BOWLING NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1933, Page 12

BOWLING NOTES

ON AND OFF THE GREEN FIRST ROUND MATCHES FINALISED. SHIELD AND CUP POSITION.

(By

“Running Shot.”)

With the completion of the first round of the Shield competitions and interclub bowling shelved for the Christmas and New Year recess, it is fitting at this stage to review past activities and the position as it appears at present. The most __ gratifying feature this season has been'the fine friendly spirit shown to opponents by members of all clubs, whether it be in the hour of success or in the face of defeat, and long may this continue. With regard to the easy and capable manner in which the various competitions and one-day tournaments have been conducted, a good deal of credit is due to the executive of the Taranaki Centre. I may be wrong, but I am of opinion that the arrangements made in connection with club fixtures have been splendid and have been run without a hitch. The greens, generally speaking, have played well, and only in one or two cases have they not come up to expectations. The exceptionally dry spell of the last three weeks has had a detrimental affect on all greens, but the good soaking rains which .have fallen during the past few days will revive the greens considerably and help them to hold up to the gruelling play they will receive during the next month or two. Taking all things into consideration the season so far, from a bowling and social point of view, has been a most successful one, and “Running Shot” takes this opportunity of extending to all trundlers a merry Christmas and a continued prosperous season. Position of the Teams.

The first round having been completed the position of the various clubs is indeed interesting. The only one to go through unbeaten is West End, which is four points up on Fitzroy and New Plymouth. West End, however, has both these clubs to meet in the second round and either may upset the leaders. The next in order are Vogeltown and Paritutu, both being level with eight points. Although they are both out of the running for championship honours, neither can be taken cheaply for both have demonstrated their ability to win.

Fitzroy visited Vogeltown, and playing on a perfect green which was drawing well on both hands and amid surroundings which have often been termed a bowler’s paradise, the visitors won by 33 points. Williams (Fitzroy) and Healy were level pegging at the 20th head. The former then came to light and scored ten in the next four ends, while Healy on the last head put on four, leaving Williams four up.

Smith was drawn against Reube and a close game resulted, never more than three points separating them. Fitzroy put on four on the last two heads which gave it a two-point win. The Abbott-Hooker game provided some very good heads, the Vogeltown skip eventually going under by eight points. On the 10th head Abbott was ten up, but at the 18th Hooker had retrieved the position and led by one. Abbott then took a hand and added 13 points to his opponent’s four, this giving him the decision. * W. Okey and Bishop kept level in their game up to the 10th head. On the 11th Bishop lay two beauties when the skips changed over. Okey rested one counter out with his first and with a well-judged shot displaced the other with his second bowl. A six on the next head put his team well in front and they went ahead to win easily by 16 points. Up to the eighteenth head E. Harvey and Griffiths could not be separated. Harvey then got busy and collected 10 points while Griffiths scored four. Playing the uneven head Price with a nice running shot scored two for his skip and the game ended 6 up in Harvey’s favour. Wh'eeler led splendidly for Griffiths.

But for the fine display given by Wigley, who time and time again drew great saving shots, Somerton would have certainly, won by more than one point. On the fifth head the scores were five all, on the 11th 11 all, the 13th 13 all, and the 19th 17 all. At this stage Somerton notched a four, a two and a single, but Wigley retaliated with a two, a three and a one on the last three heads and just failed to catch his opponent. Cawthray was the only Vogeltown skip to keep his end up, and he defeated Tremlett by six points. This was a fairly even go, and only over the last few heads were the deciding points scored.

Overwhelming Defeat. A marathon score was registered against Paritutu on Saturday, when a New Plymouth seven-rink team won in a canter by 214 to 98. The average score for each team was just over 30 points and these figures must go very near to a record for inter-club bowling. In a review of the score-cards the same story is told on all but one, and in this game Wallis and Freeman had a good even go to the 21st head, when the totals were 21 all. In the run home, however, Freeman with two ones, a four and a five, increased his side’s score to 32, and won by 11 points. . The biggest wins of the day were gained by Papps over Adam and R. Ford against Barns. Both games were of a similar nature, the New Plymouth teams drawing away at the start and finding, little opposition won easily, the former by 40-16 and the latter 33-6. The other four New Plymouth skips, Hill, Higgs, Griffin and A. K. Smart, were also in winning vein, and won comfortably from Lobb, Thomson, Mills and Jackson respectively. Thirteen Points Up.

Did the ringing of the fire-bell on Saturday which caused several of the Fire Brigade men to abandon their game and answer duty’s call, account for their defeat by Waitara ? At any rate up to that moment the aggregate scores were very even and it was only over the last two or three heads when Fire Brigade was a sadly depleted team with three of their skips away that Waitara asserted itself to win by 13 points. Goodwin (Fire Brigade) made no face of it against Young and accounted for him by 36 points to 15, but this big margin was overcome by Cuming (Waitara) turning the tables on Street to the tune of 35 to 10.

Roch and Moyes had the only even game of the match, the former just sneaking home by one point. Hamlin (Waitara), however, returned a good card for a win over Lowe of 10 points, and this materially assisted the aggregate. Gilmore Cu \

The Fitzroy Club holds top position in the Wednesday competition, going through the first round undefeated, al-

though Vogeltown which lies in fourth, position gave the leaders some anxious moments when it played Fitzroy to a drawn- game. The outstanding feature of this competition has been Vogeltown’s penchant for 'drawn matches. Only on one occasion has this club been beaten, that being against West End. To draw four out of five is certainly a record for consistency, but a little more luck would have placed Vogeltown in striking distance of the leaders. The detailed posi-

Progressive Rinks. The West End green on Saturday was taxed to its utmost when, owing to the club having already played its first series of matches and completed the first round, the afternoon was occupied with a progressive rink tourney. The players were divided into 16 teams and five rounds of three-quarters of an hour each were completed. The games were keenly contested and at the conclusion of play the winning team was found in H. Norfolk, F. Lee and E. May (skip), who went through undefeated and won with four and a-half games. Trophies were presented to the winners by Mr. T. Tomlins.

Test Matches Off. There are to be no Tests between Australia and New Zealand at the coming Dominion tournament. A letter has been received by the N.Z.B.A. executive from the Australian Bowling Council regretting that the proposed series of Test matches prior to the tournament will have to be cancelled owing to insufficient nominations being received. Eleven individual entries were forwarded from Australia for the rinks, and ten individual entries each for the pairs and singles. A Matter of Taste.

There are points of interest outside the game which if observed by players would promote good fellowship and increased pleasure in the good old game. The player in a rink who wants to be lead, second, measurer and skip is a nuisance.

The loud talker who knows how each shot should be played and imagines he is a superior bowler is obnoxious. The man who refuses to play because he is not in a certain position in a team is childlike in his actions. _ „ The third who trys to work “points on his opponent is a person not wanted in the bowling world. Do not draw your opponent’s attention from the shot he is about to play.

A skip should not be too harsh on a player when he plays a bad shot for the skip has the last two bowls to play and may himself do no better. SOUTH TARANAKI GAMES. Park Defeats Opunake. Chadwick’s 26 point lead from Smith helped to give Park an easy win over Opunake on Wednesday. Smith’s rink r.-ight have done better with some changes of position, for all the players were of good calibre. In the GoodwinHammond game Goodwin looked like winning with 7 up on the 23rd head, but Hammond scored a five and a three to win by 1. A similar position arose in the Wilson-Smith game, where Smith was 7 up with 2 heads to go. Wilson scored ‘two and five and drew the game. Hotteii beat Burton fairly easily, winning by 11 points. The Opunake green is accredit to the club. It is in excellent condition and runs exceptionally truely.

Hawera Too Good for Manaia. Hawera beat Manaia by a margin of 39 on Wednesday. The outstanding incident of the match occurred in the Espiner-Herbert game. Espiner scored 5 on the first head and Herbert retaliated with the possible 8 in the second head. McCormick and Lewin had an even, and hard game, McCormick scoring 2 on the last head to win. Robb had the lead throughout in his game with Andrews. Kendall was the outstanding player.

Canning’s team played well and had an easy win over Harrison.

Hawera No. 1 Beats No. 2. Masi in had a comfortable win over Cropton in the No. 1 v. No. 2 match on Saturday, Cropton’s team seeming to be off its usual form. Corkill and Foy had an even game, the former winning by 2 points. Murray and Bull were even until the 7th head, when Murray began to forge ahead. Hobbs’ good leading was a feature of the game. Hammond found Squire too solid. Squire’s driving was an important factor in his win. The Wanganui Tournament.

Two Hawera teams will compete in the Wanganui tournament on Boxing day, the players being Maslin, McCormick, Squire, Murray (s) and Veitch, Edwards, Corkill, Foy (s). Maslin and Squire, it is understood, will not attend the Dominion tournament this year to defend their pairs championship title.

Club. West End P. W. L. D. C.P. 16 . 8 8 Fitzroy . 8 6 2 12 New Plymouth .... . 8 6 2 12 Vogeltown . 8 4 4 8 Paritutu . 8 4 4 8 Waitara . 8 3 5 I* 6 Awakino . 8 3 5 6 Urenui ' . 8 8 0 Fitzroy Too Good.

tion of the clubs is:— Club. P. W. D. L. C.P. Fitzroy 5 4 1 - 9 5 4 1 8 New Plymouth 5 2 1 2 5 Vogeltown 5 * 4 1 4 Fire Brigade 5 1 1 3 3 Paritutu 5 • 1 4 1