CHRISTCHURCH WINS BOWLS

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32235, 2 March 1970, Page 16

CHRISTCHURCH WINS BOWLS

Although it failed to gain representation in the New Zealand bowling team for the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games, Christchurch showed its depth of strength when it won the national final of the first Rothmans inter-centre tournament.

On the Woolston W.M.C.’s cotula green, Christchurch beat the North Island zone winner, Northland, by seven match points to five. On aggregate points Christchurch finished comfortably ahead, 126 points to 96.

Although the players and the handful of spectators present would have been happier had it been the indoor variety of the sport they were concerned with, the «rst round of matches began only a few moments after the scheduled time of 9 a.m. After three-quarters of an hour heavy rain forced the players from the green and it was over an hour before the games could be resumed The loss of an hour's play in the morning did not prevent the afternoon round beginning on time at 2 p.m. and the moderate crowd which attended the second session found that standard of bowling as improved as the weather. Any spectators who might have felt the weather heralded an abrupt end to the summer would have been comforted by the crys of “howzat,” which regularly came from a nearby cricket wicket to disturb the still atmosphere of the bowling green. The Christchurch singles player, S. E. Lawson, won both matches against his jovial opponent, W. McMillan, and in

doing so finished the tournament with seven wins from as many games. In the morning the Christchurch pair of F. W. Hoy and W. R. Wilkinson (s.) beat H. Ashcroft and T. Marsh (s.), 21-13, but in the afternoon the Northland pair turned the tables to win 20-19.

The two fours matches were both closely-fought, with NorthlaYid winning the first on the final end, 19-17, and coming from behind on the last end of the second game to tie the scores, 20-20. The Christchurch four was P. F. Meier, R. A. Lulham, J. P. Anderson, and T. F. Coup (s.), and the Northland combination D. Thomas, W. Neal, J. Leese, and J. Kosovich (s.). The drawn second game enabled the Northland four to retain its unbeaten record for the tournament. SUPERB SHOTS Possibly because its players were more accustomed to cold weather, Christchurch was| ahead in all three games when rain interrupted the morning round. The only Northland bowler to show a liking at all for the conditions was Leese, who played some superb shots. Ten ends had been completed in the singles when the break was made and at this stage Lawson led 9-7. He moved to 13 with twos on the eleventh and twelfth ends, but his score remained unchanged through next four ends and starting the the seventeenth end the totals were level, 13-13.

However, Lawson then came on to his game with a vengeance and scored 11 points on the next five ends while his opponent's score remained 13. In the afternoon, Lawson continued from where he had left off in the morning and after four ends he was in front 10-0.

McMillan grandly acknowledged the applause he received when he got on the board with a single on the fifth end and by the eighth end he had progressed to seven, five less than Lawson’s tally.

Although neither player bowled particularly well for the remainder of the game Lawson took the points on all but two of the last 11 ends to win comfortably.

Largely thorugh a three on the fourth end and a four on the seventh, Wilkinson and Hoy were ahead 12-3 when played stopped In the morning. With Ashcroft leading expertly Northland matched Christchurch for the remainder of the game but the advantage gained earlier enabled Christchurch to win untroubled. LUCKY BREAK The scoring in the second pairs game was close until the twelfth end when Wilkinson rather fortuitously gained five points to lead 13-8. Wilkinson drove to go from two down to one up and Marsh with his last bowl removed his two seconds from contention.

On the next end. Wilkinson added to his lead with a two but with some fine play the Northland pair fought back and aided by a five on the sixteenth end drew level. 17-17.

Starting the final end Northland led 20-18 and a single was the best Wilkinson could manage from the head. Northland deserved this victory as both Ashcroft and Marsh “read” the green better than their opponents.

Hoy fully justified his selection as a lead, but Wilkinson's play, especially in the afternoon, was disappointing.

Christchurch led 6-2 after three-quarters of an hour’s play in the first round of the fours but as the green dried and the

bowls were easier to handle Northland found better form and after sitxeen ends Northland led 15-14.

Coup regained the lead on the nineteenth end when Kosovich had the misfortune to push the kitty back when he played a running shot to successfully take out Coup’s shot bowl. Kosovich, who had been playing poorly, redeemed himself to some extent when he gained the shot with his last bowl on the twentieth end to bring the scores level, 17-17, and on the last end he added a second shot to the one already held by his team at the change-over. The tension was off for a good part of the second fours game as it was obvious that Christchurch had the final won. However, the match was marked by some splendid drawing, with Anderson being the outstanding player. Threes on the eighth and ninth ends took Christchurch to a 13-5 lead and it looked to have the game in safe keeping when it led 17-7 at the completion of 14 ends. However, Kosovich and his men held the upper hand in the final stages and they stormed home to draw level 20-20 with a three on the final end. On the previous end Kosovich showed some of his reputed ability when he put both his bowls to good use to gain five points. Although Anderson was the star of the Christchurch four in the afternoon. Meier. Lulham and Coup each made a worth-while contribution. Meier in fact, led consistently well throughout the day and Coup showed that his unobtrusive manner makes him well-suited to the task of skipping. Results:

First Round. —Singles: Christchurch 24, Northland 13. Pairs: Christchurch 21. Northland 13. Fours: Northland 19. Christchurch 17.

Second Round. Singles: Christchurch 25. Northland 11 Pairs: Northland 20, Christchurch 19. Fours: Christchurch 20. Northland 20.