Bryant Still Unbeaten

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31196, 21 October 1966, Page 13

Bryant Still Unbeaten

(Special Correspondent N Z P A.) SYDNEY. In one of the most magnificent games of bowls played in Australia, England’s unofficial world champion, D. Bryant, yesterday beat J. Hershaw (Scotland) to retain his unbeaten singles record in the world championships at Sydney.

A 3|-hour thriller went to 30 ends and Bryant had to call on all his cunning and skill to beat the wily Scot, 21-18.

After eight rounds of the singles, Bryant is the only bowler of the 16 competing to have won all his matches. Hershaw and R. Fulton (Ireland), who both beat New Zealand’s representative. P. C. Skoglund, yesterday, have won six games.

Skoglund is one of four bowlers in third position, with five wins and three losses. South Africa Unbeaten

South Africa is the only unbeaten team after five rounds of sectional play in the fours. It heads its section, followed by Canada (four wins), New Zealand and Ireland (three wins each). Australia and Scotland, with four wins each, lead section B. Skoglund beat C. de Rungpry (Kenya), 21-14, in his first match of the day, and then went down to Hershaw, 21-17, after a tough battle, and to Fulton, 21-13. The New Zealand four—N. R. D. Lash, M. R. Buchan, G. H. Jolly, and W. P. O’Neillmade amends for their previous surprise losses to PapuaNew Guinea and Canada, by comfortably beating Jersey, 2”-9, and Wales, 24-18. The scheduled sixth round of the singles, in which Skoglund was to have met the Australian, G. Kelly, and the fourth round of the fours, which were postponed by rain on Wednesday, will be played today. Master Tactician

The Bryant-Hershaw battle, watched by nearly 3000 spectators, was between a master tactician who treats bowls as a science and a dogged, tenacious Scot, who bowled brilliantly and refused to give an inch.

Tight heads changed with each bowl, and Bryant, ahead 19-14 after 24 ends, needed another five ends before he got the two shots he needed to win.

Skoglund could not find his length against Hershaw, who played some magnificent draw shots to take an 8-1 lead, and later 16-10. The New Zealander narrowed the margin to 15-17 and then 17-18, but some magnificent bowling on the last head earned Hershaw a three to win the match.

Skoglund was a little unlucky throughout the game, but he could do little right against the Irishman, Fulton, who is an excellent singles player. The New Zealander took a three on the first end

and that was the only time he had the lead. The match was over in 16 ends and Skoglund won only six of them. SINGLES Sixth Round D. Bryant (England) 11. R. Fulton (Ireland) 13; N. Walker (South Africa) 21, H. Lakin (Malawi) 10; P. Skoglund (New Zealand) 21. C. de Hungary (Kenya) 14: W. Jackson (Rhodesia) 21. G. Bewhay (Jersey) 9: G. Kelly (Australia> 21. M. Evans (Wales) 17; A. Hartley (United States) 21, A. Pereira (Hong Kong) 18; J. Hershaw (Scotland) 21, L. Smales (Fiji) 15; A. Houston (Canada) 21. J. Spears (Papua-New Guinea) 11. Seventh Round Bryant 21, Smales 5; Evans 21, Walker 10: Hershaw 21. Skoglund 17: Fulton 21, Jackson 9; Spears 21. Kelly 11; Hartley 21, Rungary 19; Pereira 21, Lakin 14; Houston 21, Bewhay 19. Eighth Round Bryant 21, Hershaw 18: Walker 21, Houston 15: Fulton 21. Skoglund 13; Jackson 21. Spears 8; Kelly 21, Rungary 9; Bewhay 21, Hartley 20; Evans 21, Lakin 4; Smales 21, Pereira 16. FOURS Fourth Round Section A.—New Zealand 27, Jersey 9; Canada 23, Wales 8; Ireland 35. Kenya 8; South Africa 34, Papua-New Guinea 10. Section B—Australia 29, Hong Kong 15; Rhodesia 25. Fiji 13; Scotland 18, United States 15; England 27, Malawi 10. Fifth Round Section A.—New Zealand 24. Wales 18; Kenya 28, Papua-New Guinea 19: South Africa 32. Jersey 5; Canada 22. Ireland 18. Section B.—Australia 30, Fiji 11; Malawi 18, Rhodesia 13; United States 20, England 14; Scotland 29. Hong Kong 1.