BOWLING

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18642, 20 December 1928, Page 12

BOWLING

NOTES FROM THE GREENS

By

“Toucher.”

Rules of Bowling. A writer in the Melbourne “lierald” asserts that there are three rules of the game of bowls which should be changed. First he says, there is the toucher. Long ago the game was played less vigorously than now, and bowls drawing 20 to 30 feet were in use. To draw one dead on the jack might have been regarded as a performance of such merit as to warrant decoration and the advantage conferred on it in subsequent play. And it might have appeared wrong to put such a shot out of action and in any circumstances, hence under the old rules the toucher was never a dead bowl. As the game is played nowadays touchers are common, and as often as not they are really bad shots stopping nowhere near the spot intended by the player. Yet, because it happens to touch the jack in its course, it becomes a factor in the game, against which under certain conditions the most skilfully played shots are useless. For example, two leaders open up the end. A leads off with a very bad shot 20 feet too strong. If the width were right for the draw, being too strong, he would pass the jack some distance from it. But, not only is he too strong, but he is too narrow for the draw shot he tried to play. The pace keeps him' from swinging away and he gets a toucher and a decoration. B follows with a beautifully played shot—the exact strength and width, and comes to rest almost, but not quite, touching the jack. In the course of subsequent play, these two bowls and the jack end in the ditch, the bowls equi-distant from the jack, and so close to it that it is impossible to beat the toucher. Takes Jaek Into Ditch. Another example may be given. In a single-handed game, 31 up, score 30 all. the first shot in the final end is too strong and too narow, but picks up the jack, takes it into the ditch, and comes to repose, resting on it—not at all what the player meant to do. It is a bad shot. Consider a similar stage in other games. Golf, for instance, the deciding hole. The first player holes out in one. It is highly inprobable, but still possible, that the opponent will also hole out in one, and go on and eventually win the match. The fact that a really bad shot by one side can render all the the unplayed shots of the other side useless, and so become the deciding factor in a match, is surely reason enough to warrant the elimination of the rule referring to the toucher. In all games while there is life there should be hope. In bowls it is possible to have several bowls to play, but owing to the rule, no possible chance of scoring with them. Can anyone give a good reason why a bowl, which happens to touch the jack and stop nowhere near it, should be decorated as one of special merit and endowed with advantages, or explain why the result of a badly played shot, being “ a toucher, ” can be can be such as to make it impossible for the opponent to score. Laying the Mat. Then there is the rule referring to laying the mat six feet from the ditch at the start of the match. What reason is there for putting the mat there for the first end and in all subsequent ends anywhere, so long as to give the minimum length? Another rule compels the winner to play first. The winner of the toss mav please himself. The winner of the end may not. If the intention is to compensate the loser of the end by giving him the advantage of playing the last bowl, he may consider it a greater advantage to make his own length. And so. if compensation be the object, why not give the loser the option of playing first or last? On the other hand, if the rule is not based on such consideration, why should not the winner of the end not be allowed to play first or last as he is when he wins the toss? NOTES. There has been a good deal of criticism in the Australian papers over the bowlers in New South Wales and Victoria who are coming to Wellington in January to participate in the New Zealand-Australia games. This is based on the allegation that the players nominated do not represent the real strength of the bowling communities

of the States mentioned, and they should not be permitted to play in the tests as they have not qualified for the honour. There is nothing new in this protest. The team that recently went to England representing New Zealand could not by any stretch of imagination be said to be representative of our best form on the green. Neither could such a claim be made for the New Zealanders who went to Melbourne last Christmas. It is a sheer impossibility to get a team of the very best players away from any country, as many of the best can afford neither the time nor the money to indulge in such trips, so why raise the point at all ? It has always been so in bowls. In the representative matches between Otago and Canterbury and Otago and Southland the touring team is, as a general rule, far below the actual strength of the province. The will of the late Mr Edwin Moylt, of the Wellington Bowling Club, provides for the purchase of an especially fine trophy for annual competition between the Wellington, Hutt and Wanganui clubs, in each of which Mr Moult was especially interested. In the early, days he resided at Wanganui, and it was there that he learned the game which he played so well until a few weeks prior to his decease. When he came to Wellington he joined the Wellington club and remained an enthusiastic member to the end. It is understood that the will provides for the purchase of a handsome trophy valued at about £2OO, and already steps are under way to secure this. There are being exhibited at the present time on the walls of the social hall at the Wellington club’s pavilion three sketches of a possible trophy (actual size) in the form of a very handsome lidded and two-handled cup, an ornate rose bowl, a shield embossed with the representation of a game of bowls in progress. A decision has to be arrived at which of the three designs is the most desirable for the purpose mentioned. The cup and the shield stand about two feet and the bowl about eighteen inches in height, and it is understood that the trophy will be of solid silver, weighing about 200 ounces. Already the three club 6 mentioned, have the Duthie Cup to play for annually, so that the competition proposed by the late Mr Moult has nothing new to offer. Indeed, the trophy is considered by some to offer some embarrassment, as such competitions between clubs situated so far apart cannot be arranged very easily; still the Moult Trophy will be a very handsome ornament to any clubroom, and doubtless ways and means will be determined that will carry out the.spirit of the wish of the late lamented bowler.

It may not have been noticed by all that for the first time Auckland is sending to Parliament quite a good rink of bowlers, writes “Trundler” in the “ Auckland Star.” Of course there have been plenty of bowlers in Parliament before, probably the most notable being Mr T. K. Sidey, Dunedin, one of the founders of the CrfVersham Bowling Club in 1904, and president in 1906. His advocacy of daylight saving will be a lasting memorial to his interest in healthful sports. Then there is the late Sir Arthur Mvers, a former president of the Auckland Bowling Club, but from a competitive point of view the most prominent has been Mr J. A. Nash, Palmerston North, the skip in the Dominion champion rink of 1915. Lesser lights have occasionally shone with more or less brilliance, but Auckland bowlers have never been really strongly represented in Parliament until this year, and this throws into stronger relief the rink recently elected. The lead would be Mr (now the Hon) J. B. Donald, who was on the committee of the Auckland Bowling Club twenty years ago. He has not played so much in recent years, but those who saw him in the Dominion pairs two years ago would be satisfied that he can reach good form when he so desires. No. 2 would be Mr A. W. ITall, a former president of Papatoetoe, who plays quite a good game. Mr G. C. Munns, Hillsboro’, would play a splendid third, and Mr J. S. Fletcher. Carlton, would make a capital skip. Knowing from personal experience the calibre of the third and skip, it can be confidently asserted that they would make a very strong rink, and they will doubtless arrange a few official matches before iong.