Title-Holder Defeated In Day Of N.Z. Bowling Upsets

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31881, 8 January 1969, Page 13

Title-Holder Defeated In Day Of N.Z. Bowling Upsets

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. The champion has been disposed of and his successor is well on the way to being crowned in the 1969 New Zealand singles bowling championship.

In the seventh round of the tournament yesterday, S. E. Lawson (Burwood) lost his second life and with it any chance of retaining the title he won at Dunedin last year. He was convincingly beaten by a 51-year-old Waiuku draughtsman, S. M. Ritchie, whose only other success was winning the Franklin subcentre singles title eight years ago. And Ritchie himself was eliminated soon after. A mercer and a clerk are the only remaining two-lifers in the championship, which will resume on Friday. -The

mercer is 51-year-old L.i Franks (Balmoral), who with his younger brother won the national pairs in 1957. Three years later Franks was run-ner-up in the fours and fourth in the singles at Dunedin. The insurance company clerk is 56-year-old C. H. Fenwick (Khandallah), who won the Wellington centre singles in 1967 and was runner-up last year. He has achieved little of national importance before these championships but has now become favourite to win the 1969 championship.

In the last two rounds of yesterday’s play, Fenwick beat R. L. McDonald (Onehunga) and H. H. J. Robson (Hamilton), two of the pre-tourna-ment favourites.

Robson and McDonald, who paired to win the 1962 Commonwealth Games gold medal, meet in the first round on Friday. Had the draw been different, this game might well have been the final—and a grand final it would have been.

The fourth man tipped to get through to the final (which may be staged on Saturday) is Franks, and he has an advantage over his rivals for he has drawn the bye in Friday’s opening series. The day began with drizzle and more wind. It also began sensationally with the elimination of three former winners, M. R. Buchan (Ttii Park), P. E. B. Jones (Otahuhu Railway) and A. Govorko (Te Puke). Buchan lost to C. Bakier (Manurewa), 19-14, Jones to A. M. Matheson (Miramar), 16-15, and Govorko to G. A. Coutts (Wairere), 18-13. O’NEILL DEFEATED

The day finished in scorching sunshine, but the play was just as sensational. McDonald conquered the great W. P. O’Neil] (Carlton), 22-15, in a game in which both proved why they are considered two of New Zealand’s finest bowlers.

Then Franks beat Robson, another South African tourist, 17-15, in a game which featured some of the best drawing seen in the championship so far. If rules had been strictly I adhered to at Remuera, O’Neill would still be playing and Franks would have only one life. The tournament conditions stipulate that a player must appear within five minutes of the warning bell. Franks was a minute over for his fourth round match with O’Neill, but he won handsomely, 22-8. LAST BOWL DECIDES

The match in which Fenwick took a life off McDonald was one of the most exciting of the tournament to date. It

was decided with the last bowl on the last head, and McDonald played too short, to lose 18-17.

An outside prospect for the title is W. R. Wilkinson (St Albans), the only other surviving 1968 New Zealand representative. Wilkinson lost his first game of the championship on Monday, but since then has never looked back. From the 37 two-lifers and 185 one-lifers who started play yesterday morning, the championship has now been thinned down to two twolifers and 11 one-lifers. They are: Two-lifers.—C. H. Fenwick (Khandallah), L. Franks (Balmoral. One-lifers. —D. Baldwin (Paritutu), C. Hudson (Carlton), G. W. Larsen (Paraparaumu Beach). R. S. M. Low (Mt Albert), R. L. McDonald (Onehunga), B. Peters (Tauranga South) H. H. J. Robson (Hamilton), G. Ross (Balmoral), N. C. Watt (Auckland Working Men’s Club), W. R. Wilkinson (St Albans), H. Zane (Auckland Regional Authority). The draw for Friday is:—Robson v. McDonald, Baldwin v. Zane, Ross v. Hudson, Wilkinson v. Peters, Larsen v. Low, Watt v. Fenwick Franks a bye.