BOWLING NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2385, 29 December 1908, Page 2

BOWLING NOTES.

(By “Toucher;’’)

Deep regret and general disappointment was the feeling of the local bowlers at the unseasonable weather experienced' at Christmastide. Heavy greens were to be anticipated, and it was with the idea- of making the best of it that bowlers assembled on the local greens. Under the circumstances,, it was not surprising that many matches did not eventuate, as the older hands were “chary” of wet greens. However, some matches did take place. On the Turanganui green during the holidays the Handicap Pairs were continued. In the A section McSkimming and Neill continued their victorious career by disposing of Edwards and McConnell by 26 to 18. At one point in the game Neill and his mate had a substantial lead, but their opponents, putting up short heads, slowly but surely overhauled the leaders, until they were level. Then Edwards inadvertently threw a long jack,, and on each essay drew short, blocking his skip, while the opposing lead got in his four. Neill added another, while McConnell, being blocked, was unable to do anything, and a five was thus scored against him on the 18th head, thus putting him out of the running. In the B section Douglas and Martin met Birrell and Williams. This proved a good game, and furnished an exciting finish. Williams received a handicap of 7 points, and this gave him and his partner a good start. However, with steady play, Martin and his mate drew up and tied on the 12th head with 18 all. The 19th head saw Douglas and Martin with 25 to 24,, but on the following head Williams scored 2. With Martin requiring 1 to tie and 2 to win, the last head' was played/ Martin lay alongside the-jack, and Williams in endeavoring to disturb him, unluckily carried the jack back to Martin’s back timber, and gave him three, thus suffering defeat by 2 points. Douglas played a far better game than his opponent Birrell, and had a peculiar and nappy fault of leaving his bowls in the draw, greatly to the disgust of the onoosing skip, Williams. The latter skip thus was frequently handicapped, and Martin often had an easy task. The following are the present positions of the teams in the various sections :

The holidays permitted the Bennett Cup singles to be continued on the Turanganui green. The encounter between Sawyer and Neill was a splendid one. On the Bth head the game was even, 5 all, and on the 14tli head again level—B all. This small scoring showed the closeness of the game. Give-and-take play ensued to the final head, when again the contestants were level—l 4 all. An extra head was played. Neill lay three, a bowl on either side of the jack, and one a little distance off. Sawyer lav well to the back; he essayed to take the jack through with iiis last bowl, but only tipped it on. the side, and leaving his ojjponent laying with three shots. This game so far has been the keenest of the competition, and I do not expect to see a closer contest this season. The heavy green suited both players, and there was nothing between them at any time. Sawyer got in his first win when he met Jeune. Right from the start the latter was outplayed, and could not equal his opponent. In his match against Colley, Sawyer achieved his second win. It was expected a close contest would be witnessed,, and no one anticipated the hollow defeat that. Colley sustained. The latter, however, could very seldom score, and in a shower of rain the game was abandoned by Colley, with several head's to go. Meeting Stormont, Sawyer put up his third win. This game was expected to be close, and many there were who expected Stormont to vanquish his opponent. Stormont is an old member of the Rocky Nook Club (Auckland), and in the last tournament at Auckland got into the semifinals of the Pairs, vanquishing the veteran Witty and his partner, Redstone. However, Sawyer was equal to his rival, and in the first five heads led by 10 to 1. - On the 18th head, Stormont had drawn to within six of his opponent, who was 20 to 14. The final head, however, still showed six of a difference, in which Sawyer obtained 2. In meeting Nasmith, junr., Stormont sustained his second defeat. Both bowlers played well, the drawing being splendid and the driving good. Nasmith obtained the lead with several threes, and had a lead of nine. This Stormont reduced on the 18th head to seven, but his opponent putting up a three on the 19th head, put the former out of the hunt. Jeune cried “pOccavi” to Stormont in his match on the 12th head, when eleven separated the scores. It i & - a pity when any player abandons a game, but it was -quite patent, not only to Jeune himself, but to the spectators also, . that Stormont was outplaying his opponent. This gave Stormont his first win. The Hird-

Douglas match was a good one, there being nothing between the players at any time. However, Bird,’ in this game, achieved his second victory. One feature, in this match I noticed which was not conducive- to the best of play, and that was the unseemly bustle in which it was played. I hope to see both players avoid this in future. The following, are the positions of the players in the competition at the conclusion of the second week’s play . nr-,, t r.t.+

There was no lack of bowling enthusiasts . at. the Kaiti green during the Christmas holidays, and although the showery weather occasionally interfered with play and made the green heavy, a large number of games were played off. Chief interest centred in the showing of the representative team for Napier, but the fact that IT. Martin, who plays third, has not yet returned to town, naturally affected Crawford’s results, as no substitute he could pick up could adequately replace the player mentioned. At the same time his team have proved themselves on the whole a very strong combination, and have either beaten their opponents badly or have made a.very close game. Crawford himself has been drawing very consistently, and is evidently in first-class form. The only occasion when he seems to be at a loss is when the circumstances demand a fast drive. Fortunately for him, it is rare indeed that a good draw or a firm shot will not cope with the situation. Of the other skips, Simson has been showing a return to his old form, which means that every now and again he delights the spectators with some really brilliant play. The handicap fours are now reduced to their final stages, and the first- draw for the second tournament is announced iu this issue. This latter is considered to he the chief local event of the season, and some exciting games should be witnessed. The handieapper has evidently spared no pains to allot the handicaps equitably, and it certainly seems to me that it will be exceedingly difficult to pick the winner. The time for the closing of the first draw in the handicap singles closed on Saturday, and' the draw for the second round should he announced shortly. I hear that some dissatisfaction has taken ill ace over the draw in the final round of the handicap fours. In this event Corson was unable to meet Hennessy on the last Thursday that the match could he played, and accordingly he forfeited to Hennessy, who was then placed in the final round. Now some of Corson’s team object, stating that he had no right to forfeit without consulting them. They have appealed to the committee, but I cannot see what can he done at this stage to remedy what is undoubtedly an unfortunate position. A number oj players in the singles handicap had not played off when the time came for closing the first round, and presumably their names will be deleted. It is regrettable that players should, after entering for a tournament, not take the trouble to play off their games., as their neglect to do so causes trouble to the committee, and occasionally leads to friction. Simson had intended to .take a team to Napier, and proposed to make it up as follows:—liyme, Paltridge, Robertson, Simson (skip). However, a trial against Crawford’s combination proved so unsatisfactory that he began to have doubts as to the wisdom of making the trip.

SECTION A. Wins. Loss Noill and McSkimnring ... 3 0 Nasmith and Hay < 2 2 Sawyer and Somervell 1 1 Morse and Harries 1 1 McConnell and Edwards ... 0 1 Bennett and 11. Skeet 1 3 SECTION B. Wins. Loss Martin and Douglas 2 0 Jeitne and Thelwall 0 1 Williams and Birrell 6 1 Hallam and Farrell 0 0 W. 0. Skeet and Lewis ... 0 0 SECTION C. Wins. Loss Stormont and Leydon 1 1 Rate] if to and McPherson ... 1 0 Hird and Creamer 0 1 Gaudin and Bruce 0 0 Cussens and Zachariah ... 0 0 Colley and Hooper 0 0

A. Sawyer... B. ‘find Won. Lost ... 3 2 ... 'A u M. G. Nasmitli, jun. ... 1 0 M. A. Neill ... 1 0 W. Hay ... ... 1 0 J. Stormont ... 1 2 W. H. Douglas ... ... 0 1 J. Somervell ... 0 1 J. Colley ... ... 0 1 J. Jeune ... ... 0 2 J. J. Martin ... 0 0 M. G. Nasmith, sen. ... 0 0 C. F.-Lewis S... ... 0 0 W. Ratcliffe ... 0 0 O. J. Bennett 0 0 P. Hallam ... 0 0 J. P. Williams ... ... 0 0 W. J. P. Gaudin... ... 0 0 .