Runaway Victory To Shirley In Champion Fours Final

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30395, 20 March 1964, Page 13

Runaway Victory To Shirley In Champion Fours Final

Shirley defeated Spreydon, 26-5, in the final to win the Christchurch women’s champion of champions fours tournament played between 34 club title-winners on Wednesday and yesterday. Shirley took an early lead against the title-holder, using the long head to good advantage. After the third head, Shirley scored on each of the next seven, to lead, 17-2.

Spreydon broke the run with a single but Shirley replied with a three. Spreydon took two shots on the next head, to be 20-5 down on the thirteenth. Two singles and a four on the next three heads to Shirley brought the game to an end with five ends unplayed. It was surprising that Spreydon could do no better, as the four had played excellent bowls to reach the final. Except for the lead, Spreydon had the same team which won the title last year.

Some very fine bowling had been seen in the earlier rounds, but the two semi-

finals were as one-sided as the final. Barrington took the lead in the early stages against Spreydon, and with the score 10-8 to Spreydon on the ninth head, it appeared as if iit would be a very even game. However, over the remaining heads, with one left unplayed, Spreydon took complete control, to win 26-15. Shirley raced to a 9-2 lead on the fifth head against Halswell, which it increased to 14-4 on the tenth. Shirley then scored a seven on the next head, nine more over the following five heads, and won 30-5 with five unplayed.

Probably the oldest four taking part was the Redcliffs team, whose ages totalled 300 years. They played excellent bowls and were unlucky to be eliminated in the second round by Morrison Avenue. The score was 17-17 with one head left to play. Redcliffs held the shot but Mrs Logie, the skip, in trying to draw another, turned in a Morrison Avenue bowl with her last wood.

First Round.—Morrison Ave. (Mrs Wilson) 27, New Brighton (Mrs Bool) 14; Shirley (Mrs Gaskin) 32, Beckenham (Mrs McDonald) 7. The other 30 fours had byes. Second Round.—Woolston (Mrs McKenzie) 22, Papanui (Mrs Hay) 21; Burwood (Mrs Dale) 26, Rakaia (Mrs Turner) 21; Barrington (Mrs Warren) 26, St. Albans (Mrs Leith) 19; St. Martins (Mrs Downing) 16, Rangiora (Mrs Ryde) 8; Avon (Mrs Cooke) 23, Dunsandel (Mrs Henderson) 21; Spreydon (Mrs Smith) 28, South Brighton (Mrs Justice) 9; Linwood (Mrs Green) 27, Lyttelton (Mrs Taylor) 15; Morrison Ave. 18, Redcliffs (Mrs Logie) 17; Shirley 16, Dallington (Mrs Greenwood) 14; Sydenham (Mrs Horne) 21, Riccarton (Mrs Dunstan) 19; Opawa (Mrs Hay) 24, Fendalton (Mrs Blakeway) 15; R.S.A. (Mrs Hawes) 31, United (Miss Burn) 7; Christchurch (Mrs Graham) beat Kirwee (Mrs Wilson), by default; Halswell (Mrs Hoyle) 24, Lincoln (Mrs Stalker) 12; Mona Vale (Mrs ROSkvlst) 26, Belfast (Mrs Cassidy) 15: Kaiapoi (Mrs Smith) 19, Richmond (Mrs Roberts) 17.

Third Round.—Woolston 26, Burwood 9; Barrington 26, St. Martins 14; Spreydon 30, Avon 12; Linwood 21, Morrison Ave. 19; Shirley 25, Sydenham 11; R.S.A. 20, Opawa 14; Halswell 25, Christchurch 13; Mona Vale 18, Kaiapoi 16. Fourth Round.—Barrington 23, Woolston 19; Spreydon 16, Linwood 15; Shirley 19, R.S.A. 16; Halswell 20, Mona Vale 13.

Semi-final.—Spreydon 26, Barrington 15; Shirley 30, Halswell 5.

Final.—Shirley (Mesdames Neale, Grimwood, Young, Gaskin) 28, Spreydon (Mesdames Murdoch, McGettigan, Gow, Smith) 5.