AUSTRALIAN BOWLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 58

AUSTRALIAN BOWLING.

INTERVIEW WITH MR C J. PAYNE. Mr C. J. Payne, of this city, has just returned from a holiday" in Australia -extending over nine weeks. While' there Mt Payne came into contact with many of the prominent .bowlere of the various Australian States, and to. a Times reporter on ■Friday had something interesting to say on this subject. „-»«■ "I was specially fortunate," said Mr Payne, "in having seen the test bowling matches between IJSTew South Wales and Victoria, and South Australia and Yiotoria. These matches were very exciting, and in each case Victoria was successful m winning the rubber. There wno doubt that bowling is going ahead by leaps and bounds in the Australian States. With its long greens running up to 160 ft xp. length, no other State has a chance against Victoria. At a dinner given to the various bowlers present in Melbourne, Mr Whitehouse, secretary of the N.S. Wales Association, pointed out the difficulties visiting bowlers had when playing Victoria on Victorian greens. He v stated that bowls on 160 ft greens was a different game from bowls on 120£t . greens, and requested that the Victorian authorities would consider the advisability of arranging to play tests against various visiting States on greens not exceeding 125 ft In length. Mr Chas. Wood, the well-known and popular president of the Victorian Association, in replying, stated that he bad consulted those in authority present, and was pleased to be able to make the statement that in future the Victorians when playing interstate games would arrange for greens not to exceed 125 ft in length. This statement was received with great pleasure by all present. This will mean that when the New Zealand , team visits Viotoria in MaTch next they will : probably have the pleasure of jalaying Victorians on greens not exceeding 125 ft in 1 length. Before going to Australia I was of the opinion that cowling was stronger I in New Zealand than in Australia. \ After having nsade three visits to Australia and watched, the bowling there' particularly, I think there is not much difference between the first «l«9s bowlers of any of th© States and those of New Zealand 1 . On their long greens the Victorians would certainly win against any New Zealandere, while on the-medium-length greens the matches would be very closely contested, ancP probably an

* element of luck would determine the resulfl of the matches. One was struck. by the small number of spectators present 'on thegreens during the matches. T thought over the matter, and came to the conclusion that the reason - so • few visitors , attended the matches waa. that the long heads played make the game not nearly so interesting as when short heads are played. In "placing short heads it is well known that shot after shot takes effect, and this makes' up the excitement, whereas in the. long heads the experience is that 30 or 40 £er cent of the bowls" are really lost./.- Bowlers will be pleasedto hear that next, year a very strong Australian team" will visit Ne.w .Zealand. Those brilliant skips, Messrs Waxsinan and Moody, will assist the authorities in the different- ' States in getting up a strong team. Mr, ■ J. Cresswell, of Adelaide, 'is »t gresent;^ visiting New Zealand, and he also will be^ one of the team. The Australians are determined to get the yery best team possible, and New Zealanders will look forward next year to crossing swords on N,ew Zealand greens with some of the very best bowlers of -the Commonwealth. The visit of the 'New Zealand bowlers to Australia in March is causing a big flutter in bowling circles,, and "if 'the. New &j*landers are /to bring i back th& ashes they will require' to be on j their b.eS-sperformanco."