BOWLS N.Z. Women’s Tourney: Semi-Finalists Decided

Press, Volume C, Issue 29436, 11 February 1961, Page 11

BOWLS N.Z. Women’s Tourney: Semi-Finalists Decided

(New Zealand Preae Auociation)

DUNEDIN. Feb. 10.

Three South Island fours and one from the North Island will take part in the semifinals of the New Zealand bowling championship at the Otago Women's Club's greens at Logan Park tomorrow morning. The field was reduced to this number today with a further two rounds of post-section play held in mild but wet conditions, with rain falling for part of the day. Otago has two teams in the semi-finals, skipped by Mrs A. Whale (Mornington) and Mrs R. Glue (North-East Valley). The other fours are Marewa, skipped by Mrs M Nicol, and Spreydon. headed by Mrs C. Lees. Mrs Nicol has won the championship twice, and Mrs Whale was runner-up in 1958. Tomorrow morning Mrs Glue will play Mrs Nicol and Mrs Whale will play Mrs Lees. The final will be played in the afternoon.

The fourth-round game between Mrs Nicol and Mrs C O’Brien (Waverley) was dramatic. At the ninth end the experienced Marewa four had won only one end, and was down 13-2. Pouring rain made drawing difficult, and when it ceased the players had to contend with a drying green. From the tenth, Mrs Nicol took singles at the next six ends but at the end of the nitieteenth was still down, 13-14.

On the twentieth there was some excellent drawing, and Mrs Nicol herself took out the opposing shot bowl. She followed this by trailing the jack to lie four shots, and although Mrs O’Brien played a splendid last bowl to take out the shot bowl she was unable to stop a 4. A 2 at the last end put the issue beyond doubt for the Marewa four, after probably the most exciting match of the tournament. In the conditions the standard of

play was particularly high, and was marred only by the inability of some of the players to grip their bowls. Kalapai Beaten

In the morning Mrs Nicol had been in front throughout the match with the Katapoi four skipped by Mrs G Smith, to win 25-13. This game was more closely contested than the score may indicate. Mrs Whale, skipping the Mornington four, was another who was fortunate enough to score a 4 at the vital nineteenth in the match with Mrs C. Keen (Meadowbank). Mrs Keen won 13 of the 21 ends and was down 16-18 when Mrs Whale scored her 4. Mornington won. 23-17. Although the Spreydon four skipped by Mrs Lees had a good win. 23-10. against Mrs A. Swansons four from Kew, Invercargill, the game was much closer than the scores may indicate. Earlier Mrs Lees had beaten a Canterbury four skipped by Mrs A. Petrie (Rangiora). Mrs Glue had a desperate fight for her place in the semi-finals for she dropped a 7 at the fifteenth when leading 16-9. against Mrs G. Willson .(Shirley). The score went to 18-all at the eighteenth, and then, as in two of the other games, came a 4 at the nineteenth when Mrs Glue herself capitalised on the good drawing of her team-mates by sending in her own bowl for a shot. Results were:

Third Round.—G Willson (Shirley) 21. M Morgan-Roberts (St. Clair) 12; R Glue (Northeast Valley) 19. M Neilson (Burwood) 13: C. O’Brien (Waverley. Southland) 21. J Sangwell (Riverside) 19: M. Nicol (Marewal 25. G. Smith (Kalapol) 13; D. Keen (Meadowbank > 18. D. Strang (Middlemarch) 16; A. Whale (Mornington) 24. L. Chisholm (Logan Park) 21: A. Swanson (Kew. Southland) 21. E. Cooke (Wateriea) 15; C. Leos (Spreydon) 30. A. Petrie (Rangiora) 6. Fourth Round Nicol 1». O’Brien 14; Lees 23. Swenson 10; Whale 23. Keen 17; Glue 25. Willson 19.