BOWLING TITLES

Evening Star, Issue 21315, 20 January 1933, Page 14

BOWLING TITLES

(, RINKS CHAMPIONSHIP SENSATIONAL FINISHES [Pkr United Press Association.] WELL!NGTON, January 15. Tiie fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds of the post-section play in the rinks championship of the New Zealand bowling tournament brought the cream of the dominion bowlers into (lie arena. Superb bowling and sensational finishes were witnessed, Wellington rinks being in a cast-iron position at the end of the day. Two Wellington rinks are left in with two lives each, and Auckland one rink, with one life only. Gilbert (Karori), Naylor (Lyall Bay), and Jenkiu (Auckland) are the remaining rinks. The weather was perfect. Kemllo (Eastbourne) met Walker (Auckland). Both rinks played a drawing game, the heads changing constantly. When Walker was in arrears the tactics were those of the old campaigner, but Eastbourne made no tactical errors. The game stood at 15 all with throe beads to go. On the lasi head Walker was 2 up on the board and lying shot. Reudle, with his last bowl, took out the shot bowl to lie five. Walker went for a draw, getting a rub off a wing bowl to turn in for shot and game. They were Iwo magnificent shots, on which the game itself hung. The Reid v. Benefield game was a stern contest, with a lot of driving. Seven heads were killed. When ten heads had been played the scores wore 17 all. On the sixteenth head Reid went ahead with a single. On the eighteenth head half the bowls wore down when the bell went to finish the game. Reid was lying two on one side and Benefield had two on the other. Benefield drove at Reid’s pair, taking them out and lying _ four, to win by three—a thrilling finish. Jcnkin did some driving against Naylor. Naylor’s men kept to the draw, and driving did not keep them out of the lead, which they held all the way, Naylor winning, 18-9. Gilbert (Karori) defeated Efford (Christchurch) by a good margin. The Karori men played better bowls man for man, and worked like a machine. Efford’s rink never seriously threatened them.

Edwards and Gordon provided a keen contest. The keen green puzzled the Temuka men, and the West Coasters were playing too well for them. Gordon won comfortably. Ives struck form against Fielding, who was soon trailing behind. The Wellington man failed to get going, Ives winning, 24-14. Smith (Kelburn) was not greatly troubled by Dee’s (Nelson) rink, and the game proved to be an easy win for Kelburn. In the fifth round Benefield’s rink attempting smashing tactics against Walker (Auckland), but did riot succeed. It was an even break for the first seven heads. Keys and Macky were doing good work for Auckland. Benefield resorted to driving, and three heads were killed. Three singles to Walker saw him leading, 9-5. Wanganui continued vigorous tactics, nut Walker more than gave a Boland for an Oliver when the occasion demanded. At the halfway stage Walker had the mastery, and scoring singles persistently, won 15-7.

Ives, playing Smith, went on the board first. Each scored a fiver, and Ives added 2,1, 4,3, and went away to lead 21-10. Smith made a partial recovery, increasing his score to 18. Ives put on another 5 before the end, trailing the jack for 4. Gilbert made' a wonderful recovery against Gordon to win by one. On the nineteenth head Gilbert trailed the jack for G. Gordon was lying 2 on tho next head when Neilsou drew second shot. Gordon did not improve matters, and Gilbert won.

The first half of the game was evenly contested between Jenkins and Effort!. Tho latter scored one on the twelfth head, and that was the end. Jcnkin scored four singles, and on the last four heads added 2,3, 3,2, to win 23-11. The sixth round was testing time.

In the match between Naylor and Ives the Lyall Bay quartet gave a superb display of drawing, and Naylor’s generalship made it hard for Ives to make a big score. Naylor was in front, IG-6, on the tenth head. Ives drew a four, and on the next two heads Naylor’s rink added a four and a three by good drawing, making the score 25-12. Ives scored two on the eighteenth, leaving Ives 12 down with two heads to go. Jenkin and Walker made hard work of it. Jenkin went ahead at the start, but Walker caught him on the twelfth head. There were three tics before Jenkin forged ahead with 3,1, 3, to load 22-18. With ono head to go Walker wanted five to win, and succeeded in placing five shots all round the jack. Truscott drove twice, the second hitting the head and cracking it up to lie shot. Walker failed to put the jack out, and Jenkin won. To-morrow Gilbert (Karori) and Naylor (Lyall Bay), the only two-lifers left in, will meet the loser, and, if lie wins, will still have lo boat the other two-lifer twice. The Auckland rink has a stupendous task before it to win the championship. Results: — FOURTH ROUND. Naylor 18, Jenkin 9. Gilbert 25, Efford 14. Gordon 27, Edwards 12. Ives 24. Fielding 14. Smith 26, Deo 11. Walker 19, Rondle 16. Benefield 20, Reid 17. FIFTH ROUND, Naylor, a bye. Walker 15, Benefield 7. Ives 28, Smith 18. Jenkin 23, Efford 11. Gilbert 17, Gordon 16. SIXTH ROUND, Naylor (Lyall Bay) 26, Ives (Christchurch) 14. Jenkin (Carlton, Auckland) 2-1, Walker (Auckland) 18.