Riccarton wins

Press, 1 March 1984, Page 34

Riccarton wins

Eleanor Buckley and her Riccarton team of June Mclntosh, Lu Beattie and Kath Pooley survived in a tight finish to win the Christchurch women’s bowls champion-of-champions fours title on the Sydenham green yesterday. The other finalist was Alice Whiting (Woolston W.M.C.) and her team was Vai Chick, Elsie Tennant and Jean. Stapleton. Mrs Whiting was 8-2 up after five ends, but the Riccarton four recovered quickly and the scores were level at 9-9 after eight ends.

It was close from then on and it was a shot Mrs Buckley played on the second-to-last end when the scores were tied at 19-19 that determined the outcome. With her first bowl Mrs Whiting drew the shot

to a wide head, but Mrs Buckley was equal to the challenge of wresting it out for three shots.

Mrs Whiting never looked like getting the three back on the last end, a -difficult wind, and, perhaps, a few nerves, affecting all the players. However, Mrs Buckley’s team did add four points to make the final score decisive at 26-19.

Mrs Buckley was very well served by her lead, Mrs Mclntosh, only a second-year player, and the steadiest player of the entire eight was probably the Riccarton third, Mrs Pooley. Also decided at Sydenham yesterday was the inter-club championship for the Rowntree Cup, and for the fifth time in seven years victory went to Linwood. In the final it beat Fendalton, 20-9.