BOWLING

Southland Times, Issue 19172, 16 February 1924, Page 12

BOWLING

(By ’Measure.”) The week has not been a good one from the bowler’s point of view and the fourrink matches which had to be postponed from Tuesday had to be again postponed on Thursday evening. There has also oeen less play in the evenings and clubs whose competitions are not quite so far advanced as they should be, will require to take advantage of every opportunity offering to bring their competitions up to date. The next Centre competition to be played is for the Mayor's Pairs trophy for which Tuesday and Wednesday evenings of next week have been set aside. All the local clubs have still one or two games to play before they can find the two pairs to represent them in this competition, but these should be completed by Saturday. As all matches have to be played on neutral greens rhe Centre is anxious that clubs should send forward the names of their representative? as soon as possible to enable the draw to be made. The Pairs left in the Northend Club’s competiton are Hain and Reid, Wallace and Andrews and McKinley and Bird. The last named pair won their section outright and so meet the winners between the other two pairs in the final. In the Te Rangi Club’s competition four pairs are still left in. These are Brown and Whitton, Robertson and Shaw, Soar and Smith and Batchelor and Waugh. If the weather has not been all that could be desired so far as play is concerned it has nevertheless done a wonderful amount of good to the greens which were badly in need of a good soaking. The greens are already beginning to lose that dry’ appearance which followed the long spell of hot weather and a few days of sunshine will leave them in better playing order than ever. The town team went down badly to the Eastern District representatives at Mataura on Wednesday and only one of the town rinks succeeded in more than holding its own. The Northend rink skipped by D. Wesney won out against a Gore rink, skipped by Graham who last week skipped the winning team in the Shield Rink competition. The Northend Club was really the only one of the four town clubs which was at all strongly represented and it seems a pity that, in fairness to the Eastern District and also to the Centre, that so few players are willing to take part in trips to the country. The annual fixtures between the town and country players should be among the most enjoyable games of the season ad they are at least regarded in this light by the country players, who look forward to meeting fellow bowlers from ihe town. Apparently the green at Mataura is not all that it might be and possibly if it were arranged to hold the next fixture at Gore, it would influence more town players to take part. »

For the last two or three weeks the Invercargill Club has been without the services of Fred Stevenson who met with an unfortunate injury to his arm. It will be a few’ weeks yet before he will be able to get out on the green again, but when he does his re appearance will be welcomed by his club mates.

The A grade four-rink competition has reached an interesting stage and it appears as if the final will rest between Northend and Bluff. Northend has seven wins to its credit, has lost two games and still has one to play, whereas Bluff has won six, lost two and has two to play. If Northend defeats Te Rangi in the remaining fixture, Bluff will also have to win both games to tie, but if Northend goes down the port club should stand a very good chance of annexing the honours. Strangely enough the port team lost both of its matches to Northend. It is understood that in connection with a recent inter-club competition match in which Northend failed to put up a team against Te Rangi, the Centre has awarded the game to the latter club. SIMILARITY OF BOWLS. AN AMUSING MIX-UP, The similarity of bowls once almost created a riot during the progress of a pennant game in another State, writes “Blue Disc” in the* Sydney Sun. The opposing skips in one were using bowls (almost identical in appearance) which in lieu of the ordinary ivory discs were mounted with silver shields. About half-way through the game one skipper with the shot against him drove and disturbed the position generally. Then the fun started. The opposing No. 3 claimed bowl after bowl until eight were out, and then, seeing his skipper’s well-known shield on a bowl inside the nearest of his opponents’ woods, claimed nine. The game was delayed for fully ten minutes, for the zealous measurer would not be convinced that it w r as possible to score only eight. The length of time required to complete the Dominion tournament has again been the subject of comment in all parts of New’ Zealand, and it seems to be apparent that bowders generally would welcome a change in the direction of limiting the tournament to rinks play. This discussion has arisen so frequently after the championship fixture that it is surprising that no action has been taken by the Dominion Council to obtain an expression of opinion from the clubs. Itis understood that the Wellington Centre will endeavour to bring about the suggested alteration for next year’s fiattwo, which is to be held in the capital aty. If definite action is taken other Centres should give the Wellington Centre their whole-hearted support. For the Veterans’ Gala Day to be held in Wellington on February 13, 64 entries have been received. Each player participating will receive a badge in commemoration of the day and the members of the winning rink will be presented with gold medallions.