1938-10-27 — Page 18

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THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 27, 1938.

INTERPORT LAWN BOWLS REVIEWED

AN IMPORTANT PROBLEM WHICH MUST BE ELIMINATED

Colony Rinks Lacked Balance

(By "SKIP")

which three new players took part and only the experienced one was good. There seems to have been a lack of balance which the critics | (myself included) failed to notice when commenting favourably on the selection of the teams..

In the last match, we had an even mixture of old and new players which would appear to be the ideal,

"REVIEWER'S" SPORTS COMMENTARY

Farr Would Not Pay

On Principle!

"I would not pay it on principle,"

SOLELY

OLELY from a playing point of view, the 20th but here again the youngsters fail

of the series of Lawn Bowls Interport matches ed, inexplicably. My sympathies are Tommy Farr told the Press Associa- between Shanghai and Hong Kong will not go they played some men who, on this pend his licence until he paid £750 to with the selectors up to a point: tion, commenting on the British Box- ing Board of Control's decision to sug- down as a very memorable one, unless it be on the year's form, were definitely worth a Promoter Sydney Hulls for breach of score of some remarkably bad play on the part of place. But others were not even contract, and ten guineas costs for his

thought of by the press in their unsuccessful appeal. the local team and some great work by Hugh Wal-forecasts, lace, the Shanghai Captain.

So.

STRICKEN WITH NERVES That most of the new players were stricken with nerves, there them seemed over-anxious to do well can be no doubt. Whilst most of

before he (Schmeling) had met Joe

Louis..

"It may be," he said, "that I shall never want to go back to England, and, with the B.B.B.C. disliking me as they do, it is immaterial to me if I never But the result of the first game will probably continue to lend itself to further discussion both in Shanghai and this Colony. Had

fight in England again."

Farr said he had tried to show the each side secured a win in the last two matches, a very unsatisfac-

Joe Jacobs, Max Schmeling, and others, B.B.B.C. affidavits from Mike Jacobs, tory state of affairs would have resulted, for our visitors would have retained the Prentice Cup without actually winning it; and had on their own green, feeling that proving that it was impossible for him the decision not to play that extra head been correct, quite rightly knew every

the onlookers thought that as they to fight Schmeling in September 1937,

because Farr was one blade of grass

of the men But on what grounds the H.K.L.B.A. will attempt to vindicate THEY were to be strength of the on it,

Schmeling had contracted not to fight itself I cannot imagine.

team. I suggest, as I did before, The Umpire was undoubtedly, six players which the Northern that a series of trial matches would in the wrong, of that there can port can produce, just as the Colony have helped the Selection Commit- be no doubt, and as he was act- cannot itself send the pick of its tee considerably, especially in ing as an official of the Associa-players when they visit Shanghai: eliminating those who had not the tion for the day, the home club It all depends on who can obtain "big match" temperament. The an- having been deputed to appoint leave of absence. Two of Shanghai's xiety of playing for a place in the ALTHOUGH bad weather ruined Umpires, slight embarrassment original team had to drop out at the team, before a body of critics, would Yorkshire's home cricket matches last may be caused, to the H.K.L.B.A. last minute, it will be remember-be something akin to that of play-season were £7,328-6137 higher than should the Shanghai Lawn Bowls ed, although I do not wish to suging in the match, though I do not Association take the matter up. gest that the substitutes may not

say this would be the same, nor I do not think it will as the rule have been equally good. That is be- would the test prove infallible, as allows of no misinterpetation as far side the point.

all of us are liable to an off day. But it would have helped.. as I can see and, therefore, no special ruling for the Interport series is called for.

"

TO BE COMMENDED

Yorkshire Gates Are Up

many gates, the net. receipts at

in 1937. Total attendances numbered 2,000 more than the previous summer. four matches there drawing

Sheffield had the biggest gates, the nearly 90,000 people. Entertainment tax ab- sorbed £4,232, and the percentage al- lowance to clubs on whose grounds matches were played cost £4,000,

The full Leeds amounted to £14,189,

Test match receipts at

and the.. paying spectators numbered 75,614. Entertainment tax took over £2,000, Australians' share was £8,955, and that match expenses more than £1,000, the of the English Board of Control £7.021.

was a splendid shot which enabled U. M. Omar to pick out, perfectly I may add, Shanghai's nearest wood. U. M. Omar, although brilliant on this occasion as he was on several others, was not as full of fire as he

But it does strike me as if the home port is obtaining an unfair

SHOULD NOT HAVE PLAYED advantage by adhering to this prac-

In the first match, Coates was by tice, and I would like to see it ele-no means himself and the fact that I may add, in parenthesis, that minated as would many other lawn he literally dropped three or four the official was not appointed by the bowlers in the Colony. As the of his woods, gives one the im-

of the players for the home club for the last game of the selection

pression that it would have been matches was series, in spite of the fact that it various

obviously better for the team had he stood had been laid down by the made with the above aim, I cast no down, though I would be the last to H.K.L.B.A., that it had to do so. The aspersions on players who have

suggest that he played from a sel- home club, after the fiasco of the practised so assiduously, nor on fish motive, or that he doubted his first game, perhaps did not feel rinks which have gone to some

own fitness for the occasion. that they had a player competent trouble to play practice matches on

*Of Dallah I have already spoken: to do justice to the position: in the green on which they were to Jock McKelvie on his own green, which case it is to be commended play their official game some days was poor and found the green much for its honesty.

later!

faster than he had ever known it (was) of old. to be. B. W. Bradbury played a use-

WAS REALLY GOOD ful game and was second only to Of the Shanghai team, Hugh Wal- Dallah in his consistency, coupled lace was outstanding throughout and, after the first game at Crai- shot he drew to place Hong Kong gengower, he wisely reserved him- within striking distance of the self for the three big matches be- enemy, was a peach.

fore indulging in the friendlies with which the programme was inter- spersed.-

Or the Club may have been

LACK OF BALANCE prompted, having regard to the Regarding the players, of the six constitution of the Colony's rink, to new caps it can be said without decline the honour as it is to be fear of contradiction that only with some brilliance: That fifth noted that three Club de Recreio Dallah made good and he did. it players were supporting U. M. with an emphasis which was re Omar.

markable, considering that he was ELIMINATES THIS PRACTICE the star player in a rink consisting This practice of playing players of three old hands. Or was it per- on their own green does not seem haps that he was amongst experi- to me

to be quite "cricket," al-enced players that he played his though there is no rule against of normal League game? There may course. Our visitors, it must be ad- be something in that if we cast a mitted, can never comprise the best thought to the second match, in

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LEAST SAID THE BETTER Of the second match the least said the better, as regards the Co- Tony Gutierrez was his next best lony players. The opposition must man he played a consistently good have been as disappointed as the game in all his matches. Joe Lopes spectators at the poor exhibition by like the above two, played in all the Teddy Fincher and Jack Hollidge games, but after the first gave way and, in a slightly lesser degree, to K. L'R. Swartzell and played as Leonard Xavier. The third man and second man, where he put in some skip apparently received their pretty shots. baptism of fire when holding top Swartzell, I would say, was steády responsible positions, and it might without being brilliant and more have been better to have initiated than held his own in the two them as second men, with more ex-matches in which he played which perienced backings. We live and, I is not as complimentary as it is hope, learn.

meant to be, if read in conjunction In the final game, which was with my notes on his opponents. played last Saturday, Shanghai But then the better the opposition, fully deserved their win, although he better one usually plays. as was the case in the first game, W. J. MacDermott did not seem the Colony made a great ́ recovery able to adapt himself to the greens late in the game and did enough here and played in only one, Inter- to make the visitors sit up and take port game: whilst Bill Brierley was notice. Joe Luz was not impressive, not consistent enough to command whilst FX. Silva was also poor, a place," which was a pity ng he apart from a good, if too heavy, played some good shots in some of shot which laid the foundation for the unofficial games.. the Colony's late count of five. C. Shanghai were worthy winners: G. Silva was as unlucky as it was They have a splendid team spirit possible for a bowler to be, but he and an inspiring Captain in Hugh stuck to his guns and never gave Wallace, who held them well to-

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