BOWLS TOURNEY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 85, 3 January 1918, Page 9

BOWLS TOURNEY

WON BY A PSTONE RINK SOME INTERESTING GAMES The Wellington Bowling Centre's annual was continued in bright bjftyjzy weather oh the Welliugton Club's green yesterday, and came to a cctficlusion last ovening, when tho two y.'/ikmo rinks,' skipped by Wylie and Laurie respectively, fought out. the to/ib. The fact that two rinks from same club won through to the final F/imo reflects credit on the suburban frlub, which well deserved tho honour ,'gained, but tho same circumstance ■tended to rob the game of the interest that, would have been more keenly .manifested had two clubs been opposed :in tho final game. The winners turned up in Laurie's .Petone rink, which had given an excellent account of themselves in section play, and yet were considered "outsid■era" by those guessing at the.result. In any case, they only had to beat their •own clubmates in the final, and found the task a comparatively easy one. The following are the results of th« final games : — SECOND ROUND (CONTINUED.) • Wylia (Petone) beat Tasker (Wellington), 24—21. Magnus (Wellington) beat Berry (Wellington), 29—11. Sievwright (Wellington) beat Snaddpjr. (Victoria), 22 —16. THIRD ROUND. Horner (Wellington) beat Sievwright Wellington), 27—13. ' Raven (Lyall Bay) beat Thomson i'(Thorndon), 26 —15. Wylie (Petone) beat Magnus (Wellington), 20 —16. Laurie'(Petono) beat Beynon (I'e•tone), 22—10.

NOTES ON THE PLAY. The run of surprises was still maintained in tho. third round of the finals jplayed yesterday. Laurie's (Petone) link,., which put up. big' scores in tbs first; and second round, found tho green to their liking, and that fine; tourna.ment player, Beynon, foil a victim to Ails clubmato to tho tuno of 22 —10. .Laurie scored oil thirteen heads, getting one 4, two 3's,'and two 2's, whilst Beynon was only allowed to get two 2's aikl six singles. Raven (Lyall Bay) maintained his tuh of successes by defeating Thomson i(Thorndon) comfortably, 26 —15. llaven is a bowler with a nico easy style, an ■excellent draw,-and safe on a firm shot. He is comparatively now to tho gahuy and has the makings of a first-flight skip. A tough battle was anticipated bo* 'tween the.clubmatos Horner, and S'ev* Svrigbt (Wellington). If anything tho <odds were on Sievwright's rink, but 'Horner's men made no raco of it from •the jump: Thoy scored 12 before Siev•wright scored at all, and on tho fifteenth head Horner had piled up 21 to his opponent's 4. On tho next four heads Sievwright's men carno to light, scoring 2," 2, 3, 2, but 011 tho twentieth, Corner, by deftly cutting out Sievwright's single shot bowl, landed three —and tho game. The best game to watch in the third Tound waa that between Wylio (Pc•tone) and Magnus (Wellington). Magnus got a lead early by getting in fine shots on tho first head, bufc.Wylie's men stuck to their job in first--lass style, though they were, only abla to get singles up till tho eleventh head. On the sixteenth the score was 16—11 in favour of Magnus. Then by superior drawing":- arid placing "Wylie's men scored 1—2 —3—1 —2 on the last five heads, a well-timed rally that won them • the gamo with four points in hand... Magnus only scored 011 six heads, which shows the' consistency of .Wylie's rink".

: SEMI-F/NALS. . Petone.—Hudge,' Bargh, Robertson, Laurie (s.), 26; Lyall Bay—Morrah, Gilbert, Martin, Raven (s.), 19—This was an evenly-contested game tip till the tenth head, when the Lyall Bay rink began to-play a little more loose-, ly, making it a' little difficult' for their skip, who drew with commendable. accuracy throughout the game. .Petone drew away from tho tenth head, Mudge pleading splendidly, and scoring I—2—1 —2— 3—5 : .'on;. successive heads, Eobertson and Laurie doing good work on botli Lands. On the fifteenth head the score was 21—10 in favour of Petone, and the lamp .'of hope of the Bay became a dim uncertain light, but on the nest, three,'.h'eads' : :Lj;air Bay notched--2—2—4, getting: within.three of their' opponents with 'three heads to go. It Was a fine chance, that Was nullified "by Wide,: uncertain playj which allowed Petone to measure, in four shots oil the ninteeenth and one oil, the twentieth head."' . Tho Bayitcs. scored a singla on. the. last head. . Petone—Firth,. Ross, Jones, Wylie (s.), 25; Wellington—Roberts, Ledger, Gooder, Horner (s.), 13.—1n this game there was little'to - choose between the two rinks up till the eleventh head, and the ''bank" (numbering over 100 fans) anticipated a close finish'. . But it was'not to be. For several heads Horner's men were unable to score, though the play was free, and at times amusing, through Horner's bad luck in tapping up the wrong bowl at critical, times." While the Wellington rink stuck to tlieir dozen, Petone clapped on fourteen points, making the score 24— 12 on tho eighteenth head. On the nineteenth head, Homer managed to reach the fatefjil 13, and as Petone lay one shot on the penultimate head, it was not necessary 'to play the last head.

the final: Petone-rMudge, Bargh, Robertson, Laurie (s.), 22; Petone—Fitth, Ross, Jones, Wylie (s.), 11. This game was tho reverse of interesting. Laurie's link completely outplayed their club mates on. almost every head, _ being led by the very accurate drawing of Mudge. Wylie-only scored on seven heads, whilst the winners drew in with stubborn persistency, establishing a big lead half-way through the game, and steadily increasing it to tho end. It was not necessary to play the last head. A GOOD RECORD; TJie Petone Club has established a good record in tho tournament. Not only did it provide the winners and runuei's-up in the'tournament, but a third Petone rink (skipped by Bey--11011) won tho Gisbprne bowl for tho highest aggregate score "in section play. CONGRATULATIONS. At the contusion- of the tournament tho health' of " the "winning rink was proposed by the president (Air. S. Underwood). He said that the tournament had been a very successful one. There had been difficulties .in the way of unstamped bowls and wet weather, but, thanks to their energetic secretary (Mr. J. J. Roberts), they had been able to get the tournament off pretty well up to programme time. He also referred to the number of "surprise packets" which had come to light. It was understood that Mr. Laurie's rink were considered rank outsiders by their clubmatcs. who knew most about them. In referring to i the matter of unstamped bowls, lie' said that Mr. Bary, in exorcising his function as umpire, had only carried out ;the rules, and there .-was only one thing to do—when yoii have rules, stick to them. (Hear, hear.) "He also I tho referees ou tho other

greens for the services they had rendered the executive. Mr. Laurie (for the winners) and Mr. Wylie (for the runners-up) responded, stating how much they had enoyed the tournament. The president also presented Mr. Beynon with tho Gisborne Rose Bowl. Mr. Beynon, ho said, lad a knack of carrying off something. If he couldnob win the tournament, he could always manage to win something. Ho was a model for all bowlers to copy. He fought to win keeuly, but if ha did not.win, he came tip smiling, ready for the next tournament. Mr. Beynon responded in manner characteristic. He said that Petono could 2 ronr anything—vegetables, footballers, bowlers, and even V.C.'s—• (hear, hear)—and if they wanted th» "essence of lamb" they could get in tho air. (Laughter and applause.) Mr.. Barnes proposed the health of tho secretary (Mr. J. J. Roberts) for his self-sacrificing work. Thoy all knew he was a. good bowler, hut owing to Tiis duties lie was unablo to take part in the tournaments. His health was drunk with musical honours. Mr. Roberts said that as Petone had won everything he was going to propose that tho headquarters of the centre be removed to Petone. (Ap-' planso. 1 ! There had been some difference of opinion as to the two-gam es-a-day system; It was for the members tn say it was satisfactory. (Voices: "It was good.'') ITe also thanked the clubs for the use of their greens, and the Wellington Club for the use of its pavilion. The function coucliuM with cheers for the president and vice-president. Mr. A. Wylie, on behalf of tho Weilincton Cluh, sftid they were always glad to extend facilities to tlie centre. If the bowlers enjoyed themselves they wero content. (Applause.)