BOWLING

Taranaki Daily News, 9 February 1928, Page 4

BOWLING

WEST END’S DOUBLE WIN. GILMOUR CUP AND NORTH DIVISION. (By “Toucher.”) Hearty congratulations are to be extended. to the West End Club on their double victory this season. They have annexed the Gilmour Cup and secured the honours in the northern division in the contest for the shield. It was their win over Waitara last Thursday that put them in an unassailable position for the Gilmour Cup. There aro some games to play by the other clubs, but the results can have no material bearing on the position. At present the position shows as

This cup was originally competed for by Saturday players in the Northern Division when the half-holiday was in the mid-week. When Saturday became the half-holiday the cup was allotted to the winning elub of the northern division in the centre’s shield competition. This arrangement was altered four years ago, when the cup was competed for in a mid-week competition, In order to carry out the original intention of the donor to encourage competition play on a day other than the half-holiday. These conditions are still in vogue, and are likely to remain so as they are giving every satisfaction. The winners of the cup since its institution have been:—

THE NORTHERN DIVISION. The winning club in the northern division this season is West End. They commenced badly with three losses but won all their remaining games. Fitzroy and New Plymouth started well, but later received several losses, and the result hag been a most interesting competition, in fact, the most interesting for many years. Prior to last Saturday West End* were one win to the good over Fitzroy, while the latter club had still to play New Plymouth. On Saturday New Plymouth defeated Fitzroy, and thus left West End as winners of the division. The position is shown by the follow-

The winners of the northern and central divisions have now been found and I Understand Hawera are the winners of the southern division. Immediately the winning club in the western division is ascertained the finals will be played. These will take place on a date agreed upon by the contestants, each club to play each club. The venue will be Stratford, and Mr. A. H. R. Amess will officiate as umpire.

THE FAKING OF CARDS

The faking of score cards is not an uncommon practice during the progress of bowling tournaments. There was further experience of it at the Taranaki tournament. While it may be done in all good faith, obviously with the object of the victor being generous to the vanquished, and has the support of many of the best players in the game, it is hardly the correct thing. Surely the playing qualifications can stand on genuine grounds, without the bolstering up

of the under team to make the margin appear, as published, more rosy than it Bas the right to be. It is absolutely astonishing the number of well-beaten rinks that score fives, sixes and sevens on the last head, thus making their scores read better than they otherwise would. I cannot see that this silly piactice has anything to commend it. The game of bowls is played by fullgrown men who should be able cheerfully to accept whatever measure of defeat comes their way. The most capable bowler at times crashes heavily, and it should not worry him if his friends know all about it. Surely it is far better to be a good loser than a good winner. If a player is ashamed of the drubbing he has got from a superior team he is welcome to all the faking in the world if it is any satisfaction to him, but he never deserves to win any kind of a championship, not even marbles. DEAD JACK? During one of the tournament games a skip trailed the jack which inadvertently touched the shoe of one of his opponents. The call went up of “Dead jack!” and it was assented to. That was not correct. The jack is not dead simply because it touches a player. If a skip plays the jack and it hits his own side, the opposing skip can say whether it be alive or dead, and of course the decision will be given on the lie of his bowls with the jack. If, on the other hand, a skip shifts the jack end it hits an opponent, the decision rests with himself as to whether the jack be alive or dead. The rule on the point reads: —“Rule xiv., jack burned.— When the jack while in motion is burned—(a) by one of the players: The opponents may either allow it to lie where it comes to rest or declare the head dead; (b) by a neutral person: The bead shall be dead.” TOURNAMENT AND OTHER WICKS. In one game in the recent Taranaki tournament nine dead heads took place before a single , point was registered. This will take some beating in the record book. It happened in several games that a bowl was stopped that was likely to interfere with the head on the adjoining rink. The bowl was sent back -to be replayed and I observed two of such bowls were then deliberately thrown to the ditch, the players declining to take advantage of the re-play of a bad bowl. The rules provide for the replaying of such bowl, and though I must commend the bowlers concerned for their sportsmanlike action, it is quite possible that had their original bowl not been stopped it might have provided a back or a wing bowl for their side. So why not replay it I To those who know only the particulars which find their way into the official records it may be news to hear that some “cricket” scores were put up during the Dominion tournament. One of the most remarkable occurred on the first day. A team had just been defeated by a margin of about 20, and when their opponents in the next match secured a 2 on the first head they thought it was again all up with them. However, they resolved to die fighting, and put up such a good effort that by the 1/th head they had lifted their score to 49, while their opponents still stood on 2. Something must have gone wrong then, for their opponents managed to get into the picture again, but the match actually finished up at 54 to 5. Some time ago Mr. W. p. Garner, of the Waitemata Club, visited Britain and the United States, when he had the opportunity to see some of the most famous bowling greens, including the site of Drake’s historic green on Plymouth Hoe. In Glasgow the favourite time for play is in the evening, and it is quite a common thing for a match to begin about 8 o’clock and finish at 10. Of course they have all the advantage of summer time, commonly known here as daylight saving. Air. Garner gained the impression that the game of bowls is rapidly becoming more popular at Home, and is now in much higher favour than when the last New Zealand team visited England. At the same time it was noticeable that even round London their greens are generally inferior to ours. Most of the clubs are rather, small, and their playing area is usually limited to one green, but new clubs are springing up in all directions, while a large number of people are playing on greens recently constructed in parks and other public property. Mr. Alf. Hiddlestone, a prominent Hobart bowler, and sole selector for the City Bowling Club, completed a most unique record quite recently, and one that is probably without equal in the Commonwealth. Since the five bowling clubs in Hobart have been engaged in the pennant competition, Mr. Hiddlestone has played in every game, a record of 107 consecutive games, the last 100 of which have been in A. Grade. Mr. Hiddlestone first budded forth as a bcwler fourteen years ago, with the Cricketers’ Club, the name of which was afterwards changed to that of City Club, and has remained a member of that club. He has missed one year onlyin the last decade as a delegate to the 5.T.8.A., and has played for his club in every position, and has occupied every office except that of secretary. The four-bowl championship of South Australia was won by T. E. G. Gibbons, of Toorak-Club, after a strenuous contest with C. Al. D. Bowie, of Semaphore. The scores were 26 and 20.

In a friendly match Sandringham v. Brighton (Melbourne), a rink of the former was 13 to 5 at the sixth head, and at the end of the match the scores were 13 to 32. Talk about an unlucky number.

The Home Office (England) is making a grant for a bowling green in Alaidstone Prison, for the use of convicts of the "‘star” class.

The secretary’s report to be presented at the annual meeting of the English Association shows that the membership of the association has been increased to 747 clubs, which makes the English Association the largest of its kind in the bowling world, says the London correspondent of the Wellington Post. Bowls enthusiasts in London are this winter not likely to lose their skill, for an indoor bowling club has been formed, with the Crystal Palace as its venue. The building used is the one which represented Australia as a Dominions’ exhibition some years ago. The turf substitute is felt overlaid with coconut matting held very taut. It is reported that members are rolling up there with great zest. VOGELTOWN SINGLES CHAMPION. G. Wigley has won the singles championship of the Vogeltown Rowling Club. His success meant the winning of 14 games. THE MUNICIPAL MATCH. At the meeting of the Waitara Borough Council last night, Cr. W. W.

Thomson advised that the municipal bowling match had been definitely arranged to take place at Inglewood on Thursday, February 23. Teams from Stratford, Eltham, Waitara, Inglewood and New Plymouth would take part. TEAMS FOR TO DAY. The following players will represent Avon against Waitara on the Avor green to-day:— At 10 a.m. —Rudkin, R. H. White. Woods, Hardy-Jones (s); Rogers, T. E. Coleman, Stewart, J. Masters (6); McGregor, Lonsdale, Walker, McDonald (s); Mantle, Judd, Fletcher, North (s); Ciemow, A. E. White, J. Weston, C. Jackson (s). At 2-.30 p.m.—Lonsdale, Gibberd, R. Masters, Hardy-Jones (s); Hoskin, Woods, Fletcher, Stewart (s); Cropton, Butchart, C. Jackson, Dickenson (s); Pickles, Walker, North, J. Weston (s); I Hill, Betts, F. Weston, J. Masters (e). I same mark, second.

follows: — West End .... P. 10 W. 8 L. 2 Points For. 1197 A g912 I’itzroy ..... 9 6 3 1014 864 New Plymouth 8 5 3 860 762 Waitara .,. -. 9 3 6 789 '944 Paritutu .... 8 3 IS G72 824 Vogeltown 8 1 7 643 816

1916. —West End. 1917.—New Plymouth. 1918.—New Plymouth. 1919.—West End. 1920. —Weet End. 1921.—Waitara. 1922.—New Plymouth. 1923.—West End. 1924.—West End. 1925.—West End. 1926.—West End. 1927. —West End.

ing table: — P. W. L. Points For. AgWest End ... 12 9 3 2577 2178 New Plymouth 12 8 4 2020 2370 Fitzroy 12 8 4 2350 2379 aitara ,... 12 7 5 1605 1595 Vogeltown 12 6 6 1593 1650 Fire Brigade.. 12 3 9 820 1037 Pantutu .... 12 1 11 1344 1818