BOWLING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2391, 5 January 1909, Page 2

BOWLING.

ON THE GREENS

(By “Toucher.”)

The fine weather for the New Year

holidays enabled the competitions m both the local clubs, to be further advanced. At tlie Turanganui green considerable interest is being-manifes-ted in the Bennett Cup Singles; nv fact, never before have I seen such interest being evinced in any competition as is now being shown in those games. The results are provin g the truth of the old saying about the un-

certainty of the game, lor surprises, are happening on every hand. Here we have Martin, the recognised champion of the club,, going down before B. Hird, who is a good average player. Then Hird suffered .defeat by C. jf. Bennett, another average player, whose colors in turn were lowered by W. H. Douglas, a player who up to that point had played seven with seven losses to himself. The sequence of this would be to acknowledge Douglas as the best player. But is this so? The opinion of Ihe members, I think, would be given against' it. Thus in the 'uncertainty of the game is its fascination. Again we have this glorious uncertainty m five of the games played, wherein the players in the first half of the game had a good lead, -but were beaten m the second half by . their opponents, and were hardly able to score. No one can say it was a question of nerve —it was solely and simply that glori-. ous uncertainty- of which the members of the Turanganui Club now know so much. Up to the present, time A. Sawyer is leading. His games against Hay and AVilliams proved easy victories, while in his bouts with Nasmith and Douglas he only shook his opponents oft’ in the last few* heads. In his games with Hallam .and Bennett, these two players held the whiphand over him when half the games were played, but Sawyer somehow or other caused “rot” to set in, and his opponents ‘fell to pieces, while he ran out to victory. On the oilier hand, in his game with Ratcliffe, Sawyer led his opponent by 10 to nil at one point of the game, but Ratcliffe became in-, vigoraied, and on the last head required two to tie. However, lie could onlv secure one, and Sawyer thus saw another victory. B. Hird has also been showing uu well during the past week. Ho had an easy victory over Douglas, and just succeeded in overcoming Stormont. In his game against Neill lie wrested victory from his opponent on the. last head, and against Ratcliffe a good lead established in the earlier part of the game served him well, for Ratcliffe steadily overhauled him at the finish, but Hird was still one up when the board was completed. Against Alartin, Hird did more than was expected of him, for he succeeded in downing this doughty chamnion. At one part of the game Hird led bv 11 points, he scoring a three and two fours. Martin reduced the gap, but Hird was still unbeaten at the finish. In'his meeting with Nasmith, jun., Hird met with his first defeat. The game was an even one all-through, and 1 the scores were level •on the 20tli head. Nasnnth on the final head scored two and victory. Again did Hird lower his colors when he met C. J. Bennett. Hird led to the finish, when Bennett scored on the last head and won. J. Stormont has also been 'doing well, lie achieving easv wins over Bennett. Hallam, Ratcliffe. Neill, and Hay. Ratcliffe proved too good for Neill, Douglas, and Collev. Martin easily showed his superiority over Douglas. The game between Douglas and Bennett gave Douglas his first win. Bennett required two to win on the last head ; he lay 3. but Douglas got in a lucky shot with his last howl and got the jack, thus securing victory. In the Nas-smith-Neill game, the former led till near the finish, when the latter put up some paralysing shots and secured victory. In his game against Gaudin., victory looked hopeful for Nasmith, jun., he leading on the 13th head by 5. On the 14th head he lay three, but Gaudin with a hard drive took out the three, and. lay two himself. This altered tlie Complexion of the game, .and Gaudin steadily overhauled his opponent, winning eventually by two points. In his match with Douglas. Gaudin heat his opponent in the . last two heads. J. Jerrne has withdrawn from the competition and forfeited all his games. The following is the position of the various players at the conclusion of the third week’s plav

In the Handicap Pairs matches of the Turanganui Club, the game between Anderson and: Hallam and Williams and Birrell was" even half way through. From this point, however, the latter pair fell away and suffered defeat. Anderson played well for a “colt,” and was equal to his opponent. Hallam was too deadly for Williams, the latter being quite “off.” Anderson and Ha Ham, next met Houg-

las and .Martin, but were vanquished by ten points. On the last five heads the winners put up nine points. Douglas was far and away too good for Anderson, and Martin’s drawing was too deadly for Hallam, who played a forcing game, his bursting-up policy frequently scoring. Hay and'Nasmith were,,too good a pair (for Edwards and McConnell. ’ The former put-up a seven on the second head, and shortly afterwards put up a 5. This they attempted td repeat, but McConnell sayed with liis last bowl. Hay was too deadly for Edwards, and McConnell had ’to play an..uphill game almost unaided against liis two-oppon-ents. The following is the position of the various pairs in the different sections at the present time:—

Colley and Hooper ... 0 0 The representatives of the local clubs leave for Napier on Sunday next to attend the Northern B. A. tournament, commencing-, on January 11. May victory rest with one of the local teains!

Wins Losses A. Sawyer .... 10 2 B. Hirci .... 7 •2 J. Stormont .... 7 3 M. G. Nasmith. inn.. .... 4 • 3 W. Itatclifte •.... 4 3 W. J.. P. Gandin .... 3 ' 0 W. Hay .... 3 2 M. Neill .... 3 3 J. J. Martin .... 2 1 C. J. Bennett ...V 2 3 W. H. Douglas .... 2 7 ' M. G. JS'asmith, son. .. .... 1 0 C. F. Lewis .... 1 0 J. Somervell .... 1 1 J. P. Williams .... 1 1 P. Hallaxn 1 2 J. Colley .... 1 2 J. Jeuno .... 0 17

SECTION A. Wins. Loss Neill and McSkimming ... 3 0 Nasmith and Hay ... 3 2 Sawyer and Somervell 1 1 Morse and Harries 1 1 Bennett and R. Sheet 1 3 McConnell and Edwards ... 0 - 2 SECTION B. Martin and Douglas. Wins.Loss • 3 0 Hallam and Andersen 1 1 Jeiino and Thehvall -.. 0 1 Williams and Birrell * 0 2 W. 0. Sheet and Lewis ... 0 0 SECTION C. Wins.Loss Stormont and Leydon 1 1 Ratcliffe and McPherson ... 1 0 Hird and Creamer 0 1 Gaudin and Bruce 0 0 Cussens and Zachariah ... - 0 0