BIG ENTRIES FOR NATIONAL BOWLING TOURNEY

Southland Times, Issue 23380, 11 December 1937, Page 15

BIG ENTRIES FOR NATIONAL BOWLING TOURNEY

Record Representation From

Southland

(By

JACK HIGH)

The entries for the New Zealand championship tournament at Dunedin in January show a marked increase on those received for the tournament held in Dunedin in 1934. Though good, they are not a record. The record was in 1926 (exhibition year) when there were 256 entries for the singles, 134 for the rinks and 232 for the pairs. The entries for the 1938 and 1934 tournaments are set out as follows: —

Included in the entry are 11 rinks, 21 pairs and 13 singles from Southland. These figures are said to be a record entry from Southland. Altogether 48 players from nine Southland clubs will take part in the championships. The rink entries are made up as follows:— Four from Northend, three from Hokonui, one each from Southland, Invercargill, Te Rangi and Bluff. In addition to these clubs there will be pairs from Winton and Gore and singles from Georgetown. The entry from North Island clubs, 15 rinks, may seem rather disappointing, but it can safely be said that a much larger contingent would have come from Auckland had not a large party from the Auckland and other northern centres been taking part in the big bowls carnival in Sydney next year, writes “Jack” in The Otago Daily Times. The North Island entry is made up as follows:—Wellington, six rinks; Auckland, three; Wairarapa, Wanganui, Taranaki, Bay of Plenty, Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay, one each. The entries from the Dunedin Centre, which total 55 rinks, must be considered very satisfactory, and practically all the clubs, in the centre will be represented. Generous patronage has been bestowed by the Christchurch Centre, no fewer than 21 Canterbury rinks having forwarded entries. The Southland Centre will be represented by 11 rinks, North Otago 5, Central Otago 5, Nelson 2, West Coast 2, Buller 2, and South Otago and Marlborough 1 each.

Not only is the entry a large one, but it includes a large number of powerful combinations, including a rink skipped by R. Haworth (Canterbury Club), who has skipped the winning rink at the last two Dominion tournaments. For the singles championship 16 full greens will be occupied, 12 ' greens for the pairs, and 19 for the rinks. SOUTHLAND COMPETITORS The draw for greens has been made. The list is a formidable one and space permits the giving of only the greens on which Southland players will be playing. They are as follows:— RlNKS—Caledonian, Roslyn, Balmacewan and Kaikorai; —A. E. Gardner (Southland), J. Plank (Bluff), D. M. Scandrett (Northend), R. R. Hunter (Invercargill). St. Kilda, Dunedin, St. Clair and West Harbour—A. D. Crawford (Hokonui), G. F. Ritchie (Hokonui), T. D. Pearce (Northend), G. C.'Batcheler (Te Rangi). Kaituna, Leith, North East Valley and Caversham:—D. F. Tait (Hokonui), A. V. Keast (Northend), D. J. Wesney (Northend). PAlRS—Otago, J. C. Thomson (Southland); Kaikorai, D. J. Wesney (Northend); Green Island, A. E. Gardner (Southland); Dunedin, A. D. Crawford (Hokonui); Caversham, G. C. Batcheler (Te Rangi); Leith, I. W. Martin (Hokonui) and J. A. Wesney (Northend); Tainui, W. Keys (Te Rangi; Momington, G. F. Ritchie (Hokonui); St. Clair, T. Stocker (Northend); Balmacewan, R. R. Hunter (Invercargill) ; Kaituna, J. A. Lindsay (Northend); West Harbour, H. L. Hay (Invercargill); Caledonian, S. C. K. Smith (Northend); Anderson’s Bay, J. T. Butler (Winton) and A. C. Taylor (Gore); Opoho, J. Plank (Bluff); North East Valley, G. Edginton (Bluff); Roslyn, J. Campbell (Hokonui), St. Kilda, J. Ure (Northend); Port Chalmers, H. Halligan (Northend). SINGLES —Tainui, J. Plank; West Harbour, R. S. Taggart; St. Clair, A. V. Keast; North East Valley, T. Stocker; Roslyn, J. Ure; Balmacewan, S. C. K. Smith; Mornington, H. Halligan; Dunedin, F. G. Parsons; Opoho, A. D. Crawford; Anderson’s Bay, J. Campbell; Leith, J. T. Butler; Kaituna, G. C. Batcheler; St. Kilda, W. Keys. ORDER OF PLAY The competitions will begin on January 10 with the singles championship. The singles will be played on the twolife system which was in use at the championships some years ago. The pairs competition will follow two days later. Here another change in system of play has been made. On the first day’s play four games will be played and pairs winning three or four games irrespective of whether they are “ties” or not, together with any section winners with a smaller number of wins, go forward into post-section play, which will be decided on the sudden death principle. The rinks championship will be played on the eight-game system, each rink playing two games a day for four days, 25-head games. Any rink winning six games will qualify for post-section play, as will any rink which wins or ties for its section with five wins. Postsection play will be played on the automatic two-life principle. Games in the post-section play will be of 21 heads, and three games a day will be played. VISIT OF BRITISH BOWLERS The party of British bowlers which is now touring the Soujh Island, will arrive at Invercargill next Thursday and will play a Southland team the following day, Friday, December 17. Whether the visitors play a game at Gore on Thursday afternoon has not yet been determined but if arrangements can be made the Southland Centre will do so. Although the party is not an official one touring New Zealand under the control of the International Bowling Board, nevertheless no fewer than 11 of its 19 bowling members are to represent their countries at the Empire Games. England is to be represented by J. G. Cuthbert, E. Shuttle, E. Tappenden, and S. Jones. Jones is to play in the pairs, his partner being a man who is to proceed direct to Sydney from England. The other three will make up the rink, with a fourth man, who is yet to be selected from the present party. Scotland is to be represented by J. B. McAlpine and A. A. Templeton, who are to play in the pairs. Complete instructions have not been received yet regarding the Irish team, but it is expected that it will be H. P. Baines, W. Clarke, F. James, and D. E. Gardiner. Several members of the party have creditable bowling records in international matches. The captain Mr D. E. Gardiner (Belfast), was a member of the team that won the international cup for Ireland in 1905, in the contest in which the competing

teams represented England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The last time he was a member of the international Irish team was in 1927. At the present time he is a member of the selection committee. Others who have international records are Clarke, Tappenden, Jones and Howe. THE PERSONNEL The complete party is as follows: Mr and Mrs F. C. Angel (Wales), Mr R. and Miss H. P. Baines (Ireland), Mr H. H. Child (England), Mr W. Clarke (Ireland), Mr and Mrs J. G. Cuthbert (Scotland), Mr and Mrs D. E. Gardiner (Ireland), Mr G. Hiscock (England/, Mr and Mrs E. How (England), Mr and Mrs F. James (Ireland), Mr S. Jones (England), Mr and Mrs C. T. Marcon (England), Mr and Mrs J. B. McAlpine (Scotland), Mrs E. Morris, Mrs M. Mowbray, and Miss Robinson, Mr and Mrs G. W. Powe (England), Mr and Mrs J. C. Reed (America, joined the party at Panama), Mr and Mrs J. J. Smith (England), Mr E. Shuttle (England), Mr and Mrs E. Tappenden (England), Mr and Mrs A. A. Templeton (Scotland), Mr R. Stewart Brown (Scotland). TOUCHERS The Otautau Club is to the fore again with another rinks tournament. In addition to its popular Good Friday tournament the club is conducting a rinks tournament at Otautau on Christmas Day. Sixteen rinks are required and the first 16 entries will be given consideration. The last visit of a British bowls team to New Zealand was in 1926. Two members of the present party, Messrs R. Baines and W. Clarke, were members of the 1926 party. „ Two sevens figured in the ‘plants scored in rink games last week. These were got by Northend rinks skipped by H. Halligan and W. Randle. Playing against Southland, S. Whitaker, W. Hynes, W. J. McKitterick and H. Halligan scored a seven on the ninth head and a six on the thirteenth. The Southland rink was as follows:—J. Humphries, A. Geddes, W. Brown and W. Snow. The second seven was scored also against a Southland rink—by J. Hannan, J. Wildey, W. Ritchie and W. Randle against Cowie, Kelman, L. Lumsden and W. Graham. Sixes were scored by Parsons, Blomfield, McKenzie and Stevens (Waihopai) against Marshall, Ellery, H. J. Semmens and A. Sefton (Invercargill); Shand, Maley, McKay and H. Lang (R.S.A.) against T. Brown, C. Hopgood, D. McLennan and T. Gibson (Te Rangi), Beere, Fernandez, A. McKenzie and N. McKenzie (R.S.A.) against Brown, Mitchell, W. Crawford and G. C. Batcheler (Te Rangi); Pullar, Hamilton, J. Mehaffey and J. Stewart (Georgetown) against Murray, Russell, Allan and T. Watson (Waikiwi); A. C. Millar, W. Fraser, L. H. Burgess and T. Snow (Northend) against Copeland, F. Castle, W. D. Mcßobie, J. Manson (Southland). RIVERTON TOURNAMENT Particulars of the Riverton centenary tournament to be held in conjunction with the celebrations from January 5 to January 8 are to hand from the chairman of directors, Mr F. L. Girvan, and the secretary of the bowling tournament, the Rev. J. M. Blight. The tournament opens with the singles on January 5 and is followed by pairs and rinks on the days following. Three Western District greens, Riverton, Aparima and Otautau, will be used if required. Western District players and visitors staying in Riverton will be drawn on these greens. Three greens in Invercargill, Northend, Te Rangi, and Southland, will be available for the city and Eastern District players will be drawn on these greens if sufficient entries are received.

Special centenary cups bearing the centenary crest will be awarded to prize winners. There are 14 cups to be competed for, first and second in each event. Third prizes of centenary certificates were to have been awarded but since the New Zealand Bowling Association has given a ruling on this point it is unlikely that certificates will be awarded. Some other arrangement will probably be made. Good entries already have been received and it is expected that the tournament will be one of the most successful staged by the Riverton bowlers. CLUB ACTIVITIES SOUTHLAND Hie past week has been a busy one for members of the Southland Club. On practically every night the green has been occupied in competition play and some interesting results have been obtained. An unexpected result occurred in the shield rink game between W. Stewart, J. Manson, W. Graham and D. K. Torrance and L. Wildermoth, A. Ayling, E. Barron and P. J. Israel. Torrance’s men played strongly over the first 10 ends and scored so freely that the board showed a margin of 20 to four in Torrance’s favour. As often happens in bowls, however, the opponent side occupied the second half of the board and Torrance did not score again. On the last end he required two to tie and three to win. His leads outplayed Israel’s leads and when the skips changed ends, Torrance lay three shots. One lay right in front of the jack. Israel’s first bowl was used for a run. He connected with the jack and drove it to the ditch and lay two shots. Torrance displaced one of the shots with his last bowl and Israel won 23 to 20. It was a splendid recovery by Israel’s rink and he and his team were warmly complimented on their showing.

The position in the rinks competition now is as follows:—D. Mcßobie and A. E. Gardner each have two lives, and P. J. Israel, J. Strang and J. C. Thomson each have one life. The results of rink games played during the week are: Strang beat Fowler, Israel beat Torrance, Thomson beat Lumsden.

In the champion pairs the third round of games has been completed and the following remain in:—Two lives—Fortune and Graham, Smith and Gardner; one life—Fraser and Manson, Wildermoth and Torrance, Brass and Holmes, Clark and Clark, Holliman and Fowler, Snow and Campbell, Humphries and Dykes, Brown and Thomson, Irving and Lumsden.

The following two-lifers remain in the champion singles:—Manson, Torrance, Graham, Gardner, Clark, Israel; onelifers, Fowler, Ayling, Wildermoth, Campbell, Donaldson, Dysart, Thomson, Holliman, Stewart and Irving. Following are the results of games played:— CHAMPION PAIRS—H. Fortune and W. Graham beat J. Fraser and J. Manson; W. Snow and A. Campbell beat A. Ayling and W. Stewart; E. Smith and A. E. Gardner beat L. Wildermoth and D. K. Torrance; J. Irving and L. Lumsden beat W. Copeland and A. Credginton.

CHAMPION SINGLES—L. Wildermoth beat H. Fortune; W. Graham beat J. C. Thomson; A. E. Gardner beat H. Holliman; S. Fowler beat W. Clark; A. Ayling beat A. Credgin ton; C. Dykes beat J. Irving; A. C. Campbell beat L. Lumsden. AT NORTHEND The club’s rink championship was decided at Northend during the week. A. C. Millar, J. A. Wesney, C. J. McEachran. and D. J. Wesney met S. Johnstone, J. Hannan, F. D. Farquhar and P. C. Thomas, and after an interesting game in which the younger team (Thomas’s rink) could not be shaken off for two thirds of the ends D. J. Wesney’s rink won. Thomas’s rink had some good opportunities and had the players shown some of the form which took them into the final they must have gone very close to success. Wesney’s rink played soundly and fully earned the championship. It defeated two good rinks on the way to the final, and by going through undefeated kept intact a record of successes gained when it won five games in the Winton tournament last season. The final of the intermediate singles championship was to have been played last evening. The finalists were J. Hannan, a second year player, and A. C. Millar. Hannan caused a surprise by defeating J. A. Lindsay, president of the club, in the semi-final. He has been playing good bowls this season. The champion singles has reached an interesting stage. Three are left in, J. Ure, who defeated W. J. McKitterick

in one of the semi-finals, H. R. Morton and S. C. K. Smith. Morton and Smith meet on Monday. It is possible that the final will be played next week. In the champion pairs A. V. Keast and J. Ure were to have played C. J. McEachran and D. J. Wesney in the first of the semi-finals last evening. The other semi-finalists are H. R. Morton and D. M. Scandrett and L. H. Burgess and W. J. McKitterick. Three rinks from the Northend Club visited the James McPherson Club at Waianiwa on Wednesday evening. Northend won by a small margin. The visitors were entertained after the game, a pipe band playing selections on the green. INVERCARGILL Leading performances in the Invercargill Club’s competitions include those of R. Holmes who has had five wins and no losses in the A section of the singles championship and of G. Robertson and F. G. Stevenson who have gone through undefeated in the B section of’the pairs championship. E. Hewitt and A. J. Geddes have won three games without loss in the pairs and H. L. Hay has had three wins and no losses in the singles. Keen interest is being displayed by members in the Thomson Cup rink competition. The rinks, chosen by the selectors, have given every satisfaction and some good games are expected. The shield rink competition will be played C!1 the two-life system. Rinks skipped by A. Derbie, H. L. Hay, W. Miller and F. G. Stevenson will take part in this competition. WAIHOPAI NOTES The fifth round of the champion rinks competition was completed on Monday evening. Some closely-con-tested games resulted. Results:— Barham beat Mills; Wilson beat MacKenzie; Turnbull beat Spiers. The second round of the singles competition has now been completed. Additional results are:—Stevens beat Morrison; Black beat Leggett; Turnbull beat Meredith; Coltman beat Bird; McKay beat Adam.

CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLES:—Morrison and Stevens beat Mills and Wilson; Broad and Baxter beat Withers and Leggett; Gray and Adam beat McKay and Campbell; Turnbull and Hunter beat Buchanan and Moore; Imlay and Bird beat MacKenzie and G. Tapper. PRESIDENTS HANDICAP DOUBLES: —G. Tapper and Moore beat Morrison and Hughes; Bird and Cuthbert, beat Buchanan and Buddle; Coltman and Robertson beat Adam and Oughton; Stevens and Fernandez beat Broad and Boyes; Black and Camnbell beat Pickford and Hargreaves; McKay and J. Tapper beat Hunter and D. McKenzie; Wilson and Smythe beat Duncan and Blomfield; Meredith and Parsons beat MacKenzie and T. Donaldson.

Three rinks from Waihopai visited Woodlands on Wednesday evening for a friendly game and were received in that hospitable manner for which the country clubs are noted. The game, which was keenly contested, resulted in a win for Woodlands.

1938 1934 Singles 256 168 Rinks 124 98 Pairs 224 180