BOWLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2471, 24 July 1901, Page 56

BOWLING.

Seoretar « *re requested to forward particular* of t»mei pltyed md of forthcoming mitUien.

NOTFS B¥ JACK.

We have not heard very much of the doings of our men at Home beyond cablegrams giving jutt the bare results of matches, and the following notes fram the "seat of war," which I have taken from the columns of the Wellington Earning Post, -will be read with interest, .it will be seen, amongst other things, that our representatives are not enamoured of their first introduction to a new English green, but .10 doubt they will find things imorove as they get on, end we all know that a newly-formed green is not a thing of joy to play on. However, greens or no greens, thry seeni to have dene pretty well so far- — LONDON. May 31. Already serious trouble has arisen in tee camp of the colonial bowlers who have lust invaded England to try their skill against that of British players. A first consequence is likely to be that the two bowling teams from New Zealand will play "on their own/ as representing that colony, and not merely as casual or subordinate repiesentatives of Australasia. Divested of side issues, the position appears to be this — New Zealand is much stronger than Australia in bowling; the 10 New Zealand bowlers form the pick of the entire colonial contingent. On the other hand, they are weaker numerically than the Australians, and therefore of necessity are outvoted by the latter. Well, the Australians are sharp enough to see that theii chances will be much improved if they arrange for some of the New Zealanders to play 111 each of their teams. This idea, although naturally attractive to the Australians, does not at sll commend itself to the New Zealanders, who are as strong sticklers foi their nationality, as distinguished from that of the Australians, as they would be if the others were Americans instead. After their notable victcries in Australia, they are thoroughly aware that they form the stronger portion of the whole, and very naturally and patriotically they desire that their own colony should enjoy such credit as thejr may be able to collectively win, instead of their services being utilised to avert defeat from Austialia or to win foi the Commonwealth laurels which its own representatives \maided by therr might be unable to secure.

Thus the feeling of the New Zealand bowlers is that as they have the matciial to constitute two separate teams of their own, "with a. couple of extra men as emergencies, they shoiild carry out a distinct campaign of their own, and this, at the time I am writisg, is the course they have decided upon.

"iTes, you are quite right," said Mr D. E ClejJiJiJifiiiSfiiltaiifi't ike j£ew Zealand, bowlers^

in a comcisatlon which I hacl w'th him on Wednesday, "trouVe has prisen already, and the reason is that Av.<3ti aha wants simply to eb^ovb New Zealand. The Auftialians wish to split up our New Zealand lot and use the New Zealanders to strengthen the Australian teams. Thus does not suit us at all. We know we have a very strong team, i.iuch stronger than that of the Australians, and we do not see why New Zealand should not enjoy any credit that her men might j\i=tly win. We have two excellent New Zealand teams, as well as a couple of spare men, and we shall probably issue cha'Icnges on our ovn account to various Bnti^li teams. The Australians, of course, wish to mix us up among themselves and call the teams 'Australasian,' but we agreed we voukl have no such thing. Of course, we were ou<voted b> weight of numbers, but that makes ;-o difference. There will be another meeting tcnight, but practically we have determined to 'cut the painter.' We do not wish to clash with them 111 any way. We shaU endeavour to arrange our matches so far as possible not to interfere in the siDallest degree with theirs. Our present intention is to go first to Scotland and play there, while I believe the Australians will begin in England. "We do not wish to act cb"=agieeably in any v.-ay. All -we desire is to maintain our own independence and tity." "Were there any other noints upon -which you differed?" "That, of course, was the main ground of dissension," replied Mr Clerk. "But, apart ficm that, the New Zealanders did object to the tendency noticeable on the Burt of the Australians to put the arrangement too much on a professional fooling ; to make it too much a matter of professional business. For instance, they are paying one man £200 and his expenses. It is trup he is to perform the duties of 'manager' of the team, but we from New Zealand do not see what we want with a 'manager.' There has been too much of that so-. is of thing in the past in certain instances, aiirl we do not mean to have it on the piestct occasion." June 8. On Saturday last fotir members o' the Kew Zealand bowling team took part 111 a "fixed jack competition" with which the London. County Bowling Club opened the new bowling greens just completed at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, under the dueetion of Dr W. G-. Grace, the champion cricketer. Abovtt 150 competitors took part, including the, renowned "champion" himself. Four New Zealanders appeared in the con-tes-t — namely, Messrs J. N. Dingle, L. BiundeiJ, Eoskruge, and Bercnie. One of the3e, Mr Dingle, of Auckland, had the distiDction of winning the first prize. I understand, however, that the circumstances were not such aa to elicit at its best the excellent play for -which Mr Dingle is renowned when he has al"decenta I " decent gieen to bowl upon. "The wonder is that he could do anything at all," said Mr Duncan Clerk, the hem. sec. of the New Zealand team, in a subsequent conversation with me, "for such an abominable ground I never srw ox heard ol before; ' It was not level, and more resembled a padfiock intended to be used for grazing cattle on than, the velvety bowling greens- we have in Auckland, and expected to find in this country. Really, we might just as well have baen asked, to play in the open street on the cobbles. It was a matter of pure luck to win on sxich a ground, for you never knew where the bowls would roll, and no amount of good play could make them go in any particular direction." Mr Louis Bltmdell entirely concurred m Mr Clerk's unfavourable criticisms of its quality. The complete New Zealand team is now as» follows: — Messrs Dingle (Auckland), Morley (Taranaki), Syme (Hawera), Binney (Wanganui), Reich (Wellington), Roskruge (Wellington), Blundell (Wellington), and Captain Marshall Price (Wellington), who has not yet prrived here. Mr J. Paul has been elected captain, Mr D. E. Clerk hon. sec. and correspondent to the Press Association, and Messrs J. Paul, T. Ballinger, and D. E. Clerk have been chosen as a managing committee.