ADVANCED PLAY IN FOURS

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25709, 22 January 1949, Page 8

ADVANCED PLAY IN FOURS

BOWLS

FORMER CHAMPIONS DEFEATED

SPEARMAN LOSES HARD GAME

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, January 21. Heads were rolling freely at the Carlton. Remuera, and Balmoral greens today when the opening rounds of postsection play in the New Zealand Bowling Association’s annual fours championship were decided. Among former champions defeated to-day were Bremner (Carlton), a double winner in 1924 and 1929; Franks (Balmoral), 1939 champion; Spearman (Sydenham), 1944 title-holder; Engebretsen (Heretaunga), winner in 1945; and White (Runanga), champion of 1946. Weather and playing conditions were as near perfect as could be expected, with bright sunshine yid very little wind. All three greens were in first-class playing condition. . The defending champion team skipped by Mingins (Onehunga) was not greatly troubled to score two wins at the expense of S. A. Woods (Tauranga) in the morning round, and Girand (Glen Massey) by 30-20, in the afternoon round. Mingins got a quick start against Girand: but the latter tied the scores 11-all after 12 heads when he got three and five on successive ends. For a period Girand held Mingins. but the Onehunga front men suddenly found touch and. with Robertson (Mingins’ number three) driving accurately when called upon, the champions ran up a handy lead, Mingins himself playing very fine bowls with just a shade of the luck which was essential for any team to win a championship. Another former champion combination, the Crowley brothers four (Tolaga Bay), 1947 winners, came through with two wins, although well pushed by Harkness’s team from Taupiri. In the afternoon the Crowley’s were outdrawn over the first 12 heads. Only the fine driving of Hurlestone, their number three, saved the day. Hurlestone drove 10 times in the match and killed nine heads. From the twentieth head, when the Crowleys were leading 18- they went steadily ahead for a 27-16 Spearman met his match in the after" noon game against Benson (Balmoral). At afternoon tea the score was 11-all after 14 heads, but on resumption Benson scored on six heads in. succession to take the lead by 20-11. The margin was too great for Spearman, who wasted many bowls in driving, and the final score of 25-15 scarcely gave Spearman the credit for the great fight he put up. Engebretsen had a tense battle with the Te Aroha four skipped by Buchan this afternoon. Buchan played a very long match against Morris (Whitiora) this morning. The game lasted over four and a half hours, with the result that the match with Engebretsen was considerably delayed. Waiting seemed to unsettle Engebretsen and his men, who, for the first time in the tournament, were clearly outdrawn by the Te Aroha players. Over the last five heads Engebretsen began to show his former drawing powers, rriatcning consistently the fine play of the Te Aroha number two, Wearne, and number three, Callaghan; but whenever Engebretsen was lying a shot drove to kill the head, and won the game by a 19- margin when Engebretsen failed m two of the last three ends to draw his shot.

Fleming, skip of the Newtown combination which defeated a powerful Carlton team skipped by the veteran Bremner, is now a highly-favoured prospect for this year’s title. After playing consistenly fine bowls since the beginning of the tournament, Fleming distinguished himself to-day, and each of his front men gave him plenty of support. Tne skill of the Carlton lead, two, and three, generally built up a lead on the head when the skips changed over; but Fleming produced saving and scoring draws with remarkable regularity. Bremner himself was weakest of the Carlton four. His failure to save when his team left him four down in the twenty-first head was his most costly mistake. Fleming did not attempt to touch the head, but merely laid highly-effective blocks for Bremner. who was unable to reply. After this head the score in Fleming's favour was 21-16. and he went on to win 25-17 on the twenty-fourth head. He played a great shot with his last bowl to remove a toucher by Bremner and lie two shots. A feature of the day’s play was the number of games won by marking a single point, and many hard-luck stories were being told in the dressing-rooms at the encl of the day. Four pairs matches, deferred from last Saturdav, were played, and proved a triumph for the Inglewood player. W. Spurdie. He had three games for three wins, including a convincing one over the unbeaten singles player, J. Pirrett, jun., of Tuakau, by 21-16. The following are results of the first day of post-section play in the New Zealand Bowling Association’s fours championship played on the Carlton, Remuera, and Balmoral greens, Auckland, to-day, in perfect bowling weather: —

Balmoral First Round.—Tyndall (St. Heliers) 24, Hawthorne (Balmoral) 20; Wooton (Pukekohe) 24, Hickman (Sydenham) 21; Hammond (Kaitaia) 35. Warneford • (Grey Lvnn) 16; Taylor (Manawatu) 27, Budd (Rotorua) 25; Girand (Glen Massey) 28, Boag (Kensington) 17; Mingins (Onehunga) 24, Woods (Tauranga) 20; Harkness (Taupiri) 28, Davenport (Tepapapa), 12: Crowley (Tolaga Bay) 26, Cullen (Thomdon) 14: Moon (Tepapapa) 26. Clinkard (St. John’s, Wanganui) 19; Hill (Balmoral) 22, Russell (Upper Hutt) 18; Brown (West End) 21, Mac Nay (Whangarei) 19; Piper (Maitai) 28, McCowan (Epsom) 27; Gifford (Balmoral) 24. Leather (Takapuna) 14; Hosking (Carlton) 27. Stevenson (Rangiriri) 14. Second Round.—Wooton 24, Tyndall 17; Hammond 35, Taylpr 10; Mingins 30, Girand 20; Crowley 27, Harkness 16; Hill 22, Moon 20; Brown 23, Piper 18; Gifford 26, Hosking 15.

Remuera First Round. —Benson (Balmoral) 21, Shirley "(St. Heliers) 20; Spearman (Sydenham) 25, Russell (St. Heliers) 21; Franks (Balmoral) 30, Somervell (Ponsonby) 18; Pilkington (Hamilton) 28, Giles (Kelburn) 20; Bradley (Ponsonby) 26, Walker (Kahutia) 20; Exelby (Frankton Junction) 27, Johnsqn (Port Ahuriri) 15; Gardiner (Otahuhu) 22, De Launay (Carlton) 21; Fisher (Remuera) 18. Martyn (Nelson) 17; Ritchie (Rocky Nook) 31, Jephson (Ellerslie) 21; Potter (Tauranga, 26. Thompson (Hillsboro) 21; McMurchy (Grey Lynn) 26, Stirling (Remuera) 21: Hayes (Edendale) 31, O’Connor (Ohaupo) 24; Watts (Hataitai) 31, Haworth (Wanga-

nui East) 20; Harland (Remuera) 25, Finer (Henderson) 24. Second Round.—Benson 25, Spearman 15; Pilkington 27, Franks 26; Exelby 26, Bradley 25; Gardiner 24, Fisher 20; Potter 26, Ritchie 18; Hayes 30, McMurchy 26; Watts 22, Harland 20.

Carlton First Round.—Hawkins fParitutu) 35, Smith (Papatoetoe) 15; Paton (Central Cambridge) 26, Ball (Marton) 22. Second Round.—Hawkins 27, Paton 22; Ewing (Stratford) 27, L. C. Travers (Christchurch) 18; Donaldson (Ponsonby) 32. Munro (Waitemata) -26; Platt (Papakura) 29, Marinovich (Oratia) 21; Blackwell (Putaruru) 21, North (Papatoetoe) 20; Bowden (Rawhiti) 26, Christian (Otaki Railway) 18; Healey (Waimate South) 31, Arden (Grey Lynn) 9; Skoglund (Otahuhu) 33, Donald (Hillsboro) 21; Meredith (Balmoral) 26. Rowe (Ponsonby) 20; Brodie (Mount Albert) 20, Wilson (Mount Eden) 19; Somervell (Kahutia) 28, Mannix (Waihi) 19; Jenkin (Carlton) 25, O’Neill (Auckland) 21; Buchan (Te Aroha > 27, Morris (Whitiora) 26; Engebretsen (Heretaunga) 28, Smith (Helensville) 22; Fleming (Newtown) 27. Smith (Ponsonby) 17, Bremner (Carlton) 28, Mattar (Thorndon) 16; Neve (Hallyburton Johnston) 28. Burridred (Mangere) 24; Vodanovrch (Dargaville) 36. (St. Heliers) 14. Third Round.—Donaldson 27. Platt 13, Bowden 22, Blackwell 16; Skoglund 33, Healey 17; Meredith 24, Brodie 10; Somervell 29, Jenkin 20; Buchan 19. Engebretsen 16; Fleming 24, Bremner 17; Neve 26, Vodanovich 22.

Pairs Games Pairs championship games deferred since last Saturday and played to-day rebUTenth Round—J. Pirrett (Tuakau) 18, A. F. Wills (Walton) 14; W. Spurfl® (Inglewood) 22, N. Macdonald (Hutt) 17. Eleventh Round.—Spurdie 21. Pirrett 16. Twelfth Round.—Spurdie 24, F. Jone® (Kensington) 17.

WOMEN’S GAMES AT SHIRLEY Two rinks visited Shirley recently in the women’s mid-week matches, a rinK from United, Mesdames Griffiths and Bprness and Misses Hungerford and Lane (s) beat Mesdames EStell, Atkinson. Gibson, Johns (s). Beckenham, Mesdames Wardlaw, Dale, Faulks, and McLean (s) beat Mesdames Clarke, Wylie, Shaw, and Hadley (s)'.