BOWLS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 152, 21 March 1924, Page 4

BOWLS

CHAMPION OF CHAMPION RINKS HATAITAI THE WINNERS There was a fairly good attendance at the Victoria Club's green yesterday to witness the eeniWinal and final games in the champion of champion rinks contest for tho Wellington Centre —the Blue Ribbon of bowls for the district. The green was in fairly good order, though worn badly at the outer edges; on this account the heads were kept of medium length throughout the games. There was a fresh northerly breeze blowing with an overcast sky, and twice during the playing of tho semi-final games light showers fell, which took a- good deal of the “draw” out of the green. Mr. D. A. Innes acted ns umpire. The results of the games w ere as follow :— THE SEMI-FINALS. Central v. Koiburn. Central —Foster, Fisher, Senior, Beynon (s.), 22;’Kelburn—Smith, Nicholls, Doherty, Routley (s.), 13. In the main there was nothing much to chose between the rank and file of the two rinks, but Beynon outdrew Routley with rather remarkable regularity; he was assisted as well by a little more than a shade of luck. For example, on the ninth head, Kelburn was lying five shots when the skips went down. Beynon, witl; his first bowl, drew the shot. Then Routley ran the , kitty a little and lay no fewer than seven shots, but Beynon was not to be denied. He drew the dead shot again with his second bowl, and hung on to it. The game practically ended on the seventeenth head when Central notched five shots, making the score 21 —8. Beynon drew the shot again on the succeeding head, and on the last two heads Kelburn was permitted to score five points. Hataitai v. Island Bay. Hntaitai —Moeller, Commetti. Halliday, Ardell. (s.), 19; Island Bny—Kerr, Herron, Taylor, Hale (s.), 17. This was n stoutly-contested game, which was keenly fought out to the last bowl. The scoring was very even up to half-way, when the fine consistency of the Bay rink looked as though it was going to tell its tale. Kerr was playing a steady leading game, giving his side the shot on nearly every head when the skips went down. Taylor also played sound bowls for the" Bay. ns did Commetti and Halliday for Hataitai. Ardell got away with a lucky four on the fourteenth head, which put his nose in front —12 —11. The Bay responded gamely on tho next two heads with a three and a two, and got four points ahead. Ardell is generally at his best when up against it, and more than once ho turned the score in Tlataitai’s favour when down on the head. On the seventeenth head he scored a single, on tho eighteenth he measured in two. and on the nineteenth scored another single—l 6 all- On the twentieth head Hataitai measured in one. but Hale scored on tho last head, making tho score 17 all. On the extra head Hataitai lay a single shot when tho skips went down. Herron’s bowl was second on the opposite side of the shot, and in trying to draw it off across the head. Ardell with his second shot touched the kitty back and lay three, much to the player’s surprise apd delight. ' Halo could only drive, but was able to cut out one only, leaving Ardell with two shots and the game. THE FINAL. The final game resulted as follows:— Hataitai —Moeller, Commetti, Halliday, Ardell (s.). 25; Potone Central —Foster, Fisher, Senior, Beynon (s.), 15. As Beynon treated Routley in the semifinal. so did Ardell treat Beynon in the final. Given it in that tho Hataitai rink had tho lion’s share of any luck that was going, still they were the bettor rink, and would have won in any case. Beynon’s men wore not at all as reliable as their opponents, and that consistency which is the soul of rink p'ay, rested with the men from over the hill. Petone Central, in the first twelve heads, only scored throe points, as against JJataitni’s 20; but in the last eight heads, the Central players showed more confidence and accuracy, with the result that they scored twelve points as against Tlataitai’s 5. Of those heads, too, Central scored on six and Hataitai on two only, one bring a four which was given them by Beynon fapping tho kitty back to three Hataitai bowls, which Ardoll improved by driving another shot. That was very lucky for Hataitai, ns Beynon intended te tough the jack back, but only inches instead of feet. It was the only 4-point head in the game. SHI'., for all the merit of this late recovery, no one would argue that the best rink did not win, and Hataitai deserved the congratulations which they received on the green and in the pavilion. Moeller p'ayed a brilliant leading game for Hataitai. drawing tho shot with fine consistency. Commetti was hardly so accurate as usual, but still he played well. ITaltiday played a so'id game, and Ardell’s pinv and generalship were never nt fault. The Central rink played a good game in the morning. Tf they could have sustained that standard a fine contest would have resulted, but Foster. Fisher, and Senior were all more or less erratic, which could never be said of Beynon. .At the conclusion of the game the president of the centre (Mr. F. Mcadownroft) called for thrro licartv cheers for the winners, and laore for lhe npFASTBOURNE CLUB. The following players will represent city players for the challenge cup series between the club and city members of tho Eastbourne Bowling Club, on Saturday next: —B. Guise, D r . McLeod, E. T.idalc, L. Churchward, A. Duncan. M’. Wylie. A. AA’ylie, A. Longniore. M. Bird, T. Inglis. a D. Munro, Baker. Mackenzie. T. Rolinshaw, J. Laughton, IT. 'Shepherd, G. Redmond, IT. Smith, F. Marshall, Taylor, Simmons, A. Smythe. D. Hanlon, H. Reid, Baudinett, A. Allen.

TIIORNDON CLUB. The following will represent the Thorndon Bowling Club in a friendly game v. Karori to-morrow Away—Perry, Batten Buck. Till; Duncan, Fisher, Valentino, Stanford; Townley, Rutter, Ronaldson. Wilson. At homo —Dixon. Chittey. Upham, Allen; Hadfield, Mcßae. Spencer, Chapman; Firth, Casey, AViggins, Salt. The folliwing will represent the ITutt Cub in a friendy match against-Ha-tailai to-morrow: —Away: Simpson, Sutton. Brooks, Hodkins (s.): F. Darker, Burgess, Boek, Hendry fe.); Kennington, Grant. McGurk, Keir (s.); Roper, J. C. Scott. Eddie, Macaskill (s.); Guineas, Rishwortli. Davidson, Trevetlxick (s.); Mothes, Collins. Slinn, Johnson (s.). At homo: Campbell. Mason.- Norris, W. L. Soott Is.): Mowbray, Dunstall, Dempsey, Jones (s.); McDougall, H. Darker, Dudlev. Moadowcrolt (s.); Thomson, Barron, Murphy, Sl'rarer (s.); Rowe, Stonehonse. Judd. Antes (s.); Giinger, Shaw, AVebley, Young (s.).

AUCKLAND'S CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS Br Telegraph— -Dnnss Association. Auckland, March 20. Drofessor Maxwell AA’alker (Donsonby) won tho bowling champion of champions. defeating AVoolle-n (Remuera) in the final. 18—12.