Linwood skipped to fours title by ‘fill-in Scot’

Press, 11 January 1978, Page 24

Linwood skipped to fours title by ‘fill-in Scot’

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

It was a lucky day for the Linwood Bowling Club when Morgan Moffat wandered in off the street and accepted an invitation to fill in for an absent player at a Sunday tournament.

This was in March. 1975, and it was only the fact that he and his family were staying in a nearby motel, having just shifted to Christchurch from Scotland, that made Moffat choose Linwood.

Moffat joined Linwood a week later and yesterday he gave the club, which has had more than its fair share of successes over the years, one of its greatest moments when he skipped his team of Ken Watson, Sonny Calder and Bryan Smith to victory in the fours final at the Rothmans national bowling championships in Christchurch. Moffat, as befitting a bowler who was good enough to represent Scotland for five years — both at indoor and outdoor bowls —

gave a thoroughly professional display of skipping as he gained the upper hand about two-thirds of the way through the final against Bob Park (Carlton) and held on to win, 26-20. It was Linwood’s fourth New Zealand title, the last one being Stan Snedden’s victory in the singles at Dunedin in 1960. And it was a change of luck for Smith, who at Dunedin in 1972 — as the lead for the late John Anderson — was beaten in the pairs final by Phil Skoglund (Northern).

Moffat, who is 35 and gas fitter by occupation, played extremely well in the final as he had throughout the championship, but he had every cause to be satisfied with his team. Watson, who is 32 and in only his sixth season of i bowls, led superbly, certainly much better than his rival, Park, who led in spite of the fact that it was his name that the Carlton team played under. Smith, who is 36, did his share with some timely drawn shots, and Calder, who at 58 was the “daddy” of the four, capped a long and successful association with the game by complementing the steady play of Watson. Calder, who shifted to Christchurch from Bluff about five years ago, i is the greenkeeper at Linwood and is widely recog-j nised as as good a greenkeeper as he is a bowler, which is high praise. The tournament was the!

first time the Linwood four had played together, but right from the outset it displayed the twin virtues of ability and compatibility that made its success no great surprise. Its worth as a team was clearly demonstrated when the pressure went on in the latter stages of the final and each member was able to make a contribution.

Moffat acknowledged afterwards that it was team effort and that he always had something to play to, even when the shot was against him.

The Carlton four, on the other hand, had its problems and from the seventeenth end onwards its chances of completing a clean sweep for Auckland clubs at the tournament looked remote.

Bob Park led well enough over the early ends, but later he had difficulty adjusting his weight and dropped short frequently. The second, Dick Park, Bob’s brother, was fairly steady and the third, John Malcolm, who was endeavouring to join the small band of bowlers who have won two titles at the same tournament (he had previously won the singles), also played reasonably well.

But it was the skip, Dave l Emirali, who kept Park’s team in the game so long. His drawing under pressure was first class and some of his drives towards the end, when his team’s search for' points had become desper-> ate, were quite outstanding! shots. Without Emirali to effect so many salvage operations it is doubtful if the game, would have lasted anything like the four hours and a quarter that it took to play. Still, it was a game to savour, notwithstanding the joy a home-town victory brought the large gallery. The players, with a few odd exceptions, made light of what was a very tricky wind and Watson, in pari ticular, deeply dug the foun--1 dations for Linwood’s I success with his consistent i leading.

Park made the better start and after three ends he led, 4-0. On the fourth end Moffat wiped out the deficit when he went from two down to four up with a brilliant last-bowl trail. It

was a vintage shot in a game that produced many of rare quality.

There was little between the team over the next few ends and when the break for afternoon tea was taken the scores were level at 9-9. The first end after tea, and tenth, was a crucial one. Moffat was holding four shots and he added two more when Malcolm drove the kitty into the ditch. Emirali saved brilliantly by drawing the shot with his last bowl.

Park slipped away again to lead, 13-9, after 14 ends, but once again Moffat showed his class with a drive that took him from two down to three up and then with his second bowl he added a fourth counter. The seventeenth end was, | perhaps, the one that swung 'the game Linwood’s way. The Carlton front players all I dropped short and this time Emirali could not rescue them and Moffat picked up a four to take an 18-14 lead. Emirali went from two I down to one up when he I drew the shot with his last bowl on the eighteenth end. but superior drawing earned Moffat a three on the nineteenth end and took him clear, 21-15. Over the last few ends the pressure rested heavily with Carlton as Moffat’s team, sensing that victory was within their grasp, kept drawing the closer bowls. A three on the twenty-third end allowed Park to narrow the -gap to 19-24, but his team, I with the notable exception

of Emirali, was not playin; well enough to substantial any great hope. Emirali, with superb drive; to hidden and bare kitties forced two replays of the twenty-fourth end and he eventually won it with e single after he had put the kitty in the ditch. Moffat quite happily just drew for second shot with his last bowl. There was some fine drawing by the front players of both teams on the last end. but with the four that was needed out of the question Malcolm drove for the kill. He was on target, but the kitty rebounded off the bank and stopped two metres up the rink. Emirali was left two down and although he was close both times his drives to give the kitty another bash failed. In the semi-finals yesterday mornZng, Park took an early lead over Phil Dickison (St Clair) and was untroubled to maintain it. eventually winning, 25-15. In fact, the game was as good as over when Park led, 21-8, after sixteen ends. Moffat scored a six on the third end to go ahead, 7-3. in his semi-final against Gordon Jolly (Leith) and although the scoring was close for a time Moffat got the vital break first and he held on to win, 25-18. The only time he was seriously threatened was on the twenty-second! end when he led, 21-15, and was six down until he drew the third shot with his last bowl.