BOWLING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2403, 19 January 1909, Page 3

BOWLING.

'GISBORNE CLUB. An interesting game in the champion cup series of the Gisborne Bowling Club took place yesterday afternoon between J. Ponsford and I • Harris. ißoth played exceedingly well and a closely-contested game was the result. On the 15th head Harris had scored 12 points to Ponsford s 11. The latter scored on four consecutive heads, making three twos, follow ed bj a single, and raised his scoie to 18. Harris made a single on the 20th and also on the 21st head, bringing his total up to 14. Ponsford' thus won by four points. NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS [Pitisss Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. IS. The Neiv Zealand Boivling Association championship tournament was opened to-day, Avhen the first- three games of the rink tournament Avere played. The morning Avas Avet but improA’ed by midday. In the aiteiDoon however, another sliOAver toll, and the various greens became -sodden. The positions of the differentrinks in each section are as follows: NO. 1 SECTION. Wins. Losses.

ON THE GREENS. (By “Toucher.”) One of the main causes of the defeat of the Gisborne teams at the Napier tournament was the Jack of cohersion in the combinations, both or tlie Gisborne and Tauranganui Clubs. For reasons .which it would. be unprofitable to discuss here tho best was not .got out of the two teams, and the rink from tho Kaiti greens in particular did not “nick” welil together. It would be futile to discuss the matter in detail, and it would possibly be difficult to accurately lay the blame , and I only mention the matter so that when a team is next chosen to represent tlie Gisborne Club special. attention wii’l lie given to tho (likeilihood of the four representatives making a harmonious combination. iNot.that there was any friction of a serious nature —there was not —but there was an absence of that complete understanding as the

result ofyAvhich a team of four plays as one man. .

Coming to the individual members of the team, tlio llqad, W. 'Petrie, did not pMy up to his reputation. He seemed to play nervously and the peculiarities of tho -greens, which, in some instances were (really extraordinary, -seemed to destroy the confidence that enables him to find tho jack so consistently on tho home green. Eure avas probably the most consistent one in the team and usually kept liis end up against the strongest opposition. Fred Martin was brilliant, at times but was likewise erratic. This Avas scarcely to bo avoiiidered at for iri-Avas too much to expect that, playing as -lie did entirely without previous practice, ho should show his best form throughout ia lengthy tournament. Crawford, the skip, was in great form early in the tournament, but the strain found -him out at the finish and in the final games his display was by no means good. -During the .tournament he did some superb drawing that won admiration from all hands and it was his fine work in this department that had a lot to do with the team’s successes in the caiier matches.

I regret to liuvo to state"'that there Avas a long Avay too much talking by the Gisborne and Tu-ranganui teams, and it is ovi-dejit that there is ground for a little quiet discussion in committee on this head. Undue verbosity on the part of players is a doubtful accomplishment and is sometimes objectionable. ° The Tunangamii team Avas handicapped by the evident nervousness of Williams, who fa.ifed entirely to do himself justice. Martin accomplished some fine drawing at the -tournament, but still needs more experience to get the best from liis men and hold his own against the champion skips. Here again tho combination did not Avork Aveiil, and the result Avas unsatisfactory.

In the citizens’ match a diversion was tried, and F. Martin played number 3 for his brother, hut the position was not improved. The Gisborne representatives were frequently .Tyring many howls in, hut the DunneA’irke players indulged in constant driving, and for once it came off, and they Avon the match. Better huiiding up by the Gisborne s-kiip might have brought, about a different result.

During the past week the Turangimui Oiu-b have kept their Bennett Cup Singles moving, i Hird is now loading for the -Cup Avith eleven wins and two losses. He has been playing good games, far different to his Cup matches of last- season, when 'he finished at the bottom of the list. Last week he got the better of. Co-1 lev by two points in a -deciding game of fifteen heads. -He has another four gimes to play, but his bout with Gandhi will have an important bearing on liis chances. The game will be keenly (looked forward to. Nasmith, sour., lias been moving forAvnrd with his matches, and has added two wins to his credit during the past week, wherein -he defeated C. J. Bennett and W. -Hay. Percy -Hall am has also done well of late, he getting the better of Nasmith, j-unr., by four points, and also Axinquishiug the irrepressible W. 11. Douglas. The latter payor, I am pleased to say, cares nothing for defeat. Although he has had eleven losses, he invariably turns to his victor -and offers to have -nnoihi-r “go.” In one case I heard the challenge was accepted, and my friend of the Cafe turned the tables on Jus victor. May good luck rest Avitli hhvi in liis other challenges! The NciJlCollev game was a good one, and keen interest was manifested when Co'.ley tied with ibis opponent on the last head. Tlie play-off proved favorable to Neill. -Somervell put up a- big fight .with Bennett, hut had to rest content Avith defeat by two points. It is expected that toe deciding games will be entered upon.during tho week, and then the competition will shortly see its close. The following is the position of the various players at the conclusion oi* the week s piny: Wins Losses

J. Colley 1 c . This week sees tho completion oi the section play in tho Handicap Fairs Last week McPherson and Ratcliff© proved too superior for Creamer and Hird. The game was a o-ood one to a certain point, and when tho former pair assumed die lead Hird made several -dead heads, but to no effect- The leads did not do too bad -as first year players but R at cliff e proved -a better skip tln.n his opponent. The following is the present, position of the layers m tho various sections:

SECTION A. Wins. Loss Neill and McSkimming ... 4 0 Nasmith and Hay ••• ••• * 1 Sawyer and Somervell ... 1- x Morse and Harris q Bennett and R- fekeet ••• x * McConnell'find Edwards ... U z . SECTION B. Wins. Loss Martin and Douglas ... 3 ( . } Hallam and Anderson ... t ' Jcune and Thelwall ... 0 1 ■Williams and Birrell ... U - W. 0. Skeet and Lewis . . U u SECTION C. Wins. Loss Ratcliff© land McPherson... 2 0 Stormont and Leydon ... 1 I Cussens and Zachanali ... 1 ” Gaudin and Bruce ... ■ V ■ u Hird and Creamer M - Colley and Hooper u 1

Clinton (Nelson) ••• 3 0 Newtown (Price) ... 2 1 Palmerston S.(Clark) 2 1 United (Jacques) ... 2 1 Ashburton (Hart) ... 1 2 "Wellington (Webb) 1 Christchurch (Rowley) 1 2 Roslvn (Scott) ... 0 3 ' NO. 2 SECTION. Wins. Losses. United (Star) ... 3 0 Ashburton(Manchester)2 • 1 Southland (Erskine) 2 1 St. Albans ('Russell) 2 1 Christchurch (Day) 2 1 Dunedin (Bcgg) 1 Sydenham (Mitchell) 0 2 3 Canterbury (Iteahall) 0 3 NO. 3 SECTION. Losses. W ins. G'hristch’ch(McDougall)2 1 North End (Wilson) 2 1 Victoria (Townsend) 2 1 Meadowbank (Taylor) 2 1. Kaiapoi (Haytnan) 1 2 Roslvn (Crawford) I 2 Newton (Hendry) 1 2 Svdehham(McOailon) 1 2 NO. 4 SECTION. Losses. Wins. Wellington (Ballinger) 3 0 Lawrence (Darton) 2 1 Canterbury (G-reig) 2 1 St. Clair (Hancock) 2 1 Yictoria(Brackenridge)l 2 GreenIsland(Buchanan)l 2 AVaimate (Goldstone) 1 Sydenham ••• 0 2 3 NO. 5 SECTION. "Wins. Losses. Dunedin (McLaren) 2 1 Kaituna (Sanders) 2 1 Roslyn (Allnutt) 2 1. St. Kilda (Cameron jr) 2 1 Caledonian (D. Smith) 2 1 Thorndon (Munro) 1 2 Grey mouth (Scoglund) 1 Palmerston N. (Nash) 0 2 3 NO. 6 SECTION. Wins. Losses. Gore (Ingram) ... 3 Southland (Lock) 2 0 1 Cliristeh’ch(Maddison) 2 ' 1 Canterbury (Marriott) 2 1 Sydenham (Chegwin) 2 1 Sfc. Albans (Johnston) 1 2 Temuka (Edwards) 0 3 Rangiora (G. Jordan) 0 3 NO. 7 SECTION. "Wins. Losses. Greenmeadows(Crowlcy)3 0 AVell i ngton (Thompson) 2 Caledonian (Collins) 2 1 1 Christchurch (Hardie) 2 1 Sydenham (Denny) 1 2 United (Stevens) ... 1 2 Sunnyside ... 1 2 Canterbury (Barlow) 0 3 NO. 8 SECTION. "Wins. Losses. Victor i'a (Cary) ... 3 •o Ti m aru (Ha rri son)... 3 0 Wellington (.Moul) 2 1 Canterbury (Hoffman) 2 1 United (Mercer) ... 1 2 Phoenix (Waddell) 1 Rangiora (Snnsom) 0 2 3 St. Albans (Bourn) 0 3 NO. 9 SECTION. Wins. Losses. Kaituna. (Payne) ... 2 1 Rangiora (Cresswell) 2 - 1 St. Albans (Parsons) 2 1 " Newtown (Prince) ... 2 1 Caledonian (Read) 2. 1 Roslyn (Wcdderspoon) 1 2

15. Bird .. 11 2 A. Sawyer — .. 11 3 J. Stormont .. 9 3 M. G. N as mi till, junr. .. 7 G M. G. Nasmith, senr. . .. 5 2 M. Neill .. 5 3 W. ltatcliflo *i C. J. Bennett .. 4 o W. J. P. Ganelin 3 0 A. Zaohariali 2 P. 11 a 111 am .. 3 2 J. Somervell 4 W. l liay 3 5 W. PI.Douglas ii J. J. Martin .. 2 i 0. F. Lewis .. 1 0 J. P. Williams 1 2 1