DOMINION BOWLS TOURNEY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22306, 21 January 1938, Page 17

DOMINION BOWLS TOURNEY

A NEW SINGLES

CHAMPION

HASTINGS PLAYER'S SUCCESS CHRISTCHURCH PAIR IN FINALS (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELKCrKA.iI.) DUNEDIN, January 20. By beating G. C. Clarldge (St. Kilda) in the final of the singles championship of the New Zealand Bowling Association. W. P. Bennett (Hastings) took the first of the three titles to be won at the tournament to the North Island. To-day wan the second last day of the tournament, and the singles championship was carried through from the quarter-final stage, the pairs to a stage at which one finalist has been found, and the rinks to the semifinals. J. R. Smith and H. B. Oakey (Elmwood) will play the pairs final tomorrow against one of the other four pairs left in the competition, and the links title will be decided between H. Wilson (Linwood), who has two lives, R. K. Aitchlson (Caledonian). L. J. Bull (Hawera), and D. H. Thomson (Phoenix), each of whom is a one-lifer. Bennett won the singles title on merit. The final was his only singles game of the day, but Claridge. the other finalist, had previously met and beaten T. R. MacGillivray (Roslyn) and T. Edwards i Temuka). He won comfortably against MacGillivray by 16 points to 8, and also scored a convincing win against Edwards, 20-12. Both players In this game were suffering from injuries received during tournament play. Obviously Edwards's form was affected by the strained knee which caused him to retire from the rink 3 championship in Its early stages, and he did not produce the bowls which had made him favourite for the title. Claridge ricked an ankle in his game with MacGillivray, but he played splendid bowU against Edwards, and again in the second half of the final. However, Bennett played bowls of an extremely high standard, drawing with remarkable consistency, and proved himself a worthy champion The Pairs The four pairs from which the team to meet Smith and Oakey in the final will be found are P. Delargey and P Munn (Canterbury). A. G. Honcyman anO A. J. Walker (Otago). S. J. Sneddon and II Wilson (Linwood >. and R. B. Clarke and C. E. Tyrrell (Roslyn). Thp rinks games to-day provided some hiyhlv interesting bowls, and some very close'finishes. W. A. Britten (Sydenham), who had two lives when the afternoons plav was begun, was eliminated in successive games, and Wilson is now the only two-lifer left in the championship Aitchison lost his first life to Wilson in the sixth round of post-sectional play, but he plaved such good bowls in all of nu games "that he is still a strong contender. Thomson, the veteran Invercarglll and Oamaru skip. Is in impressive form, ana he too has a strong rink. Bull had two verv hard games, winning the second against G. E. Piper (Maitai) in an exciting extra Head. Wilson was extended bv Aitchlson, but his form has entitled him to the ranking of favourite for the title which he won in the Dunedin do- j minion tournament four years ago. i Results ! Results were:— SINGLES QUARTER-FINAL ; G. C. Claridge (St. Kiida) 13, T. R. Mac- ; , Gillivray (Roslyn) 8. j SEMI-FINAL | ' Claridge 20. T. Edwards (Temuka I 12. ! W. D. Bennett ( Hastingsi. a bye. FINAL Bennett 17, Claridge 15. i PAIRS I SEMI-FINAL J. R. Smith and H. B. Oakey tElmwood) 26, H. Belcher and E. Longworth (St. Kilda) 13 RINKS Two-Life Division FOURTH ROUND Wilson (Linwood), a bye. Britten (Sydenham) 23. Foster (Caversham) 19. Aitchison (Caledonian) 19, Thompson (Phoenix) 8. FIFTH ROUND Aitchison 23, Britten 21. Wilson 27, Thompson (one-lifer) 7. SIXTH ROUND Wilson 19. Aitchison 14. j One Life Division , FOURTH ROUND Marks (Christchurch) 21, Veitch (West Harbour) 19; Bull (Hawera) 22, Webster (Kaituna) 11; Dowland (St. Kilda) 25, Ferguson (Balmacewan) 21; Thomson (Balmacewan) 18, Carswell (Taieri) 16; Piper (Maitai) 18. Tyrrell (Roslyn) 14. FIFTH ROUND Bull 18. Marks 14. i Piper 19. Dowland 13. | D. Thomson 25, Foster 22. j SIXTH ROUND ) Bull 21, Piper 20. Thomson 16 Britten 13.