Burnside wins bowls pairs

Press, 14 March 1977, Page 30

Burnside wins bowls pairs

The 14-year-old Burnside Bowling Club vyon its first senior centre title when it was successfully represented yesterday in the final at Spreydon of the champion-of-champions pairs. The win capped a memorable season for Burnside, for as well as making major improvements to its pavilion it also figured prominently in the inter-club competitions. And appropriately enough it was two members of the Burnside club who presented the trophy attached to the pairs championship. This was the last cham-pion-of-champions tournament of the season, and by a remarkable coincidence it followed the earlier two in producing a final that was decided by one point. The game went to an extra end, as also did the fours, before the Burnside pair of Max Davis and Ernie Watt (s) beat the Edgeware combination of Dave Gowans and Roy Spear (s) All four bowlers were contesting their first Christchurch centre final. The scoring was close

over the early ends, but Spear got a break in, the middle stages and he looked to be well on the way to victory when he led, 16-8, playing the fifteenth end. However, helped greatly by a five on the seventeenth end — Davis drew three shots and Watt added two more — Burnside came right back into the game and it was in front, 20-16, with two ends remaining. Spear scored a single on the twentieth end, and on the twenty-first he was one down before he took the kitty to the side of the rink for three shots. Watt still had a bowl left, but in spite of having ample room to reduce the count he dropped short.

The three to Edgeware took the game to an extra end, and Spear looked well placed when, with five bowls played, he held two close shots. Watt switched to a hand he had hardly played, and with a running shot disturbed the two bowls and his stayed for shot. Spear was a fraction heavy with his last draw to save the I game.

All four players contributed to an interesting final, but the outstanding player was undoubtedly Davis. Even when Burnside slipped behind he led well, and over the latter stage ; he lifted his play even further to make the recovery possible. In the semi-finals. Watt came away over the last six ends to beat Malcolm McLeod (Cashmere), 24-12, and a four on the seventeenth end gave Spear a winning break over Ivan Anticich (South Brighton). The four put Spear ahead, 18-13, and he held on to win 20-14.

Burnside had clear wins in most of its earlier games, but Edgeware had three narrow escapes, beating Amberley, Barrington, and Canterbury all by just one point.

Also decided at Spreydon yesterday was the open singles tournament, and by his victory Bill Newburgh (Elmwood) became one of the few bowlers to prove their singles prowess by winning the open singles and champion-of-champions singles double. He took the

champion-of-champion singles in 1969.

In yesterday’s final, Newburgh played Philip Melville (Christchurch) and in a mainly drawing duel he had the measure of his young opponent nearly all the way. However, Melville kept within striking distance for a long time and it was only seven points on the last four ends that carried Newburgh to a decisive, 21-13, victory. Results of the pairs from the third round were:— Third round O. A Spicer (Ashburton) 26, A. J. Carter (Fendalton) 17; E. Watt (Burnside) 26. B. A. Robson (Riccarton Racecourse. 12; M. McLeod (Cashmere) 25, W. R. Wilkinson (Beckenham) 9; J. R. Patterson (Southbridge) 25, L. Dunnill (Oxford) 13; I, Anticich (South Brighton) 19, J. L. Stead (Belfast), 16; M. J. G. Robson iWoolston) 25, A. Memory (Woolston W.M.C.) 13; R. B. Spear (Edgeware) 18, J. Bullock (Tinwald W.M.C.) 13; R. T. Bailey (Canterbury) 21. W. J. Cogswell (St Albans) 18. Quarter-finals Watt 28. Spicer 10; McLeod 22. Patterson 20; Anticich 18, Robson 17; Spear 17. Bailey 16. Semi-finals Watt 24. McLeod 12; Spear 20, Anticich 14. Final Watt 21. Spear 20.