BOWLING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 831, 8 February 1906, Page 12

BOWLING.

(By

“ The Skip.”)

AUCKLAND ASSOCIATION’S, PENNANT AND INTER-CLUB MATCHES.

WINS FOR DEVONPORT, AUCKLAND, CARLTON, AND ONEHUNGA IN PENNANT.

MT EDEN, AUCKLAND, CARLTON, AND ONEHUNGA SCORE WINS IN INTER-CLUB.

PONSONBY, ONEHUNGA, AND CARLTON SCORE WINS IN FIRST-YE AR PLAYERS.

The first round of the Pennant and Inter-c.ub Matches, held under the direction of the Auckland Bowling Association, took place on Saturday last, all the local greens affiliated to the Association being used for the competit ons. The weather was most unfavourable. A high wind, with occasional smart showers, made the sport anything but enjoyable. The wind repeatedly carr'ed bowls past their intended destination, while the mo sture had the effect of takng a lot of the “ draw” out of the bowls, and also made the rinks somewhat draggy.” The play throughout was fairly up to representative form, but in one or two instances strong teams on paper had to cry enough to those who were considered to have but a small chance of success.

The Pennant and Inter-club competitions will be continued on Saturday next, and we give the draw for the second round: —

Auckland plays Mount Eden, three rinks at Auckland, four at Mount Eden. First year’s players at Auckland.

Ponsonby a bye. Onehunga plays Devonport, two rinks at Onehunga, two at Devonport. First year’s players a bye for Onehunga. Rocky Nook plays Grey Lynn, one rink at Rocky Nook, two at Grey Lynn. F : rst year’s players at Rocky Nook. Mount Albert plays Canton, one rink at Mount Albert, one at Carlton. First year’s players a bye for Carlton. NOTES. DEVONPORT GREEN. The on’y rink to do any good for Mount Eden Club was that skipped by Rankin. This team —comprised as ’’t was with Miller, Mackay, Martin—had Harrison and his men on the defence from the start, and put up the creditable win of 30 to 13. Each man beat h's opponent in fine style, and Rankin was always there w th his position bowls when his team had done their part. Mercer and Gardiner had a real hard fight for supremacy. The latter’s team went off with a big ’ead, the board showing 12 to 2. But as the game wore on Mercer and his. men began to improve matters, and finished with a six points’ defeat. The winning team—Mason, Broughton, Armstrong. Gardiner —are a very strong four, their combination being firstclass. Matters would have been better adjusted had Gardiner’s and Rankin’s teams met.

The game between Ralfe and Brookes was very in and out for a good part of the journey. The latter’s team got away with a four for a owing to the fine ruining shots of Robips. But th ; s was equalised in the next head by Ralfe cutting off both of his opponent’s bowls and scoring four. Frequently the Mount Edenites had their Devonport fr’ends in trouble, but the splendid driving of LeVevre and the firm drawing of Ralfe turned ugly “ heads” for them into scoring. The leading of Gi’l (Mount Eden) and Harvey (Devonport) was good. The rest of the teams played fair average games. In the Inter-club games the story is soon to’d. MacGregor’s team put up the fine score of someth'ng b'ke 30 to 13, and Pooley’s team scored 28 to 10. The opposing Devonport teams were out-classed from the start, and the Mount Eden boys are to be congratulated on . their fine performance. Mount Eden finished with a lead of 35 points in the Inter-club and one po nt to the good in the Pennant.

MOUNT EDEN GREEN. In the Pennant games the p’ay of the Mount Eden teams was disappointing. J). Crosher, Web'ter, Mitchell, Eag’eton (skip) met Simpson, Surman, Hooper, Burns (sk p), and

won by 31 to 15. The Devonport men played exceptionally well, and man for man beat the Mounta n team from the start. Burns had too much work left for him to do at the finish. The game between the teams skipped by Ross (Mount Eden) and Eyre (Devonport) was more evenly contested, although at one time it looked like ab g win for Eyre. AVhen half the game had gone the Edenites put in better play, and ended up with 17 all. Warren, the Devonport lead, was the best man on the ground. His consistent draw ng to the jack from the first head on was a constant source of trouble to his opponent. In the Inter-club’ game between the teams skipped by Brimblecombe (Mount Eden) and Glenister (Devonport), the game was somewhat ones:ded. The first mentioned, playing a powerful game all through, won by 23 to 14. In the Inter-club aggregates Mount Eden have a substantial surplus, but in the Pennant aggregates they go down to the tune of 15 points. AUCKLAND V. PONSONBY. The only team to gain a win for Ponsonby against Auckland was that skipped by Kirker against Culpan, the scores be ng 22 to 16. The game was fairly evenly contested, but the consistent play of Newell and Kirker (Ponsonbv) stal ed off any efforts made by the opposition to resist defeat. Langsford’s team made a good fight aga ; nst Handcock, but had to be content with a one point loss. Crabtree played an exceptionally good game for the losers.

Another c’osely contested game was that between Ledingham (Auckland) and Osmond (Ponsonby). The scores were 26 to 25 in favour of Ledingham, and with the smallest amount of luck the Ponsonby boys would have had the w n.

Easton simply romped away from the Ponsonby crack skip, Ballantyne, never leav ng the matter in doubt, evantual’y winning by 21 to 12. Brookes (Auckland) proved too strong for Swales (Ponsonby) by 24 to 18. The scores did not represent the play, which was a fairly good exhibition of bowls. The gama between Lambert’s (Auckland) and Veale’s (Ponsonby) teams was one of the best contested on the green, th>a play at times being except’onaVy fine, Veale time and again saving his side by his timely and accurate drawing. A strong draw ng team for Auckland was that composed of A. M. Myers, O'iphant, Barritt, Buttle (skip), who were pitted against Harkins, Arey, Webb, and Watson (skip). The game was never 'n doubt from the start, the Ponsonby team failing to make anything like a show. The scores were 26 to 8.

Buchanan (Ponsonby), who was so successful last year as a skip, met a strong four with James (ex-champion) as th rd and Carlaw as skip, and although supported by a fair’y strong combination, with W. Jones as third, suffered a three points defeat. The scores were 25 to 22. The total scones in the aggregate for the Pennant were: Aucfand, 185; Ponsonby, 51. Majority for Auckland, 34 points. The first-year players for Ponsonby were successful against the Auckland Cub juniors, putting up a scona of like 28 to 15. On present form it fooks as though Carlton or Ponsonby w 11 furnish the winners for the first year’s shield. CARLTON V. ROCKY NOOK. In the match betwean Carlton and Rocky Nook (four teams a-side) for the Pennant each club was successful in two rinks. Kilgour and Laurie (Carlton) were winners w’th 24 and

22 respectively against Bouskill 12 and Hodgson 14, while Butler 18 and Cutler 22 turned the tables on Holmes 13 and Wrathall 16. Aggregates for Peniant: Carlton, 75; Rocky Nook, 66. A majority of 14 points for Carlton.

In the Inter-club the Car .ton teams were st 11 more successful, putting up the creditable performance of 100 to 79, while their first-year players still added to the success of the club by scoring 34 to 7. ONEHUNGA V. GREY LYNN. In this contest the game was a complete walkover for Onehunga, not one of the Grey Lynn teams getting a look in. Mclntosh beat Mills (Grey Lynn) by 29 to 15, while F. Court 24 and McLean 17 scored wins against Baildon 13 and Waite 12. The first-year players, skipped by Kerr, were no more successful than their o’der players, for Davies (Onehunga) put up the fine score of 28 to 17.

As it was not possible for all the clubs to meet at the formal open'ng of the Pennant matches held under the auspices of the Auckland Bowling Club, it was decided that the Mayor (Mr. A. M. Myers), who is president of the Auckland Bowl’ng Association, should formally open the proceedings prior to the start of the games between the two oldest clubs in Auckland, i.e., Auckland and Ponsonby.

The President po'nted out that the game of bowls had been played from time immemorial, and referred to the sport being accredited a second Freemasonry. The goodfe’lowship existing between bowlers was specially not ceab'e, and in no form of sport was the mercenary aspect less noticeable, and none was cleaner. Long might it remain so. This was the the first time n Auckland that an effort had been made to bring the clubs together with their full strength, and the committee who were responsible for so do’ng were to be compli mented, and he trusted it would make the sport even more popular. Mr. Myers then asked his wife to throw the jack, and declared the green open for play. Cheers were heartily g’ven for the president and his ’ady.

The second round of the Vice-presi-dent’s Prize at Remuera resulted 'n a win for teams skipped by Laxon and Ha 1 !. The third round, to ha played next Saturday, is betwetn Hall’s and Garland’s teams, Laxon gett'ng a bye.

At Rocky Nook green the following wins in trophy games are posted: — Champion Fours. — Kretschmar, Jenkins (sub.), Wakerley, Bouskill (skip), 29, v. Vea l e, BouskTl, jun., White, Butler (skip), 13. Champion Pairs.—Pollard, Haselden (skip), 28, v. Whitaker, Taylor (sk : p), 9; Hall, Manson (skip), 13, v. Bretschmar, Rewcastle (skip), 22; Veale, McDougal (skip), 20, v. Clarke, Cutler (sk’p), 22.

The semi-final for the Onehunga Club’s Championship Singles is to be played off by Pardington and Robb. The winner's to meet Mclntosh in the final. It looks the best of things for Mclntosh if ha keeps up his present form

My Mount Albert correspondent writes:—For the Handicap Singles, second round, Jenk’ns 23, 23, beat Herbert 8, 13. “ Well done, Jenkins.” ... In the Champion

Pairs a great surprise came off. Jameson and Ashton only scored 11 against Rev. Grigg and Mansell, 27. What a fall. Jameson and Ashton

scored one n the first head, which represents their score until the 12th head, when they got two. By this time Grigg and Mansell had put up 21. On the 20th head the score stood : Ashton 7, Mansell 27. A four on the ast head landed Ashton into double figures. . . . The b : g man (Russian) still thinks he will pull the pairs off, but the .itte one (Jap) : s very confident and won’t be bluffed. Parry was welcomed back to Mount Albert on Saturday after two months’ absence at Cambridge, where he has given the folks a taste of h s prowess as a bowler, having put down the great O’Toole and Buckland of that ilk. . . . Mount Albei-t is experiencing some difficu’ty in raising two teams to play the Inter-club matches, a number of players beng unab'e to roll up.

The newly formed Waitemata Club had practice games on Saturday last, and the fol l owing have been forwarded for publication:— Geo. Carter, J. F. Jackson (skip), 19, v. A. Campbell, W. S. Danie 1 (skip), 14. A. Campbell, J. Jackson, W. S. Daniel, Geo. Fraser (skip), 25, v. Bruce Lloyd, J. F. Jackson, Chas. Downey, W. J. Smith (skip), 10. Arthur Greenslade, T. Jones, Chas. Downey, W. J. Snrth (skip), 17, v. Ernest Greenslade, Bruce Lloyd, J. Jackson, G. Fraser (skip), 16.

Owing to the Pennant and Inter club competitions taking up the Saturday afternoons for some weeks to come, it is necessary for those havng trophy contests to make arrangements to play games during the week afternoons before the light wanes too much to make it possible to p’ay after five o’clock. Results of games for insert:on in this paper shou’d be farwarded by Tuesday morning at the latest.