37 Hold Both Lives In National Bowls

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31880, 7 January 1969, Page 20

37 Hold Both Lives In National Bowls

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND.

Only one 1968 New Zealand bowling representative survived unbeaten through the opening five rounds of the national singles championship in Auckland yesterday. He is the 49-year-old Hamilton player, H. H. J. Robson.

Of the eight-man New Zealand team recently returned from an unsuccessful South African tour, five started in the singles but two were eliminated before the day was out.

The national association’s secretary, G. H. Jolly (Leith), who was the skip of the touring rink, was put out in the fourth round after suffering his second loss. C. Simon (Hutt), a runner-up in this division in 1967, met a similar fate. Two other members of the New Zealand side, W. R. Wilkinson (St Albans) and P. E. B. Jones (Otahuhu Railway), have both lost one life. Altogether 37 players go into the second day today holding both lives, while another 185 still have one life intact. In Bother The 222 survivors have been divided into 14 sections —a marked reduction from the 1184 players and 74 sections which started play in bleak weather this morning. Even Robson, a gold medal winner in the 1962 Commonwealth Games pairs, was lucky to get through unscathed. In his first round match

with R. Davis (Grey Lynn), Robson was in all sorts of bother until he scored four cn the nineteenth end to draw level at 19-all. He picked up two more on the next end, and ran out a close winner, 21-20.

This shaking prompted Robson into his best form, and by the fifth round he was going from strength to strength. One of the major upsets of the day’s play was the third round defeat of the reigning national champion. S. E. Lawson (Burwood). E. C. Brown (Hillsboro), a 48-year-old printing company sales manager taking part in only his second Dominion tournament, raced to an 18-2 lead over Lawson in only 12 ends. But Lawson suddenly found form, and cut back Brown’s advantage to 19-17 with one end to play. Brown, however, made sure of his surprise win by scoring again on the twenty-first. Lawson was not playing bad bowls, but every time he played a shot bowl Brown did something better. “I just couldn’t make up the leeway,” said a disappointed Lawson. “It was too many points to lose.” Brown lost to P. E. B. Jones (Otahuhu Railway), the 1967 title-winner, in his next game, and then had to play Lawson again with elimination at stake. This time, Lawson tasted revenge, 18-14. Fifth Round Games

The fifth round games between two-life holders produced some brilliant duels.

The singles champion in 1964-65, M. R. Buchan (Tui Park) was overwhelmingly beaten, 26-14, by an unknown 40-year-old Waihi electrician, J. A. Stewart. The 1966 world fours champion skip, W. P. O’Neill (Carlton) had an easy win, 21-9 over Jones. A former New Zealand Rugby league international, D. Richards-Jolly (Qkahu

Bay) beaV the colourful Te Puke former champion, A. Govorko. • Two Lives Players holding two lives in the singles: D. Baldwin 'Paritutu) R L. Cotterell (Mt Eden>. J. A. Dale (Burwood), B. J. Drabble <Edendale). D. G. Emirai (Carlton), C. H. Fenwick < Khandallah) T L. Finer 'Henderson), L. Franks (Balmoral). M. M. Graham 'Otahuhu), J. Grafas 'Te Puke). R. G. Grinlinton (Papakura). R. H Grylls (Portland). A. C. Kirkham (Carlton). J. Kosovich (Kaikohe). I. W. Kostanich 'Helensville), N. R. D. Lash (Hutt), T. M. Lockington (Remuera), R. L. Long (Hillsborough), W. B. MacArthur (Paritutu), R. L. McDonald <Onehunga), D. McKenzie (Milton), W. Marshall (Ellerslie). C. M Miller (Ponsonby), B. G. Moore (Carlton), W. P. O’Neill (Carlton). D. Richards-Jolley (Okahu Bay), H. H. J. Robson (Hamilton), G. Ross (Balmoral). F. K. Shanley (Onehunga) D. J. Sheffield (Helensville), S. O. Skelton (Tauranga), J. A. Stewart (Waihi), A. Stirrup (Otahuhu), C. E Warr (Johnsonville), L. W. Worthington 'Takapuna). H. Zane (Auckland Regional Authority).