BOWLS Champion Of Champion Singles Tourney Begun

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28543, 24 March 1958, Page 16

BOWLS Champion Of Champion Singles Tourney Begun

Five players were left in the Christchurch Bowling Centres champion of champion singles tournament at the end of the first day’s play on Saturday, but J. Howatson (Spreydon) and N. Austin (Dallington) are a round behind the other three—G. Crossen (Cashmere), M. K. Boon (Christchurch), and J. O. Thompson (Shirley). One of the features of the day was the excellent form shown by Crossen. He gave a delightful exhibition of precision drawing, and his four wins were well deserved. S. J. Snedden (Linwood), the only South Island player nominated for the Empire Games team, was no match for Crossen in the final stage of their match. On the thirteenth head the score was 10-al 1, but excellent drawing by Crossen over the next four heads gave him a 16-10 lead with four heads left Snedden took a two on the eighteenth head, but three well-drawn shots to Crossen on the next head gave him a 19-12 lead. On the twentieth head Snedden was three shots down and with his last bowl drove and turned the head into his favour with two shots. Five down with only one head left to play, he conceded the game, 19-14. Close Match

In the last game of the day Crossen had a hard struggle with A. Charteris (Belfast). Both delighted the spectators with their accurate drawing. On the eighteenth head Crossen led 12-10, and then took a single on the next two to lead 14-10 with one head left to play. On this head Crossen was over with his first two. and Charteris drew two good shots just in front of the kitty. Charteris at this stage had a faint hope of getting four to tie, but Crossen with his third trailed the kitty away from Charteris’s bowls to hold the shot. Charteris drew close with his third, and Crossen was well over with his last.

Charteris had a chance of getting the four shots, but the shot he had to play was difficult. He had to play between his two front bowls with just sufficient strength to tufn back Crossen’s shot and its place. This shot would have brought his other three bowls into the count. Charteris attempted this shot with his last bowl, but was far too heavy and a little wide. He lost the game, 15-10. Crossen had full command of his other games—against J. W. Woods (St. Martins) and D. Manson (Hornby). C. L. Spearman (R.S.A.), who this season won all his club’s three titles, played very poorly Against J. Kelly (Christchurch W.M.C.) he played poorly until the last two heads, when he scored two threes to give him the game. Spearman then met J. Howatson (Spreydon), a former winner of the chamoion of champions pairs title. For the first eight heads Spearman could find neither his green nor weight and was completely outplayed by Howatson, who led 13-0. Spearman scored two on the next head, but Howatson was still the master of the game, and his drives were played with great accuracy. Howatson led 18-10 on the seven-

l teenth head, but Spearman took over for the next three heads to be 18-14 down with one lead left to play. On the last head Howatson was holding shot and Spearman burnt the head, but on the replay Howatson took the shot to win, 19-14. Results:—

First Round.—Opawa (R. Allison) 21, Kaiapoi (H. A. Archer) 11; Akaroa (A. G. Shuttleworth) 22, Kirwee (L. Clinton) 19; Allenton (R. P. Watson) 20, Burwood (H. N. Brown) 19; United (V. Gallagher) 19. Rangiora (B. F. Jordan) 11; Hornby (D. Manson.) 16, St. Albans (L. Tilley) 15; Elmwood (S. G. Henry) 22. Amberley (J. N. Lilley) 7; Cashmere (G. R. Crossen) 20, Sb Martins (J. W. Woods) 11; Sumner (C. J. Banfield) 18. Canterbury (W. H. Cooke) 13; Leeston (T. G. Jones) 20. Mona Vale (K. Auld) 15; Papanui (G. P. Thomas) 21, Mt. Pleasant. (J. A. Mander) 12: Linwood (S. J. Snedden) 20. Avon (R. Fuller) 9. Byes: Fendalton (C. Gilbert), Christchurch (M. K. Boon), Imperial (B. Beddis), New Brighton (C. Ell), Belfast (A. J. Charteris), Sydenham (G. Gibson), Barrington (D. H. Joseph), Beckenham (J. Gibson). South Brighton (K. G. Murray), Rakaia (N. Shannon). Riccarton (J. A. Crawford), Redcliffs (A. Page). Shirley (J. ©. Thompson). Dallington (N. Austin). Woolston (R. Smith), Sheffield (P. J. Murray), Edgeware (W. J. Burnip). Cust (J. Garrick). Spreydon (J. Howatson) R.S.A. (C. L. Spearman), Chch. W.M.C. ij Kelly). Second Round.—Hornby 19, Elmwood 15; Cashmere 19, Linwood 14; Sumner 21. Leeston 12; South Brighton 21, Papanui 16; Riccarton 19, Rakaia 15; Shirley 21, Redcliffs 8; Opawa 21, Akaroa 18; Allenton 20, United 14; Christchurch 20, FendalNew Brighton 17, Imperial 14; Belfast 20, Sydenham 18; Barrington 17. Beckenham 8; Dallington 24. Woolston 5; Edgeware 19, Sheffield 17; Spreydon 26, Cust 10; R.S.A. 19 Christchurch W.M.C. 14. a« Th jr d Round.—Cashmere 23, Hornby , Sout , t ’ Brighton 24 Sumner 7; Shirley 19 Riecarton 13: Opawa 24, Allenton 15; Christchurch 16, New Brighton Belfast 22, Barrington 10; Dallington 18. Edgeware 15Spreydon 19. R.S.A. 14 Fourth Round.—Shirley 17, South ~F lg " ton Christchurch 19, Opawa 13; Cashmere 15, Belfast 10.