers will wish them the best of luck in the remaining stages of the rinks. Those players who have followed the results of the Dominion tournament closely must have been somewhat surprised at the inclusion of several teams in the postsection play of the rinks competition. Section G, in section play, showed after the first three days that three teams tied in it with six wins and three losses each. When the post-section play began, these three were given places in it, and apparently it had been decided they were entitled to do so. But the regulation in the tournament book throws a different light on the position: — In .-iy section -where no rink has won seven games, and two or more rinks tie in such section, then a section tie shall be played. If an odd number of rinks constitutes this section tic, a draw shall take place, and the last rink drawn shall obtain the bye, which shall count as a win in that round of the section tie. The other rinks shall play against each other, and the winner shall then play the byc-holder to determine which rink shall be the section winner. All games in the section ties shall be seven heads, except in the case of two teams tieing. In such case 14 heads shall be played. The above regulation, seems distinctly clear, and there does not appear to be any ambiguity about it. Yet in spite of‘it, three teams, including Foster’s rink, which tied in section G with six wins and three losses each, apparently went forward to post-section play, without any section tie, as provided for by the above regulation, being played to find the section winner. Truly a strange proceeding. And to make confusion worse confounded, a preceding regulation is also quoted from the book: — No rinks (other than section winners) shall qualify for post-section play if they have been more than twice defeated.

This makes it quite clear that unless a team is a section winner it shall not go forward to post-section play. It also makes it clear that unless a team is a section winner, it shall not go forward to post-section play if it has had three losses. Yet in section G apparently no effort was made to find the section winner from three teams each with six wins and three losses (as provided for by the firstquoted regulation). It follows, therefore, that having had three losses each, none of the three teams should have gone forward to post section play, but that the three teams should have played off as a section tie first to determine which one should be the winner of section G. The ultimate winner should then have gone forward to the post-section play. If the council cannot abide by its own regulations, how can it expect the average club or player to do so? Further, it is quite possible, perhaps, that a section may be won by one team only, with six wins. Would it go forward to post-section play? Under the last regulation quoted, being a section winner, it probably would. Another aspect brought into the matter is this: If the three teams in section G were allowed to go to post-section play without playing off to find the section winner, then the council should have brought into post-section play all the other “ sixers ” in the other sections. They were just as much entitled to consideration as the three who tied in section G., The position, of course, would have been different if the section tie in G had been played, and one final section winner found. There are in every system anomalies, and the system governing the rinks championship is no exception. For instance, Foster with three losses is a two-lifer, while Kerr (Masterton), who won nine straight games and lost one in the three post-sectioned games played, is a one-lifer. Another case in point, is that of J. D. Smith (Dunedin Club). Smith won eight out of the first nine games, and then lost two games out of the three in the first day’s post-sectional play, and was therefore eliminated. Of course, it is not possible to find a system that is absolutely perfect, and anomalies such as that referred to are inevitable.

Last Saturday the Dunedin Bowling Club invited two rinks each from the West Harbour, Leith, and Port Chalmers Clubs to a friendly game on its green. The afternoon being fine, a very pleasant gathering took place, and the visitors had an enjoyable time, the other club extending to the visitors its usual well recognised hospitality. A pleasant interlude like this from the strenuous club contests goes far to foster the proper spirit of bowling. On the previous Saturday the old club played its annual fixture with the Dunedin Bowling Centre, when five rinks from each met in Homeric combat. Another enjoyable outing, satisfactory in every way, marked this contest also. The Civil Service tournament, which has become a popular annual fixture, will be played on the Kaituna Club’s green on January 26.

Jblclerly Bowlers’ Day, which, as usual, will be held under the auspice of the Dunedin Bowling Club, has been set down for February 11. The executive of the Dunedin Centre has arranged that no interclub fixtures be played on that day. For the convenience of visiting bowlers, and to afford as many opportunities as possible of meeting together and renewing the days of “ Auld Lang Syne,’’ the green will be open for play from JO o’clpck on the Saturday morning. The gathering for the afternoon is fixed for 2 o’clock, and to enable the rinks to be drawn and published in Friday’s newspapers, all bowlers wishing to take part are asked to see that the secretary of their club has sent in their names to the secretary of 'the Dunedin Club on or before Tuesday, February 7, 1928. The accommodation of the green being limited, it is desired that no player under 70 years of age be asked to play. Members of bowling clubs affiliated to the Dominion of New Zealand Bowling Association will bo welcome. In the event of the number of players being in excess of playing accommodation. a draw will be made for the morning game or a relay game in the aftersoon. Rinks may be formed to represent the club to which the players belong, or any other combination, such as Marly Settlers, Retired Civil Servants, Past Presidents, Natives of Now Zealand, Old High School Boys, Gabriel’s Gully Pioneers, or any other combination that individual players may suggest. In recent years about 1210 players, of whom 18 players were over 50 years, making an average of over 75 years, took part. If thought advisable, special rinks will bo formed [or the players over 30 years of ago. According to the latest Melbourne paper just to hand, the following arc the names of players accompanying the Victorian bowling team in their forthcoming tour of New Zealand, viz. :—W. Creath, A. Dunstan, P- Roy, F. Leggo (s): A. Domnton, F. Davies, T. Nurse, A. Newham (&) ; J. Florant H. Pilkington, G. Barnett, W. A. Wright (s); T. Hindlc, J. B. Leith, W. Ferguson, W. Marn (s) ; F. Scharp, H. Bayley, A. Davies, W. Lyon A three-rink game was played yesterday afternoon on the St. Kilda green between teams representing the Otago Daily

Times and the Evening Star, the former winning by nine points. Following are the scores (Daily Times names being mentioned first) :—Calverley, Perry, Robertson, Smeaton 18, Walker, Anderson, Thompson, Lambeth 7; Hoddinott, M‘Kenzie, Adams, Anderson 11, Glen, Calverley, Andrew, Rawliusou 16; Ferguson, Dow, Pitt, Harris 16, Jones, Moody, Jago, Cole 13. Totals: Daily Times 45, Evening Star 36.

In a match against Cuchanflovvor Bowlling Club, Brisbane, recently, one rink ot this club was beaten by a Yeronga rink by 53 to 3. The score is nearly a record, but not quite. The record was made against a Yeronga side, strangely enough, and in a pennant match. Peter Vallely, skipping for Booroodabin, made the huge score of 57 to 3 against A. N. Newman. This is a record for Queensland. Can these big scores be beaten in Now Zealand?

The affiliation of the Ariah Park and Dee Why Bowlin'- Clubs with the New South Wales Bowling Association makes the total number of clubs now linked up with the parent body exactly 100. with the likelihood of more clubs being formed in New South Wales. j For health reasons, Mr T. Stewart, of j the Dunedin Club, will be unable to make the trip to the Old Country with the Dominion bowlers. Mr Stewart’s withdrawal is certainly regrettable. He is not only one of the strongest skips in the tonring party, but his knowledge of the Home greens would have been of inestimable value to the tourists.

Sold hern howlers will sympathise with the members of the Auckland Bowling Club in the loss occasioned by the disastrous fire in the club's pavilion during the weekend.