Bowlers Have Second Loss

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32349, 15 July 1970, Page 19

Bowlers Have Second Loss

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent)

EDINBURGH.

After a promising start, the New Zealand bowling four went down to Scotland, 15-22, in the first game on the second day of the Commonwealth Games event yesterday.

Playing steadily, the ■ New Zealanders moved■ into an 8-1 lead after five , ends, but Scotland dominated the rest of the match, taking the lead for the first time at 15-13. The loss to Scotland meant that the New Zealand four had to win its remaining two second-round games—against Northern Ireland and Malawi —to retain a reasonable chance of being among the medal winners at the end of this week. It was New Zealand's second defeat of the championship. The four had lost to Australia, 12-28, after beating Guernsey, 28-8, and England, 23-22, in the first round. The New Zealanders—R. L. McDonald (skip), P. E. B. Jones, G. J. Jolly and R. Robson—controlled the early beads against Scotland after the hosts led 1-0. A single levelled the scores, and New

Zealand followed it with a 2, < 3 and 1. Slowly, however, the Scots ( tightened their play, and , tilted the balance on the 14th j and 15th ends when they scored 2 and 4, respectively, , to go ahead. Despite some , gallant play by McDonald. . Scotland gradually forged ' ahead. ’ Dramatic Finish The New Zealanders wefe always too strong for Guernsey, but they had a dramatic win by one shot over England. New Zealand led England 20-11 after 16 ends, but England then scored two fives ’ and a single, and with two ends remaining, New Zealand suddenly found itself 20-22 down. Fighting grimly, the New Zealanders drew level on the twentieth. If their neives were not already taut, they ’ should have been after the umpire had to measure the. woods three times before ! giving New Zealand the [ equalising shot Fatal Decision The twenty-first was the tightest head on the Balgreen rinks, in what had always been a close match. With three bowls left to play, the Englishmen had the shot, but its skip, Stenhouse, instead of playing a short-placed bowl, played to the head, and gently nudged McDonald’s bowl to the jack.

McDonald then played his last safe, and Stenhouse sent his final bowl well wide. Australia went from 3-5 after five ends to 25-5 after 14, playing magnificent bowls the New Zealanders never looked like matching. Positions after the first day were:—

W. L. Shots Pts Hong Kong .. 3 0 + 46 6 Canada 3 0 + 12 6 N. Ireland .. 2 1 +37 4 Scotland 2 1 + 16 4 New Zealand 2 1 + 0 4 Kenya 2 - 4 4 Australia 1 2 + 7 2 England 1 2 + 4 2 Papua - N.G. 1 2 - 2 2 Zambia 1 2 - 4 2 Guernsey 1 2. -19 2 Malawi 1 2 -25 2 Wales 1 2 -33 2 Fiji 0 3 -40 0