AUCKLAND CLUB

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 301, 20 December 1928, Page 16

AUCKLAND CLUB

There have been many surprises in the club competitions now in progress on the rinks in Graf ton Gully. In the singles championship several with established reputations, have- already been eliminated, despite the "fa«t that it is decided on the two-life system. Scantlebury and Muston have been defeated twice and last evening the club champion, Professor Maxwell Walker, had to accept his second defeat, this being at the hands of Dr. Keith Mackie. Early in the season Max. was caught on an off day and took a trouncing from one of his own erstwhile pupils, Percy Aidred, with whom he won the pairs championship a couple of seasons back, largely as the result of his clever coaching of his lead, at that time a novice. Mackie is also one of the new brigade, .who seem likely to maintain, if not increase, .the bowling prestige of the old club. Last night he jumped away with the lead and never lost it, despite the' fact that in the latter half of the game Walker was playing great bowls. At one time Mackie had a lead of Iβ to 10 in a game of 21 up, but Walker, with his back to the wall, fought in characteristic fashion and once got within two of his opponent's score. He was drawing distinctly the better at this stage, but the doctor had a disturbing facility for resting -out the shot bowl and played with rare skill and coolness. Showers, which fell during the game, interrupted play on several occasions and deadened the green, making the conditions very tricky. Among the old-timers Osmond, with two lives, is the most notable of those left in this competition. nJv be i P re «j dent ' s P»ns competition, K,Jt d *lf ekly ° n We d*esday 8 , was relead, ram compelled a cessation of play.