‘Unknown’ in final

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32525, 8 February 1971, Page 3

‘Unknown’ in final

(Bi/ our bowls reporter)

A little-known member of the Riccarton Racecourse Bowling Club, P. L. Remi, will meet last season’s champion -of • champions fours skip, A. T. G. Johnstone (Edgeware), in the final of the Christchurch open pairs tournament next Saturday morning.

Remi, whose lead is T. N. Austin, and Johnstone, who is partnered by his No. 3 of last year’s champion four, J. A. Hayward, both reached the final yesterday by beating the tournament’s last remaining two-lifer, A. Gray (Elmwood). Johnstone met Gray in the eleventh round and won a fairly close match, but in the next round Remi had far less difficulty in relieving the Elmwood skip of his other life.

Remi played outstanding bowls to come through yesterday's four rounds, and he was magnificently supported by the left-handed Austin, who clearly outdrew all his rivals.

Remi has been bowling six years, and this is the first time he has been within sight of a major title, although he and Austin won their club’s pairs championship this season. Austin has had four years of outdoor bowling, but he was a member of .last winter’s New Zealand indoor champion rink. FINE BOWLS Remi, whose style of delivery is unlikely to be found in any bowling textbook, started well yesterday when he beat E. E. Doggett (Rangiora), 24-11. He then withstood a late challenge to beat R. L. Speer (Cashmere), who had started the day as the only other two-lifer besides Gray, and then in the first of the two afternoon rounds, both Remi and Austin played impeccable bowls to eliminate the highly-rated Burwood pair, P. Reardon and B. P. Wilson(s). This latter match was decided in thb middle stages when Wilson could do little to stem the brilliance of his rivals, and he remained stuck on the one score for six ends.

Gray and his lead, R. Mahalm, were a rather tired pair by the time they met Remi, and with the Riccar-

ton Racecourse players maintaining their standard, the outcome was never really in doubt.

Gray only managed to win four ends, and when Remi added nine points on three ends to make the score 22-6, Gray decided to concede, even though there were still 20 minutes playing time left. Johnstone, who once again showed himself a fine draw bowler, also started well yesterday when he had a 16-9 win over I. K. Edyvean (Christchurch W.M.C.). It was a different story in the next round, and it was only on a measure that J. O. Thompson (Shirley) failed to get the fourth shot he needed on the last end to tie the scores, 16-16. TOUGH TASK Gray, who had had a 1 tough job keeping his two lives against W. Johnston! (Barrington) in the second; round of the morning, went; to an early lead against Johnstone, but aided by a four on the twelfth end and! a three on the fifteenth, the Edgeware skip got ahead, and with Hayward drawing better than Mahalm, he held the advantage until the bell. On Saturday the second four rounds of the tournament reduced the field from 125 teams to 14, and it was on the Papanui club’s green that the 14 continued yesterday.

Result* of yesterday’s rounds were:—

Ninth round Two-lifers.—A Gray (Elmwood) 19, G. R. Speer (Cashmere) 9. One-lifers.—W. Johnston (Barrington) 20, G. Moore (Hornby) 8; A. T. G. Johnstone (Edgeware) 16, 1. K. Edyvean (Christchurch W.M.C.) 9; J. O. Thompson (Shirley) 17, B. W. Eder (Rangiora) 16; B. P. Wilson (Burwood) 22, A. C. Nottingham (Spreydon) 13; M. Lunt (Cashmere) 20, R. Dorman (Fendalton) 17; P. L. Reml (Riccarton Racecourse) 24, A. E. E. Doggett (Rangiora) 11. Tenth round Gray (two-lifer) 16, Johnston 14; Johnstone 16, Thompson 15; Wilson 18, Lunt 15; Reml 13, Speer 11. Eleventh round Johnstone 17, Gray 13; Remi 22, Wilson 15. Twelfth round Remi 22, Gray 6.