BOWLS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24802, 16 February 1946, Page 8

BOWLS

HEAVY RAIN MAR§ COAST CHAMPIONSHIPS

From Our Own Reporter GREYMOUTH, February 15.

Post-section play had almost completed in both the fours and pairs al the annual West Coast bowling tournament to-day when a light, soft rain set in. but this did not deter players who wished to complete the tournament, and play was continued in spite of the rain which gradually became heavier, and the semifinals in both sections, and the final in the fours, were played in almost incessant heavy rain. In spite of this handicap and unpleasant conditions, spectators saw some first-class bowling. The fours were completed to-day, but the final of the pairs will not be played until 2 o'clock to-morrow afternoon, v/hen E. Griffiths and C. Dewar (skip) (Karoro Club, Greymouth) will meet T. Bowes and W. O'Neill (skip) (Runanga). C. Spearman’s R.S.A. rink, comprising H. L. Rhodes, A. W. Ball, J. Whyte, and C. Spearman, and the Westport rink, comprising G. Blair, C. Douthett, W. Brown, and D. Francis (s) had a great tussle in the final of the fours, the score being 20 all on the twentieth head, and Francis had a narrow victory with a winning shot on the last head, to make the score Francis 21. Spearman 20. While Spearman did not play as consistently as he had done, Francis’s rink played good all-round bowls and thoroughly deserved its success.

Griffiths and Dewar were well down in their match with Lindley and McMillan until the afternoon tea adjournment, but then showed a new lease of life and put on 16 points while their opponents registered only another three. While O’Neill had a good lead early on Hughes, the latter pair gradually reduced their lead and there was only a margin of one point at the finish in favour of O'Neill .An outstanding performance was that of the veteran, C. Taylor (Sydenham), who skipped his rink to the semi-final stages in the fours championship. This is the first occasion for some time that tournament honours in both the pairs and rinks has fallen to West Coast teams. Results of to-day’s matches were:— Pairs Post-Sectional Play.—Pairs: F. Chivers and F. A. Hughes (Greymouth) 24, W. Jackson and J. Stokes (Cobden) 13; T. Bowes and W. O’Neill (Runanga) 19. A. Large and H. Blackler (Lyttelton) 17; E. Griffiths and C. Dewar (Karoro) 22. B. W. Caulton and L. G. Mercer • Greymouth) 16. Bye: L. C. Lindley and R. McMillan. Semi-finals—O’Neill 16, Hughes 15; Dewar 24, McMillan 17. Dewar and O’Neill wall play the final to-morrow. Fours Championship Post-sectional Play.—E. R. Moss (Greymouth) 20, A. Besley (Sydenham) 6, D. Francis (Westport) 14, L. G. Mercer < Greymouth) 13; C. Taylor (Sydenham) 15, F. H. Denton (Greymouth) 7; J. Hadcroft Runanga) 15, A. Miller (Lyttelton) 14; F. H. Gibson (Sydenham) 16. R. Henry (Sydenham) 11; C. Spearman (R.S.A. Christchurch) 20, V. Vitetta (Maitai. Nelson) 6. Byes: P. Mountford (Blackball) and W. G. Ives (Canterbury). First Semi-finals.—Spearman 15, Mountford 10; Ives 19, Moss 9; Francis 17, Taylor 16; Hadcroft 17, Gibson 12. • Second Semi-final.—Spearman 19, Hadcroft 11; Francis 15, Ives 11. Final.—Francis 21, Spearman 20. JUSTICES PLAY PRESIDENTS AND VICE-PRESIDENTS The annual bowls match betwen the Justices of the Peace Association and the presidents and vice-presidents of bowding dubs in Christchurch was played on the Christchurch Bowling Club’s green. It resulted in a win for the presidents and vice-presidents by 166 points to 163. ROBINSON SHIELD MATCH In a colts match played last evefuag ’ on the New Brighton Bowling Club’s j green for the Robinson Shield, New.' Brighton (G. Davis) beat Shirley (D. Rob-j ertson) by 20 points to 9.