A LOCAL VICTORY

Evening Star, Issue 25084, 27 January 1944, Page 3

A LOCAL VICTORY

PAIRS FINAL TO ST. KILDA WIND SPOILS GAME The New Zealand championship bowling tournament, which has been unanimously regarded as an unqualified success, concluded yesterday afternoon, when the final of the pairs competition was played in fine, but gusty, weather on the St. Kilda green, which was in excellent; condition. WINNERS OF-TITLE'S. The various titles won during the tournament were as follows: —Singles, M. J. Squire (Ha-wera); runner-up, A. Clark (Ashibury, Tim am); pairs, P. H. Edwards and E. A. Travers (St. Kilda); runners-lip, A. Williamson and J). 11. Joseph (Canterbury) ; fours—W. Chapman, A. E. Seyimour, J. White, C. G. Spearman (Christchurch R.S.A.); runners-up—W. G. Lindsay, A. S. Armstrong, W. J. McKay, C. E. Tyrrell (lloslyii).

What was expected to be a dose game, or, at any rate, a good exhibition of bowls, when the St. Kilda and Canterbury pairs met in the final of that competition was largely spoiled by an interfering wind which frequently

turned a promising shot into a poor lie. This was a pity, because the material was there to provide the big crowd of spectators with an interesting couple of hours' entertainment. GOOD RECORDS ALL. The local skip, E. W. Travers. has, during the tournament, gained many admirers for his smooth and accurate play, and, although lie was away from bowls for a number of years prior to his coming to Dunedin 14 months ago, he has a, record of eight years champion of the Waimate Club, and lias done well since joining up with St. Kilda. His lead. P. H. Edwards, is also a player of long experience, one who has been three times champion of his club, and who, paired with his brother, A. E. Edwards, has won the Easter pairs at the Dunedin tournament. Similarly, D. H. Joseph is a wellknown and successful bowler. He was runner-up in the pairs in the last New Zealand tournament in 1941, and has many wins to his credit. His lead. A. Williamson, displayed excellent form in the matches- in which he took part during the tournament just closed. DISAPPOINTING FORM. But. somehow, apart from the nuisance raids paid by the wind, tilie play of the Oanteibury pair particularly was below their average standard as we had got to know it here. _ Indeed, Williamson could not strike his length, and his really "good shots—the kind that bring applause from appreciative on-

lookers—were few and far between. Too often he was short, and not infrequently very short. Joseph was steadier than his lead, but after the first dozen heads he' appeared to lose confidence, and. although getting in an occasional "beauty," never, in those closing stages, really looked like winning. Travers and his lead plugged along steadily and confidently, if not always with accuracy; taking the bad with the good—with more of*the latter than the former. The skip drew some pretty shots and had little or no occasion to drive. Edwards was far more consistent than his vis-a-vis, whom he outdrew in the majority of puds. A WILD START. The first end was a rather wild one, even the skips being shy of kitty. At the wash-up Joseph claimed 3—a useful start. On the second end Joseph Sot in a good one, which Travers removed with a lucky wick, and this left him 1 up. The third head saw Travers lie 2, which Joseph twice tried unsuccessfully to remove with drives, and a couple more to the St. Kilda pair in the following end gave them a 5-3 lead. LEAD GAINED AND LOST. . The fifth end saw Travers trail the jack to advantage and Joseph just miss facing the shot with a beautifullyweighted try. One more to Travers. Williamson got in two nice ones in the sixth, which Travers could not boat, and when the Canterbury pair took auother 2 in the seventh and led

by a point there were hopes of a good finish. But the next three ends saw St. Kilda add 5 to regain a lead which they increased from that stage onwards, though Canterbury scored a couple in the eleventh end. The fifteenth was .burned twice, once by each skip, and this driving interlude ended with one of Travers's bowls cracked. Joseph at once consented to his rival skip replacing the bowl. At the third attempt the fifteenth was completed with 3 lip for Travers. Nothing of particular note happened in the next five heads, in only one of which Joseph scored, and the game ended at the twentieth in a win for St. Kilda by 21 to 11. CONGRATULATIONS. At the conclusion of the play the president of the New Zealand Bowling Association, Mr J. Forster, congratulated the winners and also complimented them on their good play throughout the competition. Mr Forster took the opportunity of expressing the thanks of the association to -all those who had assisted in making it such a pronounced success. > Mr Travers, in expressing gratification at having won the title for his club, paid a warm tribute to his lead, Mr Edwards. Mr Joseph, in his reply, remarked upon the wonderful hospitality extended to the visiting bowlers in Dunedin. " I have enjoyed my visit," he said, " and I am certainly coming again."