Beiliss in semi-finals

Press, 14 March 1985, Page 44

Beiliss in semi-finals

NZPA-AAP Melbourne The New Zealand bowler, Beiliss is “confident and playing well” on the eve of his semi-final in the Mazda International Jack High tournament at Beaumaris. Beiliss, the 33-year-old world champion, is the big New Zealand hope for tomorrow’s final despite his 21-10 defeat yesterday by Ken Williams, of New South Wales. Beiliss never appeared likely to get within range of the Culburra player yesterday. He was down 0-9 after six ends then, despite recovering to score 10 shots to the fifteenth while Williams added only another four,

had virtually finished his run there. He stood still on 10 until the match finished four ends later, Williams finishing with 1,3, 1, 3 to take the honours.

But nothing really hinged on the match as both Beiliss and Williams had already qualified for the semifinals.

In the final analysis, it was Williams, with an unbroken run of three wins from three matches, who took top spot in group A, leaving Beiliss to take the other semi-final position.

As Beiliss said after the match, “there was nothing hanging on it” and, he added, “tomorrow is another day”.

There was one disconcerting thought for Beiliss from the result. He could not recall the last time he was down 0-9 in a big match. "Hopefully it won’t occur again and eventually to get to 10 shots was grand,” he said.

Lawson, a professional bowler and present holder of the world singles title, certainly knows what is needed in the closing stages of a main tournament. He was runner-up in last year’s English Jack High. The Wanganui-based bowler, who has a string of important victories to his name, is a quiet tip around the Beaumaris club to add the present Jack High to his world crown.