Juniors excel in bowls singles

Press, 21 January 1982, Page 28

Juniors excel in bowls singles

Two leading juniors, Chris Carter (Fendalton) and Noel Tomlinson (Hornby W.M.C.), showed excellent form on the first day yesterday, of the Christchurch open singles bowls tournament.

Both came through as twolifers from sections which were far from easy.

Carter had to work hard to beat lan Scott (Dallington), 21-20, in the second round, and he did not have much to spare either in his next two games, beating Colin Lowery (Leeston), 21-17, and Merv Robinson (Barrington), 21-19. Tomlinson won his games more convincingly against slightly less formidable rivals, but most impressive was his 21-10 win over Neil Banfield (Spreydon) in the fourth round. There are 14 two-lifers to resume next Wednesday and 53 one-lifers.. Most of the favoured candidates survived the day, the possible exceptions being Bill Hayes (Linwood), and the South Brighton team-mates, Tom Dixon and Peter Meier. Dixon lasted, just'three rounds and the other two were eliminated in the fourth. But if Dixon and Meier failed, two of their clubmates, Graham Stanley and Jack Dale, kept the South Brighton flag flying. Stanley, who has an excellent record in this tournament, although he has never quite managed to win it, won all his four games, but the scores in three of them were 20- 21-19 and 21-20. The fourth, at 21-1, went to the other extreme. Dale had four conclusive wins, the best of them being 21- against Ken Watson (Linwood) in the third round.

The entry was well down this year, a consequence most likely of the recent Dominion tournament, and missing from the field are last year’s winner, Sonny Calder (Linwood), and the runner-up, lan McAllister (Dallington). Another notable absentee is Wally Wilkinson (Beckenham), whose open singles record is second to none.

However, Roy Bailey (Linwood), who was third last year, had four wins. He beat only Alf Williamson (Edgeware), 21-20, in the second round, but he had every reason to be pleased with his 21-13 victory over Stan Lawson (Papanui) in the next round. Lawson has twice won this title, in 1974 and 1975.

In the fourth round, Bailey met his former playing partner at Mount Pleasant, Bill Hammond, and he beat him, 16-10.

Neville Poole (Sumner) did his reputation as a singles specialist no harm with four good wins, two against strong opponents, and Travis Coup (Kaiapoi) did likewise to re-establish his claim for Rothmans selection.

Another player to have a rewarding day was Duncan White (Papanui). Often a threat in this tournament, and the winner of it in 1976, White won all his four games handsomely.

The 1980 champion. Bill McDonald (Spreydon). also kept his prospects of a repeat performance bright by going through the day unbeaten. The survivors are: Two lives

A. J. Briden (Spreydon). W. McDonald (Spreydon). J. Dale (South Brighton), R. Jones (Burnside). N. Pooie (Sumner), T. Coup (Kaiapoi), R. Bailey (Linwood), N. Tomlinson (Hornby W.M.C.). J. Steele (Burwood), N. A. Court (Christchurch-Richmond M.S.A.). G. Stanley (South Brighton). M. Penfold (Rangiora). C. Carter (Fendalton), D. White (Papanui). One-lifers W. Bodger (New Brighton), B. Chapman (Beckenham). R. Ashton (Sumner), W. Newburgh (Elmwood). M. Hibbard (Christchurch). H. Bain (Sydenham), J. Barrington (Burwood). K. Watson (Linwood), S. Glennie (Papanui). W. Cole (Christchurch). R. O’Callaghan (Shirley), F. Cornelius (Hornby). C. Hilf (Burwood). N. Williams (South Brighton). F. Blackburn (Beckenham). M. King (Woolston W.M.C.), T. Austin (Hornbv). A. Tall (Barrington), G. Keith (Hinds), W. Fiecken (Beckenham). R. Cullen (Spreydon), R. Dorman (Fendalton). A. Williamson iEdgeware). S. Law-

son (Papanui). W. Hammond (Mount Pleasant), P. Maples (Elmwood). E. McCahon (Fendalton), T. Sellars (Burnside). N. Banfield (Spreydon), M. Ryan (Beckenham), L. Hanger (Burnside), J. Gill (Papanui), R. Croft (Fendalton), G. Wiremu (Woolston W.M.C.), K. White (Woolston Park), S. Whiteford (St Albans), K. Briscoe (Hornby), T. Berry (Sydenham), P. Kristiansen (Edgeware). T. Mattinson (Burnside), C. McPherson (St Martins), J. Abernethy (Woodend), M. Nairn (Leestonj, B. Johns (Christchurch), G. Muirson (Linwood), B. Hegarty (Spreydon), J. Kennedy (Papanui), D. Trainor (Papanui), M. Robinson (Barrington), R. Lulham (Christchurch). G. McFadzien (Burwood), C. Thompson (Sumner). F. Needham (Christchurch.