BOWLS Hampton And Buchan Finalists In N.Z. Fours

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28182, 22 January 1957, Page 10

BOWLS Hampton And Buchan Finalists In N.Z. Fours

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 21. A schoolmaster, who in the last few days has skipped an important meeting of the Educational Institute, tomorrow will meet another schoolmaster, who teaches subjects as diverse as mathematics, dairy science and music, in the final of the fours championship of the New Zealand bowling tournament at Carlton.

The one is W. N. Hampton, whor at the beginning of the new term! will take command of the Naenae. Intermediate School. The other | is M. R. Buchan, who has been a member of the staff of the Te Aroha High School for the last 12 years. Hampton this morning defeated W. L. Grace, of Rawhiti, and in the afternoon outplayed the Tauranga team entered in the name of J. H. Mingins and skipped by A. Govorko. Buchan first defeated M. Pivac. of Mission Bay. and then outdrew the Papatoetoe team entered in the name of V. Smytheman and skipped by B. North. In between times, Govorko scored a sensational victory by stupendous driving against A. Connew. of Carlton, and Smytheman. holding four on* the board, improved the last end with a 3 against W. M. Loveridge. | of Rewa, Mat a mata. In the play-off for third and fourth i place in the singles, F. Ravlic. ofi Epsom, got home a comfortable winner against J. M. Morris, of Hamil- : ton, who was playing his thirtysitxh match of the tournament. Finalists’ Record Hampton is a vice-president of the New Zealand Educational Institute. He had a year at bowls away back in 1928. He then took to t e country, mostly North Canterbury, for 10 years of teaching and playing cricket, and it was not until just betore the war that he returned to bowls. Hampton, a year ago. won the Wellington champion of champions singles title.

Buchan has been a bowler for 29 years. Some 12 or 13 years ago, while teaching at Hawera, he was three for the celebrated M. J. Squire in a team which finished second in the national fours. He has won about 15 club championships and various centre championships. The great match of the morning was the defeat of Connew by Govorko. Carlton has never yet produced a winner of the fours championship, and Connew’s team managed to look tolerably happy when I the score was 21-15 with six heads [ to play. Seven Drives Govorko, a powerful forestry overseer, who has been working in the bush for 18 years and who emerged from it only a fortnight before the tournament in order to practise, seven times was ordered by Mingins to drive. Four of these shots were played Ir. the last three ends. Two were i on the second to last head, the first to take out one shot bowl and the second another. With the last drive, the gallery applauded politely enough until everyone suddenly and collectively appreciated the superlative quality of the shot. Then the applause spontaneously took on the additional character of a most genuine tribute. Govorko, the supremely-skilled driver of the morning, misfired on

11 each of the first two heads with ' Hampton in the semi-final result. A ’i 4 on the first head and a 3 on the : second, both to Hampton. He got a i 3 on the third. A little later, Govorko scored a 6 to bring the score up to 11-13. From 11-13 the score went to 11-18, and although Govo’ko by the sixteenth head had raised the score to 16-25. he did not score again. Eight heads were killed, four of them by Govorko, but the excitement of these could not interrupt the steady domination of the game by Hampton. Results of play today—the thirteenth day of the tournament—were: Singles Championship Match for third and fourth placings: F. Ravlic (Epsom) beat J. M. Morris (Hamilton), 21-15. Fours Championship Quarter-finals ’ M. R. Buchan (Tui Park, Te Aroha) . beat M. Pivac (Mission Bay), 26-15. [ V. Smytheman (Papatoetoe) beat W. M. Loveridge (Rewa, Matamata), 25-19. I W. N. Hampton (Naenae) beat W. JL. Grace 'Rawhiti), 29-19. I J. H. Mingins (Tauranga) beat A. Connew (Carlton). 24-23. Semi-finals Buchan beat Smytheman, 21-14. Hampton beat Mingins, 35-16.