SPOTLIGHT ON BOWLS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19468, 29 October 1937, Page 7

SPOTLIGHT ON BOWLS

By “MAT”

contrast to their poor showing on ! the first day of the competition, Poverty Bay club representatives took the honours- in pennant games last Saturday, scoring 7$ points to Kahutia’s 6J, and Gisborne's 4. t ; • * * * Poverty Bay’s rally did not rob Kahutia'of its lead, and with two rounds completed the position is: Kahutia 15 points: Gisborne, 11: Pc.v- ---' "" y, 10, Saturday’s splendid Saces Poverty Bay in striking . and the results of the next a be played to-morrow week, g awaited with keen interest.

Record entries have been received for all Gisborne club competitions. No fewer than 32 have nominated for the Champion Singles, 38 for the Horne (handicap) Singles, 36 for the Champion Pairs, 30 for the Orr (handicap) Pairs, 22 for the Intermediate Singles, and already 15 for the Colts’ Singles. The closing date for entering in the Colts’ Singles, which is for first and second-year players, has been extended a few days to give further new members an opportunity of participating.

Bill Robb, one of liie younger Gisborne club players making good headway at the game, is leaving shortly to take over the proprietorship of the Matawai Hotel. Last season Bill won the club Colts’ Singles, led for the Gisborne team in the centre rinks championship, and shared with Keg. Meyrick the honours of runners-up in the’ Orr Pairs. Bowlers generally, particularly his club mates, will join with "Mat” in wishing Bill good luck in his new venture. 6 * * Auckland club has raised its subscription to £4 15s. It has also "raised Cain,” for some members are threatening to ‘leave,” as May Beattie did in comic opera. * * * * When is a bowler not a bowler? When he rolls about in bed three nights before a match, polishes his bowls 20 times prior, and loses his appetite. Then he becomes, not o bowler, but a blinkin' ass. * * * * Since all the outlying clubs have held their openings, the season is now well under way. An era of bowling activity without parallel is indicated for the 1937-38 term. * * * * Leads and twos on the bank! This is an unwritten law in bowls, and a practice which should be enforced in j all clubs. It is most annoying to see five or six players walking and talking about the head, particularly lor those playing on adjoining rinks. Leads and twos should remain on the bank before and after delivering their bowls. When changing ends, they should proceed straight to the opposite bank, and not loiter round the head. More offensive still is the habit of some players commenting on the position of the head and questioning their three’s directions and decisions. Fortunately, this does not often occur. New players cannot be expected to know all the finer points of the game, and in fairness to them, I suggest that the threes correct any breaches before the younger members are pulled up in embarrassing circumstances. I am sure the players will take no exception, if the advice is conveyed in a friendly manner. * * * * In skipping his team to victory in the Gisborne club’s floodlight tournament last week, Harold Armstrong revealed glimpses- of the fine form that characterised his play two season’s ago, when he won the club Champion Singles and skipped the successful Gisborne team in the Centre rinks championship. Last year Harold emerged the winner in the Horne singles. Consistency Singles The Auckland Bowling Club, which is noted for the number of singles games on its season's programme, is considering adding another to the list. This competition, which is played a great deal in Australia, is called consistency singles. In this type of event a player gets full value, or marks, for every bowl he puts up. The system of scoring is different from that in ordinary singles inasmuch that points are allotted ds follows: —First bowl or closest bowl, four points; the next nearest bowl, three points; the next, two points; the fourth bowl, one point. The goal is generally 50 points. The idea of this game, as may be readily gathered, is to cultivate the art of sound and steady drawing, xUhe fast shot and drive is permitted, but, generally speaking, does not pay. The value of this method of scoring, as the name of the competition implies, gives the player who is playing steadily and consistently a better chance of success than the player who plays only one good bowl in four shots.

On-the home green. Poverty Bay took, heavy toll, losing only one game. ‘ Falconer had a tough tussle with Jackson(Kahutia), but succeeded. 18—17- The other four victories were easily achieved. « * » $

Jack. Wauchop repeated his performance of the previous Saturday, beating a Kahutia rink skipped by I ischbach, 26—10. Williams (Gisborne) was overwhelmed by Crawford (Poverty 8ay),228,9 —8, but it must be admitted that Crawford had the help of a stronger team.

Playing three for Mac Gibbon (Poverty Bay) against Riddell (Gisborne), Derbyshire proved a wrecker bydrawing the shot or trailing kitty when the opposition were two and thre'e up. Mac Gibbon also played a fine* game, and this season should rank as one of Poverty Bay’s A grade sk * s - The top score for the day was recorded by NJewton s 1 team, the Kahutia . combination compiling .15 points against Sim (Poverty Bay). Here again the rinks were not evenly matched. * * * * Gisborne failed badly last Saturday, and on the home green won a solitary game. The honour went to Harold Armstrong, who had an enterprising team in Len Harries, Ei ic Birkett and Les. Kendrew. ••• » •

Considering the small amount ‘of play he ~ has had since the season began. Bill Riddell., a popular Gisborne skip, showed good form last Saturday. It was no fault of Bills thait his team Went down, and had it not been for his saving shots, the score against them might have been doubled. * * ■> •

• J % It is indeed pleasing to see the new players taking their, places in pennant games. Their inclusion, although sometimes frowned upon, creates encouragement and satisfaction among beginners. * * * *

Harold Armstrong’s rink was undefeated in the Gisborne clubs first floodlight tournament, which was confined to one night. The other members of the team were Tom File, Evn. Forrest and Doug. Grade, who shared with their skiD the honour of winning the initial competition arranged bv town clubs this season. * * * »

The aggregate score compiled by Armstrong’s team in the four games must read something like a record for a tournament of its kind. Playing five or six heads to a game, Armstrong won the first, 11 2; the second, 10-0: the third, 14—2; and the fourth, 6—3: making a total of 41 points, while only seven points wei o scored against therm

Ruatoria staged a brilliant open ing last week-end. Gisborne vlsitois were impressed by the number o enthusiastic bowlers there, and commented favourably on the condition of'the green, despite the clubs brief existence. « • * • in appreciation of his honorary services in planning and ievelling the green. Bill Paltridge has been elected to life membership of the newly-form-ed- Ruatoria club. • * * • After an absence of six months, most of which was spent in England, Bill Smith put in an appearance on the Poverty Bay green last Saturday. He captured his club’s singles title last season, and returns to find himself promoted to skip.

Akers; vice-captain, Mr. P. Whaipooti; secretary and treasurer, Mr. H. M. Akers; management committee, Messrs IT. W. Akers, P. Whaipooti, H. M. Akers. T. Beveridge, and A. Ferguson: sole selector and delegate to the Waiapu Cricket Association, Mr. H. W. Akers.

The annual report and financial statement were adopted, and the subscription for the ensuing year was fixed at 10s.

It is hoped to arrange home and away fixtures with the following clubs:—Tokomaru Bay, Te Araroa, Mata, Tolaga Bay, Cosmopolitan, Mercantile, Gisborne Gas Company, and Gisborne. The secretaries of these clubs are now getting into touch with Mr. H. M. Akers to arrange dates of fixtures. Teachers v. Te Araroa The stormy weather which has been general on the Coast for the last three or four days, cleared enough on Monday last to enable a Teachers eleven to play the Te Araroa club. This game, the first of its kind, proved a great success and provided some good cricket. As time did not allow for two innings, the Teachers eleven won by 22 runs on the first innings. Mr. H. W. Black, head-teacher of the Te Araroa Native School, and Mrs. Black were host and hostess at a delightful luncheon for the visitors, while the Te Araroa club had prepared a dainty afternoon tea. The scores were as follows: — Te Araroa. J. Konia, b Roskilly .. .. 9 P. Hunt, b Roskilly . . • . 13 G. Stainton, lbw, b Bayliss .. 28 M. Chesley, b Roskilly .. .. 0 J. Hough, b Bayliss .. .. 8 S. Mill, c Roskilly . . .. 0 W. Poutu, c Bayliss .. .. 4 W. Mill, b Roskilly . . .. 3 A. Mulligan, b Roskilly .. .. 2 O. McLachlan, run out .. .. 0 P. Lunney, not out 1 Extras 8 78 Teachers. H. W. Black, lbw, b Stainton .. 0 J. N. Little, b Mulligan .. .. 9 D. G. Doole, c Mulligan .. .. 14 S. T. H. Roskilly, b Mulligan . . 21 B. K, Fairbrother, b Mill .. .. 3 T. J. Bayliss, c Chesley .. .. 41 A. L. Ferguson, not out .. .. 7 A. Dobson, b Chesley .. .. 0 H. R. Gasson, c Chesley .. .. 0 S. J. Kelly, b Chesley .. .. 0 Extras 3 i 98 Of the bowlers in action, on the day, Roskilly and Bayliss for the Teachers, and Mulligan and Chesley for Te Araroa were the performers, Roskilly taking six wickets for 35 runs, Bayliss three for 35, Mulligan three for 25, and Chesley four for eight. Len Scholium was in good form with the ball and finished the clay’s play with the useful average of five wickets Tor 10 runs. • * * * Last Saturday only three, men had a bat in the City club. Now that oneday cricket is in vogue in Gisborne, the club would be wise to start from the “tail end" in their match tomorrow, in order to ensure that every l man will get a chance of showing his worth as a batsman. * *, * * G. J. (Jack) Robertson started the season well in Dunedin by scoring a useful 98. Jack was always amongst the run-getters while playing here, and last year he did fairly well in Dunedin and on his form so far to date should gain representative honours for Otago.