BOWLING NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume 92, Issue 14266, 17 January 1920, Page 7

BOWLING NOTES

(By “Toucher.”)

[ltems of local and general interest are particularly welcome. They should be addressed to “Toucher,” and must ■reach this office by 2 p.m. on Thursday lo ensure publication in the succeeding issue.] South Auckland Tournament. The secretary, Mr W. W. Dillicar, reports that everything is going along smoothly in the preliminary arrangements for the coming four days’ tournament under the auspices of the South Auckland Bowling Centre. By Thursday some 20 entries had come in, and it is anticipated that by the closing hour on Tuesday evening there will he sufficient to lake up the accommodation of the four greens available for play over January 27, 28, 20, and 30. A meeting of the executive of the tournament will be held at the Hamilton Club’s pavilion on Tuesday evening, at 8 o’clock. Ngaruawahians Play Woli. It was with considerable satisfaction (says Hie Ngaruawahia Advocate) that the local bowling club received Hie news that their representatives at the Dominion Tournament, now in progress at Christchurch, had won their sections in the pairs’ tournament. Hetherington and Gould were straight-out winners of their section with four wins and one loss, and Morris and Morrish drew with another pair, whom they afterwards defeated, each having three wins and two losses to their credit. In the inter-section play which followed, though not successful, the local quartette put up a great fight, Hetherington and Gould losing only by one point, 16—17, and Morris and Morrish lost Hie match only by a couple of points. The closeness of the play affords local players the satisfaction contained in the knowledge that the standard of play in Ngaruawahia is not, at anyrate, a great deal behind that of the rest of the Dominion, and even if their representatives do nothing further in the tournament, they have worthily added to the prestige of the club. Walker at Christchurch. On the opening day of the Dominion Tournament great interest was centred in the meeting between Harraway (Dunedin) and Walker (Ponsonby). In the first game in the morning Harraway defeated Atkinson (United) and Walker defeated Parnham (Kaiapoi). Harraway was supported by Bishop, Hogg, and Stewart, ’and Bray, Kurnmer and Wilson supported the champion Ponsonby skip. The first half of the game was keenly contested, but the northern rink forged ahead in the latter stages of the game and with two heads to go had a lead of eight. On the second last head Harraway, in trying to secure a “pot,” drove his shot bowl out and gave his opponents one, the latter thus winning by nine points with a head to go. Walker was faced with a stiff proposition, frequently having four or five shots against him. He rarely failed to rise to the occasion, and whether drawing, raking, or driving, his exhibition was a finished one. Harraway was not in his best form, but in reality played just as well as the opposing skip permitted 'him.

Walker and liis men have continued playing great bowls, and at the time of penning this were right up to the sectional competition with nine wins in the nine games played. After going through so successfully for nine games Walker was defeated by Jordan (Rangiora) and Wylie (Kaiapoi) on Thursday, and dropped out of the competition. * Here and There. There are 11,000 bowlers in New Zealand, according to a statement made by a delegate speaking at Christchurch during the week. The delegates at Christchurch have recommended to the council that certain matches, such as singles, should be eliminated from the Dominion Tournament. One West End (Auckland) rink playing at the Dominion tournament was entirely represented by one family—the Hardleys. In a pairs match on the Whitiora green during the week there was something in the nature of “tall” scoring. Gran and Grigg (s) met McGregor and Moffatt (s.), and’inflicted defeat on the latter to the tune of 38 points to 2. Over sixty clubs, extending over the long stretch from Bluff to Whangarei, were represented at the Dominion tournament.

Mr L, J. Bull, the ex-Frankton player, was a representative of the Hunterville Club at the Dominion tournament. He skipped in the doubles and was third in the rink games team. A. G. Fookes, the ex-Hamilton player, was doing well with his Carlton team in the Dominion rinks at Christchurch. At the close of the ninth round, his record was six wins and three losses. There was considerable annoyance among bowlers at the Dominion tournament on account of Carswell acting as skip in the doubles when playing as a substitute for a Wellington player. Several argued: that the same principle applied as in rinks, where a substitute cannot skip, hut the rule does not prevent a substitute skip in pairs. The matter was discussed at a meeting of the council, but it was not open lo the press. When the first round of the Dominion rink competitions was in progress at Christchurch this week a total of 504 players took part in the games. They were played on twelve greens. The play was on the sectional system, and three games of 21 heads each were played each day. After nine games had been played those who remained in were section winners, and all rinks which won the same number of games as may be w'on by any section winner, or any rink tieing for any section was eligible to compete in the semi-finals and finals provided that no section had been won with less than six wins. After the conclusion of section play, the full two-life system applied lo all teams left in, and each team when it had suffered two defeats dropped out of the competition.

Two rink games were played on ‘lie Frank ton green at mid-week against Te Awamulu teams skipped by Woods and Innes. V. Ewcn and Pricket! had charge of the home combination which were successful over the visitor^. During the week a team of Frankton players visited Auckland and participated in two enjoyable rink games, being successful on both occasions. The team comprised 11. Sandos, W. S. Higgins, W. A. Gosling and T. F. Jolly (s). At Mount Eden it met a team skipped by J. Smith, while at the Carlton green Kent controlled the team whose colours were afso lowered by tin 1 southern bowlers.

Gould’s (Ngaruawahia) team had four wins and live losses to the stage of sectional play in the Dominion rinks. In the first round they were beaten by the Edgeware club team by 30-18; next, Gordon (St. John’s) lowered them by 19-15; .Ngaruawahia won the third round from Darkness (Nelson) by 24-19,• warn! down in the fourth and fifth to Sandstpn (Christchurch), and Jones (Greymouth) by 24-18 and *l325 respectively. The sixth and seventh Ngaruawahia won, beating Hemingway (Victoria) by 21-14 and Steans (Opawa) 23-18. The northerners had another win and a loss in the two remaining rounds.