BOWLS Christchurch And Papanui In Final Of Easter Fours Tourney

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27632, 13 April 1955, Page 15

BOWLS Christchurch And Papanui In Final Of Easter Fours Tourney

The Christchurch Bowling Centre’s Easter tournament was continued yesterday when the post-section play was reduced to the final. Conditions were all that could be desired for good bowling and some excellent games were seen during the day. The Sydenham four, skipped by Joseph, was beaten by Sheard (Woolston). Woolston went away to a good start and led 14-2 on the eighth head and further increased the lead to be 17-4 up on the twelfth. At this stage Sydenham seemed to be in a hopeless position as there were only four heads left to play. However, Sydenham staged one of the greatest recoveries seen during the tournament and over the next four heads they scored one, four, five and three to bring the score level 17-17 on the last head. To find the winner an extra head had to be played. On this head Skelton, who was substituting for Lowry, the Sydenham number two, drew the shot and it remained undisturbed until the last bowl. Sheard with his first tried to rest back the shot bowl, but only promoted one of his own to have two second shots. With his last bowl he removed one of his own bowls, which ran on to the shot bowl to move it out, and he was one up and won 18-17. Good, even bowling was seen in the game between Kebby (Riccarton) and Chamberlain (Canterbury). Canterbury scored more frequently than Riccarton, but in smaller numbers. The, score on the ninth head was 9-all, Riccarton scoring on three heads and Canterbury on six. Riccarton then went on to lead 13-9 on the eleventh, but a five on the next head to Canterbury gave them the lead 14-13. Five on the next two heads to Riccarton them a lead of four with only two heads to play. On these Canterbury got four to tie and on the extra head Riccarton held one shot to win.

Low-scoring Game In a very low-scoring game Colville (Edgeware) beat McGarry (Christchurch) 13-10. On the seventh head McGarry led 5-2, singles being scored on each head. Over the next four ends Colville scored eight to lead 10-5 and on the fourteenth head was 13-7 up. Requiring six to tie on the next two heads McGarry could get only three.

A game where fours were frequent was seen between two Sydenham skips. Smith and Hickman. Smith opened with two fours and a single. Then a four and two singles to Hickman left him 6-9 down on the sixth end, but Smith went further into the lead and was 16-8 up on the eleventh end. Five on the next two heads to Hickman bridged the gap considerably, but he was unable to keep up the scoring. Over the last three heads Smith scored four to Hickman’s one and won 20-14 Taylor (Phoenix, Oamaru) was in complete command in his game against Rennie (Fendalton) and led 16-6 on the ninth end, and increased his lead i 22-8 up on the thirteenth. From then on he did not score while Rennie added another seven to his total, to lose 22-15.

Watkins (Christchurch), one of the finalists, ran up a big total to lead 16-1 over Leggat (Fendalton) on the tenth head, and over the remaining heads eight to Leggat and six to Watkins left him the winner 22-9. Watkins did not have it all his own way in his next game against Sheard (Woolston) in the latter stages of the game. Watkins again went away to a good start and on the ninth head led 13-3, and was still o * n on the thirteenth, being 16-8 up A five on the next head to bheard left him down with two heads to play. Watkins took a single on the next and on the last Sheard scored three, but it was not enough and he went down 17-16.

In the semi-final between Colville (Edgeware) and Watkins very even play was seen for the first seven heads when Colville led 5-4, but five on the next two heads to Watkins gave him the lead 9-5. From then on he kept in an< * Wl th two heads to play was 12-10 up On the last two heads Wattook a single on each to win 14-10.

w ith a four Cowles (Papanui), the other finalist, remained on & U^ for z4^ e next three heads while Kebby (Riccarton) took a single on each to be down 3-4. Then a three to Cowles gave him a four lead which was recovered by Kebby on the next head when he scored four. Singles to each over the next six ends left them 10-aH at the end of 12 heads. From then on Cowles drew away and with one head to play was 16-10 up. Requiring six to tie on the last head Kebby could get only three, leaving Cowles the winner 16-13.

Cowles, in the semi-final against bmith (Sydenham), again left his run Je , e few ends when he won 15-11. The scoring was very even and on the fifth end they were 5-all. Then Smith moved ahead to be 9-6 up on the eighth, but four on the next three heads to Cowles gave him a 10-9 lead on twelfth. Smith evened the score on the next. A two and a single to Cowles left him 13-10 up with two heads to play, Smith taking a single on the next and requiring three to win

on the last. Smith was two down when the skips went down to play their bowls and it was very difficult to tf raw two shots. After failing with his first bowl he played a luziinng shot with his last and disturbed the head, but Cowles still held two shots. The teams to contest the final on the Barrington green this morning are: C. Smith, R. Bond, C. H. Manning and G. H. Cowles (Papanui) and A. Macdonald, C. Brown, A. Duff and A. Watkins (Christchurch). Results:— Second Round.—Cowles (Papanui) 22. Ashton (Canterbury) 15; Kebby (RiccarChamberlain (Canterbury) 18; Smith (Sydenham) 20, Hickman (Sydenham) 14; Besley (Sydenham) 17, Giles (Belfast) 9; Sheard (Woolston) 48, Joseph (Sydenham) 17; Watkins (Christchurch) 22, Leggat (Fendalton) 9; Taylor (Phoenix Oamaru) 22, Rennie (Fendalton) 15; Colville (Edgeware) 13, McGarry (Christchurch) 10. Third Round.—Cowles 16. Kebby 13; Smith 16, Besley 14; Watkins 17, Sheard 16; Colville 19, Taylor 16. Semi-final.—Watkins 14, Colville 10; Cowles 15, Smith 11.