Bowls double for South Brighton

Press, 6 March 1978, Page 6

Bowls double for South Brighton

” South Brighton achieved a notable double—and very nearly made it a treble—in major bowls events in Christchurch over the week-end. The club, which two weeks ago through the agency of Jack Dale won the champion-of-champion singles, was successfully represented in the finals yesterday of both the champion-of-champions triples and the centre colts championship.

The near miss Was in the annual Digger’s tournament, in which Tom Dixon’s South Brighton team had to settle for second prize when it lost the final, 13-5, to Murray King (Woolston W.M.C.). The winning triple was Graham Stanley’s team of Peter Dixon and Peter Meier. It was far too steady in the final for Tom Payne’s Edgeware combination of Lindsay Avis and Alf Williamson and led all the way to win 20-12. A five on the second-end shot Stanley to a 6-0 lead and he was safe from the fourteenth end when a four put him ahead, 18-9.

It was a second centre title for both Stanley and champion . of - champions fours they took with Tom Dixon—Peter’s father—last year. Both are relative new-

comers to the game and for Meier, a player of considerably more experience, it was his eighth centre title, which places him only one behind the record-holder, Wally Wilkinson. However, for a combination of health, business and family reasons, Meier has decided to give bowls away for a year or more and this should make it easier for Wilkinson to beat him in the race to be the centre’s first double gold star holder.

South Brighton’s standard bearer in the colts championship was Dave Wadman and it came as no great surprise that he took this tournament. Wadman, a second-year player, has looked an outstanding prospect tor some time and his play in the recent Dominion tournament alone was exceptional for a bowler of such little experience. In the final, against Matt White (Woolston W M.C.), Wadman played excellent draw bowls and although he trailed on the early ends he raced right away towards the end to win, 21-9. His semi-final victory over Aubrey Bates (Elmwood) was even more decisive, although White also had a big win, over Noel Tomlinson (Hornby W.M.C.) to reach the final. In the Diggers tournament, King actually played third and his Woolston W.M.C. team was skipped by Colin Wilson, with Jim Lamberton and Leo McLaughlin the front pair. Dixon’s team was Norm Williams, Morrie Hayes and Cyril Bateman. In the semi-finals. King and Dixon both had comfortable wins, over Jack Steele (Burwood) and Ken Shivas (Burnside) respectively.

Results of th* triples 1M eolta TRIPLES Third round R. T. Masefield 'Akaroai 21, I A. K. Browning (Papanui? 14; C. iK. Manson (Shirley I SI. M. Moffat ■ iLinwood) 10; T. J. Payne (Edgeware) 19, N. Manfield (Spreydon) ' 18: W. R. Wilkinson .Boe kenham) 20, M. S. Robinson Barrington) 10: P H. Ros* (Bumside) 32, M Memory (Woolston I W.M.C.) 3: G. Matthews 'Kaiapob 20, G. Beaumont (Redcllfts) 16; Li. Simpson (St Martins) 22. R. T. Bailey (Mt Pleasant) U; G. L. Stanley [South Brighton! 19. H. Denton (Amberley) S. Quarter-finals Masefield 20, Manson 19; Payne 31, Wnkinson 9; Matthews 22.’ Ros* 19; Stanley 20. Slmps«n 10. Semi-finals Payne 21. .Masefield 11; Stanley 21. Matthews 13. Final Stanley 20, Pavne 12. COLTS Third round P. Dennehy (Morrison Avenue) 21. R. R. Aimstrong (Barrington) 18; M. R. While (Woolston W.M.C.) 21 A. E. Bradshaw .Tai Tapu) 8; R. G. Hobern Kirwee) 21, J. Brunton (Riccaiton W.M.C.) 20; N Tomlinson (Hornby W.M.C.) 21, C. Taylor (Sheffield) 13: A D. Bates (Elmwood) 21, I. Clarke (Halswell' 20; P. Stanbury (Hoon Hay W.M.C.) 21, A. W. Thrower (Hornby) 16; M. Graham (Redcliffs' 21. M. ’Hibbard (Christchurch' 14: D. N. [Wadman (South Brighton) 21, A. Anderson (Linwood) 11. Quarter-finals Whit* 21, Dennehy 8: Tomlinson 21. Hohern 18: Bates 21, Stanbury 17; Wadman 21, Graham 17 Semi-finals White 21, Tomlinson »; Wadman 21. Bates 5. Final Wadman 21, White 9