BOWLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3596, 13 February 1923, Page 58

BOWLING.

Jac*. CENTRE INTERCLUR MATCHES. The following table shows the results of in ter-club games on the 3rd, and the total number of banner points scored to date: Banner TL'ina T Aocnc P/iinf c Pnint.t;

INTKRPROVINCIAL MATCH. OTAGO DEFEATS SOUTHLAND. By a margin of 33 points the Otago representative bowlers on Saturday defeated a team from Southland. The game was played on the Caledonian green, which, despite the amount of rain that had fallen previously, played well. A strong wind timt sprang up in the afternoon interfered with the game considerably, making accurate play extremely difficult. Several close and interesting games were played, but the home team, after assuming a small lead early in the contest, gradually improved their position The visitors arrived by the express in the morning and returned in the evening. They were met at the ftation by officials and members of the local association and later were entertained at luncheon. Further efforts to provide suitable entertainment took the form cf an afternoon tea, supplied by the Caledonian Club. The game was watched by a large number of spectators, including several veteran bowlers and ladies. A good game was provided between Smellie (Otago) and Wesuey (Southland). Otago had a lead in the early stages, but Southland equalised at the sixth end and drew slowly away. Wesney's generalship being responsible for this to a considerable extent. The most decisive defeat of the game was administered against Strong by Claridge, who put down the visiting rink with 20 to spare. The course that the game took was soaroely to be expected early, because at the tenth end Claridge had an advantage of only one. A little later Claridge began to score, the position being 6—lo in Ot-a-go s favour. From ihe 15tn head onwards there was a debacle, Claridge’s rink piling oil the points, while Strong, unable to get the strength of the green, was pratically left standing. Hellyer and Stead played a game that was fairly even until the former drew a four, and secured five four ends later, which gave the Dunedin link a lead of 14 to 9. (Stead got a four on the 14th head, but on the 15th Hellyer responded with a five, and was in little danger during the rest of the game. Miller and Hedges ran neck and neck up to ihe 14th end, where the score was 12 —15 in Southland s favour. In that end. however, CHago added four to their total, but on the 16th end Southland got a five, and then went on to win comfortably. Following are the detailed scores: 0 S. Itigby, Mullinger, Nelson, Smellie 18 Cutt, Brass, Service, Wesney .. Adess, Henaghan, Tietheway, Claridge 32 Donaldson, Geddes, MDonald Strong Leadbetter, Jacobsen, W. Anderson, Hellyer 30 Donaldson, Stewart, M’Natty, Stead Robson, Connor, Watts. Smith ..25 Stephens, Kissell, Adamson, Donaldson Smyth, A. F. Anderson, Connor, Miller 19 George, Campbell, M'Gorlick, Hedges Best. C. Anderson, Aitcheson, Wright 28 Lindsay, Smith, M’Kerrow. Murphy Seelye, Allen, Smith, Shepherd .. 21 Torrance, Buddie, Willett, Pryde .. Sheddan, Riach. Wood, Amtman 20 — , Tinnock, Thom .. .. Totals 19S ICS ELDERLY BOWLERS’ DAY. Notwithstanding the uncertain condition of the weather, there was a very large attendance on the Dunedin Bowling Green on Saturday on the occasion of the ninth annual gathering of elderly bowlers. The visitors were welcomed by the president of the club (Mr Alex. Steel) in a short hut appropriate speech, and this was supplemented by short addresses of welcome from Mr W. Emery, who was president at the first gathering in 1915, and from Mr H. F. M. Mercer, who has been the secretary on all the occasions. There were present representatives from many of the country cluh3, who had travelled great distances to attend, and that so nany should be willing to do so speaks volumes for good fellowship that exists among bowlers. The oldest player on the green—Mr John Dewar—in his eighty-eighth /ear, travelled all the way from Alexandra to le present, while others all past their eightieth year travelled from Roxburgh, Kaitangata, and Milton. Twelve players over 80 years of age took part —namely, Messrs John Thomson (N.E. Valley), Spratt (Stirling), Craig (Roxburgh), Duncan (Kaitangata), Bastings, Lockhart (Milton), Dewar (Alexandra), Murphy (Kaikorai), Anderson, Moodie, White, Marks (Dunedin;. The whole gathering might be appropriately called a gathering of “old identities,’’ many of the players having been settlers in the district for over GO years. The four players in the Mornington rink showed an averago of over Cl years’ residence in Otkgo. A number of the players were born in the neighbourhood of Dunedin, their parents arriving early in the settlement; while four of the players—Messrs W. Mills, Herbert Watt, A. Kilgour, and Chas. Fynmore—were present at the opening of the Otago Boys' High School. A large number of early settlers were onlookers. taking advantage of the occasion to ■sot old acquaintances. Amongst these were

Sir Robert Stout (Chief Justice), Mr Chas. Fraser (first president of Dunedin Bowling Centre), Mr John Duthie (president Otago Early Settlers’ Association). Professor White, Mr Dalziel (a passenger in the first ship, Philip Laing, in 1818), and many others. Owing to the uncertain weather more than 20 of thoso who had given in their names to be present were unable to attend. Nevertheless 72 players took part, their aggregate ages amounting to 5366 years, or an average of 74 51. Representatives from all classes and all professions were present, but it mattered little to which class one belonged, all had met on one common ground. All those who played had reached the allotted span of three scores years and ten fheir days of looking forward with hope and anticipation of doing great things were almost over; they were more apt to look backward to the good old times of “o.uld lang syne, ’ and take_ pleasure in renewing old associations, taking a or asp of the hand of an “anld acquaintance, and looking at the kind 01-d familiar faces. Such gatherings are the means of binding and cementing the bonds of friendship closer together, so that the motto displayed on the welcome banner—“As the years go past mn friendships last’’—may become a reality. The ladies of the club attended to the refreshments, and under their supervision everything passed off successfully. Mr Flint’s orchestra played appropriate and popular music during the afternoon, telegrams wishing the club a successful gathering were received from Alexandra and from Mount Eden, Auckland. Mr A. Murdoch (Phoenix, Oamaru) proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the Dunedin Club, their president, secretary ,_ and _ the ladies, which was carried by acclamation. The following are the scores, the aggie gate age of the players in each nnk being prefixed: _ , , 2Sft—Long, Calverley, Sundstrum, Fynmore (Otago) • • •• •• •• " 287— Galloway, Barclay, Mackie, Hodge (West Harbour) .. .. • • 301 —Diennan, M’Hattie (Outram), Kilgour, Craig (Roxburgh) .... 19 293-Grant (N.E.Y.), Pryde, Brown, (Dunedin), Duncan (Kaitangata) 301 — Murphy (Kaikorai), Easton, Perrin (Fairfield), Easton (N.E.V.) 17 egg—Smith (Dunedin), Butcher, Anderson, Ogg (Caledonian) .. .. 302 — Dewar (Alexandra), Sparks, (Taieri), Gillies, Emery (Dunedin) 27 295 —Murdoch, Mitchell, Young, Beswick (Phoenix) • •• ™ 292 —Fleming, Kinney, Pons ford, Hancock (St. Clair) 15 284—Mills, Webb, Forrester, M’Hutchison (Kaituna) 332—Notman, Moodie, White, Marks (Dunedin) 15 233 —Orchard, Kennard, Cairns, Thorn (Caversham) 311 — M’Kecknie, Bastings, Lochart, Moore (Milton) 22 295 —Jones, Morrison, Vickery, Bryce (St. Kilda) 286—Larnach, Henaghan (Kaikorai), Armitage, Wilson (Roslyn) .. ..20 291 —Howes, Caldow, Anderson, Edwards (Mornington) 306—Campbell (N.E.V.), Spratt (Stirling), Cook (Fairfield), Watson (Dunedin) 23 312 Thomson, Barber, King, Swan (N.E.V.) .. ROTORUA TOURNAMENT. ROTORUA, February 10. The Rotorua bowling tournament was concluded this evening. Fine weather prevailed throughout, and the greens were in good order. In the final of the rinks Jolly, Meredith, Varney, and N. Bell (Hamilton) 23, beat Wyatt, Hollows, L. Whittle, and Parker (Stanley Bay, Auckland) 20. The teams tied in the morning—l 9 all, and under the rules 21 additional heads were played. Bell had all the better of the first- 10 heads A but Parker then improved his position, finishing three down. The play was brilliant on both sides.

Wins. Losses. Points. Points. Caledonian ... 3 2 2 10 Fairfield . ... 1 0 2 St Kilda . ... 3 1 2 Taieri . ... 2 I 2 8 Roslyn . ... 3 1 2 Morning ton . ... 1 2 Kaitnna ... 2 2 West Harbour . ... 0 2 0 5 St Clair . ... 4 0 2 5 Anderson’e Bay .. . ... 0 2 0 4 Dunedin . ... 2 4 4 Kaikorai . ... i 2 0 4 Out ram 0 1 0 Green Island ... . 3 0 2 4 Port Chalmers 2 0 2 4 North-East V aJ ley ... 2 2 1 3 Otago . ... 1 3 0 3 BaJmaoewen . ... 0 4 0 0,rersham . ... 1 2 0 0 The following tabic shows the position of tlie various teams in the South Otago Centre competition to date : — Played. Won. Lost. Drawn. Points. Balclatba No. 1 ... 3 3 — — 6 Kaitangata 3 2 i — 4 Stirling 2 2 i — 4 Benhar 2 1 — Balelutha No. 2 3 — 2 1 1 Milton 3 — 2 1 1 Clinton 2 — 2 0