NOTES ON THE PLAY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 13, 17 January 1933, Page 9

NOTES ON THE PLAY

There was a remarkable finish to the gruelling contest in the sixth game between Peter MeWhanncll (Hataitai) ana Benefield (St. John's) on Wellington lower green. With thirteen heads gone,.McWhannell was 15 points behind (3-18), and it seemed • doubtful wlfsther the Hataitai rink could retrieve itself. As is well known, however, th.c : Hataitai skip sticks to his guns to the last, and his tenacity of purpose and skilful generalship, backed up as he was by a hard-fighting team,'carried him safely through in dramatic circumstances. A win, making five games, would have brought Benefield withinstriking distance of post-section entry. His decision, however, to drive on the twenty-third head, with its disastrous results, really cost him the game. The whole match was packed with exciting episodes. There were no fewer than four dead heads in the first four ends, both skips firing. In an early head McWhannell was lying five scorers. Benefield drove and cleared out three counters. Then, with his second bowl, he got a wick and lay on the' jack. On the fourth head Benefield was 5-1. MeWhannell when . 5 down on the seventh head, saved four. On the ninth head Benefield killed (fifth dead head) when two down, getting one on tho replay. . (9-2>. Benefield gained six counters on the twelfth head by I putting the kitty into the ditch (17-3). He was 19-4 on the fifteenth head, but] never scored again, while McWhannell put on 17 points (3, 3, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, and 1). On the twenty-third head Benefieia was leading by three points in the game and was lying one on the head. To get four counters by cutting out his opponent's' second saving shot, Benefield unwisely elected to drive. His bowl struck the kitty squarely and took it to the boundary line, where McWhaunell had a bowl. The- umpire's measuring line showed the kitty to bo alive. McWhannell drew another shot, making him 18-19. Benefield's second bowl was too fast. McWhannell added two more on the twenty-fourth head, after fine play by Bennett, Wellmgs, and himself (20-19). Sparkling play on both sides in the final head ended in McWhannell winning (by ?1----19) with a beautifully drawn shot 15in from the ■ ditch, where Benefield had driven the kitty. Bennett and Wellings rendered distinguished service for Hataitai.

Ji Kerr (Onehunga), who was runnerup in the Dominion singles to J. D. Best (Dunedin) in 1927, made a ceVtaintv_ of his post-section entry by getting six wins. Ho, is a one-time Thorndon and JSTewtown player. His last victim yesterday was H. Sheppard (Hataitai), against whom he scored 36-21. Kerr, with ordinary luck, should go far in post-section play. Ho has a fine rink, including T. T. McAlistor, this year's runner-up in the singles competition to W. Parkhouse.

Lancaster (Carlton), who has also six wins, is another of Auckland's favourites for -rink honours. Ho skipped the winning rink at the Easter tournament last year .at Wanganui, when he met J. Porteous (Wellington) in tire, final. Lancaster also won last year's Auckland Centre Christmas rink tournament, in which no fewer than 74 rinks competed. He was runner-up to H. A. Ifobertson (Onehunga) in the Itemuera Club's New Year rink tourney

All club' pavilions are open to visiting bowlers during tho course- of the tourney.