BOWLING TOURNAMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 January 1939, Page 11

BOWLING TOURNAMENT

NEARING THE FINALS.

[I’EIJ PEESH ASSOCIATION,]

AUCKLAND, January 19. Good progress was made with postsection play in three events —the singles, pairs, and rinks—in the New Zealand Bowling Association’s championship tournament, which, was continued in Auckland to-day. Three rounds of post-section play were decided in the rinks, and three games in the pairs and four games in the singles were also played. In the fours event, seven two-lifers and 22 one-lifers continued play, and at, the end of the day there were two undefeated' rinks, Franks (Balmoral) and Deare (Carlton). Those with one life were Lobb (New Plymouth), Evajjs (Hamilton), Brighting (Hatai-

tai), Tongue (Rocky Nook). The pairs competition was reduced to the final, which will be contested by I. Stephenson (Gisborne) and W. Robinson (Hamilton). The players eliminated to-day were J. Kerr (Onehunga) and Whjyte (Sydenham). The semi- finals stages have been

reached in the singles, the four remaining players being A. Connew (Mount Albert), H. Cowper (Ponsonby), J. S. Martin (Ellerslie), and W. C. Franks (Balmoral). The pairs competition will be completed to-mor-row, and it is anticipated that the singles and rinks will be finished on Saturday. There was much to interest spectators at the Carlton green to-day in the pairs game between Robinson (Hamilton) and Kerr (Onehunga). The former won, and later met the Syden-

ham pair, Gibson and Whyte. The finish of the latter game was exciting, as the Hamilton team was one point down on the board, and three points down on the head when Robinson came to play his last bowl on the twenty-first head, but -he was equal to the occasion, and gained three shots. In* the play-off Hamilton was victorious.

Although the final game in the pairs competition has yet to be decided, the two defeated teams in the semifinals, Whyte (Sydenham) and Buckley (Grey Lynn) were available to play off for third place, the former winning. In the last round 1 to-day in the fours Love’s Australian team, which had two defeats, was eliminated. Brilliant play was exhibited by the skip of the Hataitai team, L. Naylor, who ■was two points down on the board in the game against Neilsen (Park, Hawera) on the last head of the final round, and when he changed over was lying one shot only; but he added two to win by drawing both bowls to within two inches of the jack. Rolls (Featherston), who went out in the last round, put up a. fine defence in all his games. Another good team to be eliminated in the last game ■was Newman’s (Thames) rink.

A surprise elimination was that of R. Thomas (Mount Albert), a combination which came through the section stages undefeated. The successive defeats of Bremner (West End) at the hands of Franks (Balmoral) and Neilsen (Park, Hawera) were unexpected. The West End) combination was not at all happy, and apart from Bremner’s own showing, gave a very indifferent display. The remaining two-life teams, Deare (Carlton) and Franks (Balmoral) have preserved their status by sound and at times brilliant play. A. Taylor’s leading work for the Carlton team has been good all through, while Bird and Fraser, number two and three respectively, have also lent admirable aid.

The singles games were closely followed by a large crowd of spectators. De Launay (Carlton) had a narrow win over Somervell (Ponsonby). A two-lifer, Cowper (Ponsonby) was outplayed by the one-lifer, Connew (Mount Albert). Cowper had better touch in his next game, when he met De Launay, and, producing really good bowls, won comfortably. Later on, Franks (Balmoral), who had the bye in the last round of the fours, met N. Bell, jun., in the singles, and the Balmoral player continued to play good bowls, winning by a margin of eight points.

TO-DAY’S PLAY. AUCKLAND. January 20. Six rinks (two two lifers and tour one lifers) commenced the seventh round of the national bowls rinks championship, this morning at. Carllon green, in fine weather. The green was fast. Results: — Two lifers: W. C. Franks (Balmoral) 21, G. A. Deare (Carlton) 7. One lifers: H. L. Brighting (Hataitai) 26. G. B. Evans (Hamilton) 10. J. Lobb (West End. New Plymouth) 24, W. H. Tongue (Rocky Nook) 19. The draw in the eighth round is Franks v. Brighting. Deare v. Lobb.

QUEENSLANDERS AT DUNEDIN. DUNEDIN, January 19. The visiting Queensland bowlers arrived in Dunedin, yesterday, and played two games to-day. The first was against three Caledonian Club rinks, the local side winning by 123 points to 109. The second game was against St. Kilda Club, and the visitors were victorious by 136 points to 90. In the latter game, a rink skipped by Charles (Queensland) defeated Walton’s St. Kilda rink by 37 points to ■">. A fairly strong south-west wind p'evailed. ’