NOTES ON THE PLAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 17, 21 January 1927, Page 12

NOTES ON THE PLAY

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day. The Dominion bowling tournament was continued yesterday in perfect weather. A bright sun maae the greens fast and there was very little wind to interfere with accurate bowling. Chief interest centred in the rinks championship competitions, which are nearing the final stages, and by the end of the day the qualifying teams had been reduced from seven to two. The chief feature of the play was the general lack of brilliance, and it was evident that many of the contestants were feeling the strain of ten days' intense competition. Several teams which had formerly given splendid exhibitions performed disappointingly and were easy victims of opponents who retained their form.

As an instance, Hayaen, • of Takapuna, who haa survivea inter-section play without a loss, went down to Stewart, of Duneain, in the morning by 18 points to 12, and in the next round "rotired in favour 'of Pilkington, of Hamilton, at the 16th heaa, the score then being 27-9 against him. M'Eobie's Eemuera team also failea badly and went down to Laurenson, of Carterton, by .24 to 10. Later, Stewart beat Laurenson by 17 to 13.

Benefield, of St. John's, on the other hana, was hard put to it to aispose of Walker's Aucklana : team. The Wanganuites were on their game from the commencement and.tlespite fine play by the local skip the thirteenth heaa showed Benefioia 19, Walker 7. Then Walker called on his reserves ana by brilliant ana aoggea play got within one on the last head. With his last bowl he smashed up an adverse position, but the kitty rebounded to an opposing bowl, leaving the final score, Benefieia 21, Walker 19.

The next draw'found Benefleld opposing Pilkington, Stewart getting a bye. Earl^ in the game it was gvi-

dent that the redoubtable quartette from Hamilton haa haa enough. The brilliant and spectacular play which haa given them the victory the previous clay against Harraway's team was entirely absent. Benefield's men on the other hand were drawing with admirable consistency, while the skip himself was particularly successful in his drives on the rare occasions that the heads were against him. On the twelfth head the score was 12-6 in Benefield's favour. Then for six successive heads Pilkington failed to score and he retired on the eighteenth head with the total 22-6.

The semi-final will commence at midday to-aay, when the Dunedin team comprising Gregory, Smith, Bentley, ana Stewart will play the St. John's combination, M'Millan, Bowlings Wight, ana Benefield. As the Dunedinites have two lives the odds are greatly in their favour for the Wanganui combination will have to aefeat them in two games in oraer to annex the coveted title of the.Dominion's champion rink.

A number of pairs matches were also aeciaea yesterday, as a result of which two of the four Dunedin teams still in were eliminated. Smith went down to Livingstone, of Onehunga, by 29 to 18, but later on Harraway avenged this defeats His score against Livingstone was 25 to 14.

Hutchison was put out after a fine game with the Hamilton pair, Bell, senr. and junr., after winning his section against Livingstone.

Harraway carried on as green winner against Armstrong, of Pukekohe, and won handsomely by 22 to 12 on the 17th head. In this game Best and Harraway were quite irresistible.

The pairs now loft in are Brackebush ana Walker (Auckland), Bell, senr. ana junr. (Hamilton), Wight and Benefieia (St. John's),-M'lntyre ana Pilkington (Hamilton), Watson ana Proctor {Eemuera), ana Best ana Harraway (Green Island).

Only one game was played in the singles championship, and in this H. ClaTke, of Eoeky Nook, haa a runaway victory over C. Maher, of the West Ena Club.