Update 10th
December 2013.
Congratulations
to those of you who have been successful in the Club Champs so far.
There have
been some very trying playing conditions recently.
I wish you
all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year.
Bowling On
10th Dec 2013
Manawatu
Bowls interclub has all but come and gone for another season and yet again
Northern has shown it has all the playing strength.
Northern won
Division One Men's and women's and added Division Two women's for good measure.
They won't get Division Two men's though which still has one round to go owing
to the poor programming. The only two teams that don't have to turn up for the
last round are Northern and Johnston Park B who were due to play each other
with neither able to win the event.
I hate
saying "I told you so" but this scribe commented before the
competition started that it was crazy playing two rounds on the first and
second days and programming three rounds for the last day. Inevitably it was
the last day when rain interruptions occurred. Three rounds on day one and two
and it would be all over. It's a matter that for some reason the Centre doesn't
want to see sense on.
Now it is
all over I am still wondering what has been achieved in combining Division One
with Wanganui. Both centres will still send their own team onto regional finals
and there is the possible scenario that a Manawatu team could have scored more
points against the other Manawatu sides than the winner but doesn't go through
because of games against Wanganui. I don't think that has occurred but the fact
remains it could and that would not be right.
If the
experiment to combine is to be meaningful then it should be a true combining
and only one team from the two centres would proceed to regionals. That would
put steel into the contest. As it stands all it has added is a couple of
expensive bus trips.
• Because of
the way the season has been constructed most clubs will be nearing completion
of all their championships. Champion of champion events will be played through
February so for the average bowler there will only be open tournaments to look
forward to after mid- January. There are some good open tournaments on offer
during March and April and with a bit of hard work. on marketing clubs should
be able to attract full fields.
• It might
sound a way off but start thinking about your teams for the annual Hospice
tournament on 01 March and don't be afraid to drop any items you might want to
give to the auction or raffles into the Northern club. I'm sure that every club
has reason to thank the Hospice and this is payback day.
• Johnston
Park are again running their very successful pre-Taranaki men's fours
tournament on 11 and 12 January and it is the only chance in the Manawatu for
you to pay a 25 end game of fours. For me fours remains the blue ribbon event
in bowls and no greater test than 25 ends. If you have never tried it give it a
go.
• Clubs will
be welcoming the general public to twilight bowls tournaments in the new year.
Your chance to "have a go" without any commitment
That's it
from me. Bowling On has played it's last end.
TONY JENSEN
Thanks Tony.
