BOWLS Strong bid from Burnham

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34012, 28 November 1975, Page 24

BOWLS Strong bid from Burnham

Burnham Camp, which won the Manning Cup inter-club bowls competition two years ago, is making another strong bid this season.

... Going into the fifth round tomorrow, it heads the table with 98 points, three and a half more than Riccarton Racecourse.

Hoon Hay W.M.C. is third with’ 87| and then follow Edgeware, 77|, St Martins, 764, Christchurch, 75, Woodend, 73|, and St Albans, 70. Only eight teams — out of an entry of 92 — are still unbeaten after four rounds in the Robinson Shield competition for colts.

The list was cut by more than a half last Saturday. Before that 17 teams had perfect records.

The eight teams which will

be looking for a fifth straight win tomorrow are Dallington 11, Elmwood I, Hornby, Morrison Avenue I, New Brighton, Riccarton Racecourse I, Sydenham 11, and Papanui 111.

The Four-fours, in which the final round before Christmas will be played tomorrow, is led by Beckenham and St Albans I, both with 30 points. Christchurch and Woolston W.M.C. I are equal third, on 26, and close up next are Linwood I and Shirley 11, both 25, Papanui I, 24, and Elmwood 11, 23. The remainder, headed by Cashmere I, Canterbury I, and Fendalton I, all on 22, are probably too far off the pace to have much chance of overhauling the leaders. All the leading six teams, with the exception of Shirley, have players in- the Christchurch Rothmans teams to compete at Greymouth and Blenheim on Sunday. However, travel arrangements

have been made to allow those who want to play for their clubs tomorrow morning to do so. Beckenham will have the services of its top skip, Wally Wilkinson, for its match against South Brighton, which in spite of its good record in recent years is proving no threat in the Fourfours this season. Beckenham will be comforted by the fact that the leading'South Brighton skip, Tom Dixon, who will represent Christchurch in the pairs at Blenheim on Sunday, has decided not to play tomorrow.

St Albans, too, will play a team that has been a trifle disappointing, Elmwood I; and St Albans will be without one of its usual skips, Bruce Sinclair, who will play at Blenheim on Sunday. Christchurch, although it has the advantage of playing on its home green, may find

Fendalton II a hard team to earn maximum points against; and Woolston W.M.C. I, which is at home to Morrison Avenue, might have a better chance of improving its position. It will be surprising if at least one of the two Christchurch teams does not win its zone elimination of the Rothmans tournament on Sunday. In past years, Christchurch has almost invariably got one team through to the South Island final and often two. This year, with proven newcomers in Kevin Darling and Morgan Moffat, the teams look, if anything, stronger than in the past. However, the advantage of playing on their home greens will give both West Coast and Marlborough some prospects of success and Marlborough, in particular, has the bowlers capable of running the Christchurch “black” team close,