BOWLING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23705, 12 January 1939, Page 4

BOWLING

By Jack FIXTURES January 9 (commencing).—New Zealand Bowling Association tournament. January 14.—Club Day. January 27.—Public service tournament. February 11.—Elderly Bowlers Day. February 11.—South Otago Rink tournament. February 11.—North Otago Rink tournament (one day). February 15.—Four-nnR championship .final. February 25.—Otago v. Southland (Harraway Shield), at Dunedin. March 4.—Dunedin v North Otago (at Dunedin). March 4 and 6.—Singles Champion of Champions. March 23 and 25.—Leads and seconds - tournament. March 23 and 25.—Adess Shield rinks competition. . March 25.—Dunedin v South Otago (at Balclutha). April I.—Otago v.. Canterbury (at Christchurch). Redpath Shield match. April I.—Brighton Club's tournament. April 6,7, 8, 10. and 11.—Easter tournament. , • April 6,7, 8, and 10.—North Otago ' tournament. April 7, 8 and 10—Central Otago tournament. SOUTHLAND TOURNAMENT The Southland Centre is deserving of hearty congratulations on the success that attended its New Year tournament. The growing popularity of the fixture was reflected in the entries which constituted a record. Southland's hospitality was as marked as ever, and the various officials were the last word in courtesy, so that the visitor who was not quite satisfied could only be dubbed a chronic groucher. It is true that the playing surfaces of the greens were not up to the usual high standard, but this was not due to any lack of effort on the part of the greenkeepers, but solely to the atrocious weather conditions experienced this season. In the circumstances the standard of bowling was exceedingly high. The North End green is undoubtedly the 1 best in the Southland Centre this season, and if one might offer a criticism it is that the interests of the players in post-section games would have been better served had North End green been made the headquarters for the tournament. Dunedin players annexed the principal share of the trophies, the Dunedin Club rink skipped by J; A. Veitch winning the rinks championship, J. Dowland (St. Kilda) the Singles, and H. Belcher (St. Kilda) being fourth in the latter event. The nrize-winners were as follows: — Rinks DUNEDIN (A. Silver, S. Lawson. H. Gardiner. J. A. Veitch) .. .. 1 NORTHEND (J. McMullan, H. R. Morton, A. V. Keast. G. L. Swift) 2 ROSLYN (S. Lawn, A. J. Alien, D. McConnell, T. R. McGillivray) 3 BLUFF (T. Lee, A. Hughes. A. Steel. . J. Plank) 4 Pairs SOUTHLAND (L. Wildermoth. D. K. Torrance) • • • • J GORE (G. Anderson, S. Preece) .. 2 NIGHTCAPS (J. Duncan. M. P. Lyng) •'■••' * SOUTHLAND (H. Fortune. S. Fowler) 4 Singles J. DOWLAND (St. Kilda) .. .;. J H. HALLIGAN (Northend) .. ~. 2 P. J. McCOMISH (Southland) .. 3 H. BELCHER (St, Kilda) .. .. 4 Final of^Riliks ., •-.;;.;. Veitch's rink set and ; maintained a high standard of bowling, and throughout the series of games gave an imnressive demonstration of team work. In the final game against Swift's Northend rink the Dunedin men, after the first few ends, never left the issue in doubt, and won on the twentieth head by 30 points to 10. • Commenting on the game, the Southland Times says:— The opening stages of the pla> were interesting, and as each side drew well in turn the prospects of an even game were good. Northend held the position on the first end, McMullan drawing to the white with the first bowl of the game,, a shot which withstood all attacks until Veitch, with his last bowl, ran well up to the head. The tactics were successful, and Dunedin scored with two seconds. McMullan and Morton both out-drew Silver and Lawson (Dunedin) on the next three ends, and singles were scored for Northend, the score at the end of the fourth end being Northend 4. Dunedin 2.

The turning point in the game came at the next end. Silver drew two good shots a few inches to the side of the jack, and Gardiner placed a counter a foot behind the head. Keast's first made a sure third until Veitch, playing with confidence, drew to the head and pushed the third shot over far enough to put it out of counting range. His bowl made a third for Dunedin, and when Swift (Northend) failed to disturb the position. Veitch drew a fourth shot. Dunedin scored a 5 on the next end and established a strong position. All were drawn shots. Most of the attempts of the Northend players either overran or ran through the head without disturbing the position.

The scores at this stage were 11—3 in Dunedin's favour. Northend scored a single on the seventh end and a 2 on the eighth, but from that point onward the Dunedin players settled down to some splendid drawing, and gave their opponents little opportunity to draw hear the heads. The drawing of the second player, Lawson. was exceptionally fine, and almost without exception he consolidated the good leading of Silver. Northend's front men found difficulty with the length and showed little consistency in their drawing. Several times in succession the Northend skip was faced with the head against him. He saved a 5 on the tenth end by drawing right to the jack on a full-length head. A 4 on the eleventh gave Dunedin the handsome lead of 17 to 7, and when the visitors scored a 5 on the thirteenth the match was as good as decided. Dunedin played as a team, and on the day would probably have beaten the strongest rinks in Southland. Every member of the rink played his part, and all round the team gave a fine exhibition of team work. Veitch and his team were warmly applauded for a fine exhibition. Pairs Final

Southland and Gore pairs had a good game in the final of the Pairs event. The Gore pair (Anderson and Preece) started strongly and at the eighth end had a lead of B—2 on Wildermoth and Torrance.

Good drawing by Torrance enabled the Southland pair to reduce the lead at the eleventh end, but Preece retaliated with some running shots in the next few ends and at the fourteenth Gore led by 12—8. At this stage Wildermoth outdrew Anderson and made good positions for his skip, and by scoring on the next four ends. Southland was able to gain the lead. _' With three ends to play, Southland led by 16—12. Gore scored singles on the next two ends and Southland won the twenty-first, and the game, a wellcontested one, by 18 points to 14. The success of L. Wildermoth and D. K. Torrance (Southland) in the Pairs was well earned and well received (says " Jack High" in the Southland Times). This pair has been consistent performers at tournaments in'recent years. Last New Year it was third in the Pairs and with another Southland pair won the Mayor's Pairs for the 1937-38 season. Torrance s record as a skip will bear scrutiny anywhere. He has skipped the champion rink of the province (shield rink championship), the Southland Club rink, which won the New Year Rinks three seasons ago and rinks which have won other tournaments. He also has had many successes in club championships. His drawing in the Pairs on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week was consistently good. Wildermoth has been associated with Torrance in rinks and pairs for several years. He is one of the younger generation of bowlers, who has cultivated lead play in preference to adopting the raking shots of a third or skip. In this case the results have justified the decision. Wildermoth was steady in most of his games on Tuesday and Wednesday and more often than not gave his skip a good foundation for head-building. It was pleasing to see the Gore pair, G. Anderson and S. Preece, doing so well. At one stagf> in the final they appeared to have a second-to-none chance of success, but the fortune of the game turned against them, and they were beaten in a good finish. Preece is one of the most versatile players in the Eastern District. On fast greens he draws well. Anderson is more or less new to success in tournament play. He showed up in the Champion of Champions Pairs last season, and won much praise for his leading against A. V. Keast, of Northend. In the Rink games on Monday Anderson gave a wonderful exhibition of " touch " drawing against C. Beecroft (Dunedin)' ■on the ' Waihopav green. Head after head he was within Inches of the jack with either or both of his bowls. In that particular game he was truly the answer to the skip's prayer—the perfect lead. The Singles Final '■ The final of the Singles- event j between J. Dowland (St. Kilda) and H. Halligan (Northend? was played in difficult conditions on the Tuesday evening. A gusty wind affected the play, but some excellent bowls were seen by the big gallery of spectators. Dowland scored his second win in the event by beating Halligan after the playing of an extra end. Halligan picked, up the green more quickly than Dowland. and led for the first half of the board. At one stagehe led by eight points to three, and on the tenth end his lead had been reduced to one. From that point out Dowland kept in the lead, and with four ends to play h?d an advantage of five points. Some good drawing by Halligan enabled him to overtake Dowland's lead, and at the playing of the twenty-first end the scores were ever\, 16-all. An extra end was played, and Dowland scored the winning shot. The scores were:—J. Dowland (St. Kilda) 17. H. Halligar (Northend) 16 OAMARU RINKS TOURNAMENT The North Otago Centre has decidea to hold a one-day Rinks Tournament on February 11. The Phoenix Club's two greens will be "used and as only 32 entries can be accepted, preference will be given in order of entry. The date selected is the same as that on which the South Otaeo Centre's tournament is held annuaifj. but the fixtures should in no way clash, as it Is almost certain that more piayers will be available for each tourney than can be accommodated. Last vear six greens were used by the South Otago Centre, but it is probable tnat the Owaka and Lawrence greens will be cut out this year in order to avoid too much travelling by the players. The trophies offered by the North Otago Centre are £4 4s for the winning rink and £2 2s for the runners-up. The secretary is Mr D. H. Thomson, who is well known to most Dunedin bowlers. LIFE OF A SKIP When should a skip not skip? It is the old story every season. In all other branches of sport form is the factor that decides whether or not a player is worthy of his place in a team, but in the ancient pastime the almost equally hoary adage "Once a skip, always a skip," seems to be the guiding principle of the selectors (says a northern writer). The veteran probably thinks he can out-bowl and outmanoeuvre his younger rivals, and would be rudely affronted if he were relegated to any position other than that of skip. He has come to look upon the position as a sinecure, and perhaps is not altogether to blame for this unconscious egotism—the selector is really culpable for his adherence to established precedent. In his younger days and in more strenuous fields of sport the skip doubtless had to give way to the vigorous onslaught of the rising generation, but once he attains to the exalted position of skip in bowls tradition makes his annual reselection to the post practically a certainty. Is there a remedy? No selector is infallible. His perspicacity may at times be questioned amid the heartburnings of the disaDpointed. but if any fault is found in the matter of competence or undue favouring of his cronies, the reproach is upon those who elected him. Whitcombes for Bowls •