KEEN CONTESTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20140, 9 January 1940, Page 10

KEEN CONTESTS

BOWLING TITLES SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP FIVE ROUNDS DECIDED 54 PLAYERS STILL IN (Per Pross Association.) WELLINGTON, this day.

Favoured with ideal weather, the New Zealand bowling championships Centennial tournament opened in Wellington yesterday on 18 greens, when five rounds of singles were played. There were 288 entries for the singles event and many keenly-con-tested games were witnessed. Considerable interest centred in the performance of W. Carswell, of the Taieri club, Dunedin, who is the oldest player in the tournament. The fact that he is able to stand the- strain of five rounds of match play is evidence that this veteran player enjoys robust health despite his four-score years. Carswell won his first games but suffered defeat by the Tauranga player, F. Auld, in the third round, the score being 18—14.

Several other veteran previous singles champions failed to survive the test of five rounds. W. D. Bennett (Hastings) lost a life in the first round against the consistent Hataitai player, H.‘ L. Blighting, and was subsequently eliminated. C. R. Ingram (Wellington) and F. Livingstone (Onehunga) were also eliminated. R. Haworth (Canterbury), who was skip of both the championship pair and rink in 1936 was unable to strike his old form in the early stages, being defeated by the Frankton bowler, H. E. Childs, by the convincing margin of 23 —10, but Haworth was right on his game for the remaining rounds. The former champion, J. D. Best (Dunedin), also lost one game. C. Spearman (Sydenham) and G. A. Deare (Carlton) went through undefeated.

J. IVI. Brackenridge (Wellington), who Is a previous title-holder, is competing this year in the rinks and pairs only. There are n ; ne two-lifers and 45 cne-lifers remaining in the singles event and post-section four-games play will be continued to-day. The following players remain in the various sections: — Section A. —One life, Chambers (Sumner), Hawkins (Frankton Railway), Wilson (Petone). Section B. —Two lives, Gray (Kelburn); one life, Hey (Opawa), McWhannell (Hataitai). Section C. —One life, Squire (Hawera), Best (Otago), Stirling (Wellington). Section D.—Two lives, Whittaker (Onehunga); one life, Firth (Glen Eden), Bull (Levin). Section E.—Two lives, Rolls 1 (Featherston); one life, Haworth (Canterbury), McMurchy (Grey Lynn). Section F.—One life, Ritchie (Opunake); Dowland (St. Kilda), Mitchell (Blenheim). Section G. —One life, Munro (Thorndon), Hampton (Sumner), Ewing (Stratford). Section H.—One life, Silbery (Petone), Adams (Phoenix), Dickson (Thorndon). Section I. —Two lives, Macdonald (Balmacewen); one life, Stephenson (Nelson), Johnson (Port Ahuriri). Section J.—One life, Madsen (Opawa), Russell (St. Heliers), Mason (Paritutu). Section K. —Two lives, Nash (Palmerston North); one life, Ingram (Victoria), Nicholas (Blenheim). Section L.—One life, Brighting (Hataitai), Whittle (Grey Lynn), Smhh (Kelburn). Section M.—Two lives, Austin (Cromwell); one life, Dyett (Karori), McCormick (Hawera). Section N.—Two lives, Deare (Carlton); one life, Buchan (Balmacewen), Fox (Barrington). Section O. —Two lives. Griffiths (Grey Lynn); one life, Ryan (Taihape), Bond (Frankton, Railway). Section P.—Two lives, Spearman (Sydenham); one life, Kay (Shirley), Sunde (Glen Eden). Section Q. —One life, Giles (United, Christchurch), Taylor (Rawhiti), Seccombe (Taihape). Section R.—One life, Reid (Kaituna), St. John (Maitai), Carswell (Taieri).