The Bowling Tournament

Southland Times, Issue 18055, 27 January 1903, Page 4

The Bowling Tournament

(By ."Skip.")

There were a good many keenly contested games in all clashes. In the iirst round of the rinks, when Erskino's team defeated that of Payne, the Kaituna driver. Gilkison, played a great game. Time after time he robbed the opposing leads of an advantage gained. In this game, too, Erskine had an opportunity of proving -his mettlp, and right well did lie avail himself of it. Wlien lie went down to play tho last; ball of one of 'the ends Kaituna lay seven shots. "Has he got any nerve ?" asked Paterson of Me. Ilwrick. "You'll soe'' responded the latter. By the way, there's something; of the oracle about Mac. Defimtetiess is

no^fhls ffcrte^ Woll^ they *lid *cc ; *]i<? nerve failed not, and the ball, sweeping round beautifully, lay alongside the jack. Erskine was deservedly applauded for this very fine shot. In Ilia first round Mcllwrick w&A drawn against an Ashburton player, and the latter started oft strong, scoring 0 to Mac's . Then tho Southlander woke up, and just did as he pleased v ith the bowls, winning by a substantial majority At. the conclusion he turned to his opponent . and, witli all the simplicity in the world, and with the sweetest of

smiles, said, "Man, if ye'd stuck to me as you were doing at first I'd a' lost." The roar of laughter from the ers interrupted the reply, and Mcllwrick. with a look of puzzled surprise at the '•bankers," went off with his l-owls.

Sneddon owed his position of third to

one of "the . greatest Cukes 'Of the tourney. He was playing against Mercer (Canterbury) in ilie second round, and with his last ball to play Mercer was lying "game." Sneddon drove, and the bail was running wide when it thumped

against an outsider, ran in against the x_ shot, which it displaced, and lay beside thVjack. '.- It was hard on Mercer.. Bishop, of the ChrLstchurch green, showed Brackenridge the road to the jack. Driving and drawing seemed to come alike eo.sy to him, and his sltots all through the game stamped him as

one of the finest placers on the green

Churchward and Webb .^Wellington), who won the doubles, are as pleasant a. pair of bowlers as one could vish to meet, and although in their i'nal bout

with the Timaru men the popular wisl

was against them, it was solely because they hailed from the North Island, and the desire was general to see one of the "firsts" remain at home. Much the same feeling swayed the onlookers when Bell and Gow met in the finals, but in this game it was accentuated by the 1 , personal

popularity of the latter with tho bowlers of the, South: Bell is a young player who has acquitted himself veil in the

North. This was his first visit to a Southern green. His first Miree games were won with comparative rase, and in the fourth round he met Sneddon, who had just vanquished' hid skip (Brackjenridge) with the greatest of ease, the last-mentioned 'going to pieces. This was one of the big fights of the meeting. Bell was doubly anxious to win first for the credit of winning arid next to avenge the defeat of his captain. He ran; away from his opponent at first, but at the

laat 'just managed, to snatch a victory

In the final with Gow was another good game, and excitement was high us, towards the close the score was even. Only when the last" bowl rolled 1 up the preen could the Wellington partisans give vent to their feelings, Bell getting home by a

couple Of points. All through the tour-

nament he played a capital game ; his favourite shot seems to^ be in nicking out a ball. None of your heavyf draws,, though. A full paced, rattling drivo is

the shot he makes for. It is, in my opinion, just a question if he doesn't sacrifice something occasionally hy his preference for the fast drive, V.ut as he won first in the singles and is also one of the champion rink, he may feel satisfied that his style is the right one. Anyhow, ho is a first-class player and a jolly good fellow. The secretary, Mr Stewart, is to be complimented on the excellent manner in whicb." lie carfiea out all tb& details of the gathering. He had a lot of work to do, and lie did it well. Mr Hftpcrort also deserves thanks for the assistance !t<? gave the secretary. And then the president : Where could one find a more genial host than Mr Jacques? Aslq any of the Ihvercargiil bowlers to drink the health bf Mr Jacques, and there'll be »° heel-taps ; the musical honours will be lustily given and the hip! hip! hip! will follow three times three.