BOWLS Centre Titles Decided On Saturday At New Brighton

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29775, 19 March 1962, Page 9

BOWLS Centre Titles Decided On Saturday At New Brighton

The New Brighton green was the headquarters of bowling on Saturday when the open singles, open pairs and champion of champions fours were decided. The singles was won by D. McNeil (Rangiora), the pairs by M. K. Bood and E. N. Bromley (Christchurch), and the fours went to Linwood.

Conditions were perfect for the games and the green was in excellent condition. Never at any time did bowls

move from their true course. McNeil brought honour to his club. His win in the open singles gave the Rangiora cluib its first centre success. This season the champion of champions pairs went to Kaiapoi. Open Singles Only two games were required to decide the open singles, the first being between W. Cogswell (St. Albans) and R. Lulham (Christchurch). McNeil, who had a bye, played the winner in the final.

It appeared in the early stages of the game between Cogswell and Lulham that McNeil would be playing off against Cogswell for the title. Cogswell was on form after the first head and led Lulham 7-1 on the sixth head. Lulham reduced the gap a little with a three on the next head, but Cogswell maintained the upper hand and was leading 16-13 on the nineteenth head. On the twentieth head Lulham drew with great precision, and when Cogswell had his last bowl to play Lulham was holding three shots to tie the game. Cogswell, with his last, tried to draw the shot but was a little wide. On the last head both players had bowls fairly near the kitty when each had one bowl to play and it was a measure to find the shot. Cogswell drew the shot. Lulham deliberated for some time on the mat and then decided on the running shot. It was a beauty and slipped past a wing bowl to turn out Cogswell’s shot. Even after this excellent shot Lulham was not sure of victory and when the measure was put on the bowls he got the decision by the minutest fraction to win the game 17-16.

McNeil came fresh onto the green to play the final against Lulham. McNeil found the green and weight right from the start and led 3-1 on the fourth head but Lulham with a three on the next head took the lead 4-3 Over the next seven heads McNeil was right on top and ran away to 'ead 15-4. Lulham was drawing well over these heads but McNeil was superior. Even if Lulham drew right on the kitty McNeil had the nack of resting him back for shot Lulham broke McNeil’s run with a single on the thirteenth head but was still behind by 10 points. McNeil advanced further with a single and a two on the next two heads to lead 18-5 on the sixteenth Over the next four heads Lulham kept McNeil on 18 while he added seven shots to his meagre total, but he was six down with two heads left to play. On the next head, which was the last, McNeil took a single to win his first centre title 19-12.

Open Pairs When play in the open pairs commenced there was only E. N. Bromley and his lead M. K. Boon (Christchurch) with two lives, the other four having one life. Bromley in his first game lost to S. J. Snedden (Linwood) a one-lifer. Another Christchurch pair, G. Orchard and A L Taylor, beat a Sydenham pair skipped by F Hickman

Taylor < Christchurch > then met Linwood in the semi-final and completely outplayed the Linwood pair in all departments to run away for an easy win. 24-11. The other Christchurch pair skipped by Bromley beat M. G. Main (Sumner) in the other semi-final. Sumner had a bye in the earlier round.

The final was an all Christchurch affair. Bromley meeting Taylor It was a sensational finish that gave Bromley the title. This win gave M K. Boon-Bromley's lead his fifth centre title and his Five Star Gold Badge. The play was excellent throughout with many tight heads Bromley led 15-9 on the twelfth Taylor recovered well, and with a two on the eighteenth head brought the score level. 17-17 On the next two heads Orchard and Taylor outplayed Bpon and Bromley to lead 21-17 with two heads left to play. The next head was a sensational one. Boon was a little over with has first two

bowls, and Orchard drew right on the kitty. Boon, with his last, drew the kitty away for two shots. Bromley, with his first two, drew magnificently to

be right near the kitty for tour shots. Taylor failed to save the head with any of his three bowls, and Bromley, with ample room to add a fifth shot to win, was very wide. On the extra head Orchard was a little short with his first two, and Boon was a little over, but with his second drew the kitty back for shot and possibly two. Orchard was narrow with his last, and Boon wide with his. Taylor drove with his first and missed. Bromley drew right on to the head. Taylor drove with his second and wrecked on a front bowl. Bromley with his last only played it half way u>p the green, and when Taylor drove he that the short bowl, leaving Bromley with two shots and the win, 23-21. Champion Fours The concluding three rounds of the champion of champions fours were also decided. In the quarter-finals fanwood was far too steady for Sydenham, and won 23-14. St. Albans was never troubled to beattag Fendalton 23-13. Avon, after the tenth head, never looked like being beaten by Hornby, and won, 23-16. Spreydon had a hard fight to beat Riccarton, 21-19 * Spreydon appeared to have the semi-final game against Avon well within its grasp when on the eighteenth head it led 17-8. Avon, with a sensational seven on the next head, followed by two singles and a two, had a last-minute victory. 19-17. In the other semi-final between Linwood and St. AJ-

bans, whioh was a marathon taking three and a half hours to play, Linwood always held the lead by a slender margin after the second head, and went on to win, 20-17.

The final was a very dour game, with the lead changing between Linwood and Avon at the end of each head to the sixth when the score was 6all. A four on the next head to Linwood put it four in front, but over the next three heads, with a single on each, Avon got to withta one of Linwood. Linwood then went away to lead 15-9 on the fifteenth, and then carried on to be 18-11 up on the eighteenth. A three on the next head to Avon brought it back into the game, being only four down with two heads to play. On the last two heads Linwood, with a single and four, ended the game in its favour, 23-14. Results were:— Open Singles

Tenth Round.—R. Lulham (Christchurch) 17, W. Cogswell (St. Albans) 16; D. McNeill (Rangiora) a bye. Final.—McNeill 19, Lulham 12. Open Pairs

Tenth Round.—One-lifers: S. J. Snedden (Linwood) 17, E. N. Bromley (two-lifer, Christchurch) 14; A. L. Taylor (Christchurch) 21, F. B. Hickman (Sydenham) 18; M. G. Main (Sumner) a bye. Semi-final.—Taylor 24, Snedden 11; Bromley 23, Main 19. Final.—M. K. Boon, E. N. Bromley 23, G. Orchard, A. L. Taylor 31. Champions Fours

Fourth Round.—Linwood (GE. Bennett) 24. Sydenham (E. Fox) 13; St. Albans (T. J. Edmonds) 23, Fendalton (F. Pankhurst) 13; Avon (R. W. Fullen) 23. Hornby (A. Arndell) 16; Spreydon (J. Howatson) 21. Riccarton (A. Le Roi) 19.

Semi-final.—Avon 19, Spreydon 17: Linwood 20, St. Albans

Final—Linwood (T. Rowe, P. J. Ellis, A. H. Burgess, G. E. Bennett) 23, Avon (T. B. Sheahan, P. J. Hanrahan, L. M. Odell. R. W. Fuller) 14.