Bowlers contest S.I. final

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33141, 3 February 1973, Page 46

Bowlers contest S.I. final

(By

K. J. McMENAMIN)

The Christchurch bowls team to contest the South island final of the Rothmans national inter-centre tournament on the Kai Toa green, Timaru, tomorrow, is unlikely to have an easy path to success.

The selectors have gambled somewhat by bringing in new players at the expense of ones who performed

creditably in the tournament in past seasons, particularly in 1970 and 1971 when Christchurch won the national final.

The other centres taking part tomorrow are West Coast, which prevented Christchurch from getting a second team through to the island final, Dunedin and Southland. None of them can be taken lightly. Dunedin, which has G. H. Jollv as its singles plaver, E. W. S. Wilson and H. W. M. Hogg, as its pair, and W. N. Cousins skipping the four,

should prove an especially formidable opponent. The Christchurch singles player, K. G. Murray, showed encouraging form by getting through the second day of the open singles last Wednesday and much will depend on him. He will probably need to win at least two of his three games for Christchurch to have a chance. The pair of M. J. G. Robson and G. E. Bennett also faces a stiff challenge, and one which mieht be made Seven more difficult by the ‘fact that it will be the first

time these two have played together. The four of F. W. Hoy, W. Hayes, L. C. Lindley and T. F. Coup is a well-balanced combination and if all members are at their best it might well prove the strongest part of the team. In the past the winning team has managed at least six wins and a draw, and often, seven wins, so even if the four should win more than it loses, a minimum of four wins from Murray and Bennett will be required.