Finalists In Fours

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29722, 16 January 1962, Page 6

Finalists In Fours

A former pairs and fours titleholder, G. L. Spearman (Christchurch R.S.A.), will meet R. Brown (Marlborough) today in the finals of the fours championship at the New Zealand bowling tournament.

Spearman came through his quarter-final and semi-final matches yesterday beating G. Jolly (Leith), 28-20, and C. Walker (Manawatu), 28-10. Brown, who in the last few days has been tipped by the experts as a possible winner, beat F. Galvin (Paraparaumu), a replacement for C. D. McGarry, 25-21, and J. S. Bain (Wellington Disabled Servicemen), 30-17.

More ‘han a week ago 486 teams began the first rounds of the fours championship and yesterday morning the eight survivors met in the quarterfinals. There were no surprises; at this stage there could be none, but some of the teams had convincing victories against opponents who were expected to provide the sternest of struggles. Bain, who had a fairly easy match with J. Simpson (St. Martins), had his turn when Brown overwhelmed him. 30-17. in a semi-final.

The Marlborough players, with the title in sight, were certainly on their mettle, and their accuracy was a little disheartening for Wellington. Brown had easily the best of the early ends and led, 26-7, on the fifteenth. Wellington, then took off its coat, rolled up its sleeves, and won the next six ends for nine points. But Brown crept ahead, and with two heads remaining Bain was 12 down and the game virtually lost. Wellington scored a further single, but it was in vain, and Brown won convincingly. Brown is one of 16 of the same name in the programme, and he has a single initial. R He is known to all as Rangi. and even those in Marlborough do not know his three Christian names are Walter Thomas Patrick. “Never Played Better”

Spearman, according to the exoerts. has never played better than in the morning game igainst G. H. Jolly (Leith).

Jolly, a national selector, took five on the ninth end with an extraordinary shot to lead 13-9. after Spearman had attempted to remove Jolly's shot for a possible three. Spearman had ill-luck for once when he forced the kitty close to the edge of the rink and Jolly onlv had to draw the shot for five Jolly was within four of Soearman on the seventeenth end. but Spearman, mainly through the efforts of A. Archer, drew ahead to win. 28-20.

Spearman was in touch in the semi-final with Walker, who became the first skip from the Manawatu centre to survive the ouarter-finals since J A Nash won the •itle in 1915 It was rather a sad affair for the Manawatu four, as its hopes of success must have been exceedingly high after its sn'endid win over Barron Walker was ahead. 7-3. on ■he fifth head, but he could score only three times more, a single on the ninth, nine‘eenth. and twenty-second ends. His was an unenviable task. With Spearman’s num- •

her three, N. A. McNabb, drawing extremely well. Walker, down on the head, had little option but to destroy the pattern. His driving was not as accurate as in the past, but inches only separated his bowl and the target several times. Spearman played some faulty shots, but he often came out well; the bowls somehow managed to get a wick to draw kitty. But most of his shots were verk well placed indeed. ' Disastrous Start T. W. J Barron (Miramar) began disastrously against Walker, and was four down on the third head. Walker made things worse for Barron by taking three on the next head for an 8-1 lead Through concentration. a few lucky bowls and several very good ones Barron drew level at the eighth end. 8all. Barron was ahead. 12-8. on the ninth head, but the players on both sides excelled themselves on the next two heads, with those from Manawatu just edging out opponents’ bowls for a 1312' 3 tW ° an<J thS ’ lead ' The scoring was reasonably even thereafter until the nineteenth end. when the score was 20-a-11, Walker had the advantage in the last six ends, however, and won, 28-23. Results:— Quarter-finals.—A. Archer P Edgington. N. A. McNab C L rc a Spe o o rn ? u n , J Christchurch u t 28 ’ " $ Cowie, A Riach. I L. Turnbull. G. H Jolly (Leith) 20; F. G. Everson i C C Yates, R. Foster. C. Walker ’Manawatu) 28. E G. Barron. C. Mimfie. V. L. Calcanai, T. W J. Barron (Mirimar) 23: R M Stevens. xM. George. A A. Dunean, J S. Bain (Wellington Disabled Servicemen) 28. J. Wood. 5 - Wills, A. A. Gendinning. J Simpson (St. Martins) 13: W. Humphreys, A. Bailey, H Todd R. Brown (Marlborough) 25. S B. Corner. F. H. Galvin. L. P. Burgess. C. D. McGarry (Paraparaumu) 21.

Semi-finals. Spearman 28. Walker 10; Brown 30. Bain 17.