BOWLING.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17326, 11 February 1928, Page 19 (Supplement)

BOWLING.

general notes. GREEN AND PAVILION GOSSIP. (By “Toucher.”) Waikato Group Finals. . The champion of champions singles for the Waikato group of South Auckland Centre clubs was sch . e ( ci,^ i ecl ..J°* to-day at Frankton green. At the time of writing it was not certain that all the clubs in the group would be rep resenled, but if all the eleven clubs did send forward a representative the probability is that the final will have to be played some day during the week.

Tauranga Tournament. The Tauranga tournament, which opens on Tuesday, has attracted two rinks from Hamilton clubs. Hamilton East will be represented by Mainey. Hitchcock, Horton and Chapman (s), and Hamilton by Meredith, Jones, J. Varney and Pilkington (s). The lastnamed, by the way, accidentally strained the muscles of his right arm very .badly on Tuesday, and for some time there was a doubt as to whether the injured member would mend soon enough to permit "Dick” to take part in the tournament.

Hamilton East Championships. For the second season in succession W. M. Horton has won the rinks and singles championships of the Hamilton East Club. The rinks event was decided at the week-end, when Ryburn, Neas, Parnell, Horton (s) comfortably accounted for Audry, Quill, Hitchcock and Chapman (s). The singles were finalised on Tuesday evening, when Horton beat H. Webster by an ample margin of points. Hard Rubber Bowls. Among first-class bowlers the hard rubber bowl is seriously challenging the popularity of its more venerable compatriot of wood. This was particularly noticeable at the bowling carnival recently held in Australia, when over a thousand bowlers from all parts of the Australian States and New Zealand competed for the Australian championship. The winner, F. Uobbic (Vic.), used rubber bowls; as did also J. N. Shecdy, winner of the consolation singles.

Farewell to N.Z. Tourists. The New Zealand bowlers w'ho have just set out upon a tour of the British Isles were tendered a civic farewell at

Wellington on Thursday morning. Mr R. N. Pilkington, of Hamilton, a member of the Dominion Council, was amongst those specially invited to be present at the function, but considerations of time and distance were too great to permit of his attendance.

“Billiard Shots” at Bowls. Whilst luck, no doubt, often plays a part in the game of bowls, there Is no question that frequently the success which attends a particularly skilful shot by a slop or third is regarded by many onlookers as a “fluke,” and insufficient credit accorded the player. In point of fact a bowl, or jack, if struok with sufficient accuracy on the portion aimed at, will behave in a manner very similar to that of a billiard ball treated In like fashion, the bowl played with glancing off and cannoning with another, or following nearly straight through according to the portion of the object bowl it strikes, whilst a jaok or bowl may be flicked off almost at right angles if struck with the necessary fineness. It is, one fancies, the ability to see that such shots are “on," combined with the skill to execute them, that distinguishes the great player from the merely good one. The latter might have sufficient skill to playsuch shots, if they were pointed out and his nerve held good, but the great player sees them himself and with confidence enough to take a risk goes for them, with the result that they “come off” far more often than the player is given credit for by many observers.

BOWLS EXTRAORDINARY.

DOMINION TOURNAMENT INCIDENT

In the Sydney Referee “Boomerang ' writes interestingly with reference to an incident at the recent Dominion Tournament, as related to him by a New Zealand correspondent. He says:

Knowing full well that such happenings would not fall to interest every bowler everywhere, Tom Schnackenberg sent me some hair-raising details of episodes that took place recently in the big games in the Dominion. A third man was instructing his skip how to play his last bowl. The skip, however, did not see eye to eye with his first lieutenant. While this interesting controversy was in progress, the third man informed his opposing third that if the skip played contrary to his directions lie would stop the bowl. A Chinese auction thereupon took place on the spot—all talking, nobody listening. Players gathered round, and, while some were prepared to admit that a third had no right to volunteer information, or rather advice, when when the lay had not been altered, others went much further, and submitted that a skip was under no obligation to accept advice from the third —wise in their generation tbese latter. An appeal was actually made to the rules, and, most extraordinary of all, it was discovered that, according to the Dominion code (which one can scarcely believe), there was nothing to prevent a player or director from stopping a bowl that was being played by bis side.

T.G. quotes the rules in support as follows: "If a bowl be interfered with, other than by Ihe effects of play, it shall be burned. When a bowl, during its original course, and before it has passed the jack, is burned by the side to whom it belongs, it shall be dead.” Then T.C. remarks: “It is contended, apparently by virtue of the rule, that if a member of a team plays a shot which the director does not approve of, the latter may stop the bowl.”

Birth of a Rule.

Our friend asks what the Dominion Council intended, but remarks that, no matter what was intended, it is no concern of the competitors or the umpires, for they can only go by what the rules say in plain English. He also points out that in Australia they have a rule that makes a head finished, absolutely, .under such circumstances, viz., the counting of the full eight points to the opposing side. This rule of ours commends itself to T.G., as well it might. It is just a coincidence that I was personally responsible for the framing of that rule. And it is just as remarkable that it would never have been framed (this on the authority of A. J. Whitehouse), who was a member of the A.R.C. at the time) had the facts been properly put before the ruling body. The Council was sitting in Brisbano at tho time of the occurrence, which is well worth reiterating.

I have ever held that the skipper is supreme, and should be obeyed under all and any circumstances. In this particular instance it was a play-off for the section, and towards the end of the game, when every point was needed. It was the last end, in fact. Opposed to West Stephens rink, ours was five down. The opposing leader put both bowls fairly close, the jack being iOft from the ditch. A Question of Discipline. Our leader was a few feet strong. The second player on our side was called to “draw' the shot, or draw to the leader’s bowds.” We could not afford to waste any of our, material. To the surprise of each side the second drove. Having missed, the position was carefully explained, and he was informed that a drive was not needed. However, he saw fit to repeat the shot, and, as the bowl came up the green in a straight line, but a couple of feet wide of the outside shot, I stepped out a yard and stopped it, remarking that I was entitled to be obeyed as skip. It was purely a disciplinary demonstration, and the bowl would not have touched anything by a couple of feeri - But the sequel was the most interesting part of the business. Will Hotchin, who w'as third in the rink, followed the direction given the number two, and, with a beautiful fourfeet trail, made our whole four bowls count, close to the ditch. Westmore Stephens was short with his first, and lost his second in going wide. The gods decreed that the skip would draw' with his two, and our side got the whole six available. This bore out the attitude and policy of the skip. It will he a sorry day for bowls when any portion of the captain’s authority is curtailed.

Lessons foe Both

The Council received an entirely different impression from the late “Billy” Wright, who was not present, and it acted to prevent anything of the supposed kind from happening again, hence, the rule. Regarding the attitude of the Dominion third man, it is up to the New 7 Zealand Council lo make such a thing impossible, at the earliest opportunity. Where on earth would wc get off if a man became his captain’s captain? The very title would become a misnomer, and apparently is in New 7 Zealand. It only proves my assertion that in many ways, while we can benefit from emulating them, the New Zealanders have something to learn from us.