A JACK HIGH BOWL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 65, 17 March 1936, Page 4

A JACK HIGH BOWL

RECENT DECISION NEW SOUTH WALES CONTENTION In a Melbourne contemporary a correspondent complained of the unsatisfactory, not to say ignorant, replies given players when they ask the question, “Is that bowl jack high!” Subsequently the secretary of the Victorian Bowling Association (Mr E. C. Cordner), who is also secretary of the A.8.C., gave an official decision. That gentleman should be in a position to know, if anybody is, but, writes ‘ ‘Boomerang, ” in the Sydney Kefereej I have to assnme that si* h a decision, or any decision on the rules, is based purely upon personal opinion, having regard to logical conclusions, plus long experience in the game. In this instance 1 have to differ from Mr. Cordncr, who gives the definition as follows:—“When an imaginary line drawn through the centre of the jack, at right, angles to the line of play, passes through the centre of the bowl in question, or anywhere in front of the centre of such bowl, that bowl is ‘jack high.’ ” That may be an official ruling, but it will not suit the next man who has occasion to ask the question, and receive’ that definition. For the purpose of wide bowls —anything from six inches to as much wider as you like — a bowl would be sufficiently “jack high” as defined by Mr. Cordner, but the nearer the bowl and jack come together under six inches the greater the complication. My contention is that a bowl is only “Jack high” won you can draw an imaginary line from the point of the jack, farthest from the mat to and along the point of the bowl nearest the mat. That bowl is “jack high” from ei ery logical angle, But Mr. Cordner’a is not. What do we mean by the term! That I he bowl—-not merely a portion of it is beyond the jack; wholly beyond the Jack. Take an example in actual play. You are on the mat, 100 ft. up the green and the howl is touching the white. You desire to trail it, and a«k, “Is t’he bowl jack high!” Flaying on a widely drawing green it would be impossible to trail the white, per Cordner position, as you could not get more than a quarter contact, and would thus cut it hack. An opponent howl n?ay be at that cut-back stroke Place a jack as described by Mr. Cordner, then make your curve to it on a surface drawing 12ft. or more, and see how impoeaible it is to “pick up” that kitty. Whatever the official decision ma.v be, or amount to, players will more than ever desire to trot up and see for themselves. During Country Week in Sydney, at North Sydney, in particular, I saw some ludicrous “Jack high” decisions returned to the player on the mat. For me, there must be a full bowl beyond the kitty before “jack high” suits, official decision notwithstanding. The official decision is going to bring some terrible definitions from the average scorer in the near future and the safest plan for universal use is to have an understanding with the scorer, before the game begins, as to his definition compared with yours.