MARTIN SHINES AGAIN

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 3, 4 January 1941, Page 6 (Supplement)

MARTIN SHINES AGAIN

Rinks Champion.

OCTOGENARIAN IN FINAL. Three Records Established In Christmas Tourney. (By TRIJNDLER.) THREE records are claimed for the Christmas tournament of the Auckland Centre: 76 rinks competed, against 66 last year; 27 qualified, against 13 last year; and the whole tournament enjoyed the finest Christmas weather that any competitor can remember. The final on New Year s Day resulted in W. Pearce, C. Wilson, W. A. Lancaster, J. S. Martin (Carlton) defeating T. Tudhope, F. J. Sanderson (substitute for R. Q. Rainger), L. L. Macey, J. C. Duncan (Rcmuera) by 23 to 11, which is the exact score to the credit of J. I. Griffiths (Grey Lynn), whose rink de-; feated Maxwell Walker's Auckland team in last year s final.

With regard to Saiideivon replacing tho original player for the post-section play, although he is probably only a few months, under four score years, he occupied tlie same position on the only previous occasion that a Rcmuera rink lias reached the final in this tournament. That was in 1017, when he was a "mere youth"' of 56, the result being: J. Druinmond, 0. Pelhniii, J. C. Wilson, M. Walker (Ponsonby) 20. v. S. W. Somcrfield. F. J. Sanderson, A. R. Graham, X. Mcßobie (Reinfiera) IS. Xaturally the veteran was warmly congratulated on Wednesday when spectators saw haw well he had retained hie earlior form. Tho success of the whole team promises well for a. good performance in Christchurrh, where, the whole original U-am will go into action on Monday week. Four Brothers in Team. Even more may l>e paid of .T. S. Martin's prospects in Christchurch, if his three brothers aro able to give him equal support to that lie received from Carlton members, for his own sJiare towards tho win was noteworthy. It had nood to be, for Duncan eurprifCd his best friends by his numerous recoveries from awkward positions, only to find Martin slipping in or saving with his last bowl.

it is hard to decide which skip received tho stionpT support, for many heads appeared to I>e of spread-eagle tle*,ijrn, but thin wns usually on purpose, eaeli skip calling for position bowls in prefcrtMne to actual counters, realising that his opponent would only execute :i trail or a drive if there was a weak spot at the back. This was an equally prominent feature of the semi-final. against If. B. Jeiikin's ( arlton rink, playing this week in the same order as in recent one-day tournaments, with

<i accuracy which caused no surprise when they were found still in action on Wednesday. In each gam* there was much more call for strategy than usual, each side paying this compliment to the capacity of their opponents' execution. Close Sixth Round Decisions. The only disappointment on Wednesday was the early dominance of Martin in securing such a substantia] score in the final as to reduce the opportunities for strategy in the latter part of the game, whereas the previous afternoon the. decision in each game in the sixth round remained in doubt until the very laet bowl was played. Against Mangcre the ultimate champion ha<l tied on the nineteenth end and held the shot on the next, jack high, and less than a foot away. T. H. Mitchell and T. T. Skoglund each u=ed both bowls firmly for a trail, with every chance of stopping on the shot bowl for three, if they happened to be a little wide. How they got through without connecting is a mystery, but the jack

Ftayed there, to Martin chuel W hand and promoted a shorthoeim two. It wa* much the same oalStW end, only Martin «■«. hoidinjr £2f Cox (Stanley), and in the final end the positsL-2 quently changed uutil Duncan hdaJ* actually touching the white, a superb drive, apparently pcrfJTS there wa> a general scatter 2 2 jack eventually came to rest aaeJ? Remuera bowl, to give DuncaaTwfcf Equally frequent consultation* the game between F. E S Ueliers) and Jeukin. until l-i all. and Jenkiu himself had the winning shot. J^ A good welcmo was s\\ n iM Stewart s Malamata rink W T?T Hunts learn fro,,, <Jid well to until the fiftM J fourth rounds respectivelr. The e2 of C. Lymhum's Hamilton rint wS fo spectacular, but against snA 2 comjiany I hoy did α-w well to afe-uT the post action play'at all, moFS the same may be said for HawkhjTS party from Frankton.