Bowling Championships Triumph For Auckland

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29107, 20 January 1960, Page 11

Bowling Championships Triumph For Auckland

»pHE forty-fifth annual New Zealand Bowling Championships have not been particularly outstanding for Christchurch bowlers, and although, after Monday evening, they still had one representative “living,” other contestants lined the wayside of casualties. But it was a large casualty list, and the Christchurch centre, and province, could take pride in the excellent performance of representatives who did extremely well before the finals were reached. The Draw Such colourful players as M. Yugovich, of Beckenham, had to give best when he met a fellow centre competitor, S. J. Snedden. The game was perhaps an unfortunate one. Both players were amongst the nine left in the singles tournament, and when the second last day of the tournament began, they were the only Christchurch centre men left. They were drawn against each

other, and naturally, one had to go to the bank.

However, the centre could not cavil at such a draw, for amongst the nine players there were five Auckland players, including two from the Carlton club and two from the Balmoral club. But the two Balmoral men were drawn to play against each other . By the end of the day, with only the semi-finals and the finals to play, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch each had one representative. Christchurch representatives have done well, but not particu’arly well in these championships The centre has had its fair share of representation in the latter rounds of each of the three tournaments which go to make up the championships, but only in the singles has it had a possible chance of getting through to the finals.

Parochial pride aside, the championships must go down in the record books as a triumph for Auckland bowlers. In the fours they fought out the final, with W. P. O'Neill winning with his Carlton team over the Balmoral entry skipped by L. Franks. Minor placings were

fought out between two Dunedin centre teams.

In the pairs it was North Island all the way, with the only South Islander, H. G. Whelan, of Kew, Invercargill, eliminated early on the second day. For the final day the famous Carlton club provided combinations skipped by T. T. Skoglund and “Billy” O’Neill, together with last year’s fours winner, M. A. Marinovich, of Oratia, to fight out the first three placings. Singles In the singles, however, it was a different matter. Auckland only had one representative for the final day—the brilliant young player, R. McDonald, the greenkeeper for the Ellerslie club. Another North Islander was W. H. Hampton, of Naenae, who has been strongly tipped for the title, and the third survivor from the second to last day was Snedden. So Christchurch can take some pride in the fact that at least one of its representatives, among the almost 2000 who competed in the championships, has appeared amongst the “prize-winners.” t