FINE PLAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20141, 10 January 1940, Page 11

FINE PLAY

BOWLS TITLE POST-SECTION PLAY SPEARMAN BEATEN GRIFFITHS’ CLOSE CALL (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. With the elimination of 234 players in the singles championship on the opening day of the New Zealand Centennial bowling tournament, the remaining 54—nine two-lifers and 45 one-lifers—competed this morning in post-section play. The weather was overcast and calm, providing ideal conditions. At the Wellington green, where the two-lifers arc playing .there was a large gallery, and some line bowling was seen. The winner of the singles title in 1937, Spearman, Sydenham, who had five wins yesterday, was beaten in tiie first round this morning by Austin, a very fine player from Cromwell. There were a few loose heads, but on the whole the drawing of both players was remarkably good. Spearman had four counters on Hie twelfth head and led 12—10, but three to Austin on the next head and four on the fifteenth, where Spearman was three down after springing kitty, was the turning point of the game. Spearman’s chance of retrieving the position became remote on the next head, where, after lying two shots, he shifted kitty and gave his opponent the shot

The match between Whittaker, Onehunga, and Gray, Kelburn, was notable for a fine recovery by the former player. Gray was four up at the seventeenth head, -but Whittaker showed brilliant form to score 3—3, 2—3 on the remaining heads and won easily.

Griffiths, Grey Lynn, who won the Christmas tournament in Auckland, had a close game throughout with Nash, Palmerston North. At the twenty-first head Nash needed three to win, but could only get one.

Although the score was 10-all after the thirteenth head, Deare, Carlton, overwhelmed Munro, Thorndon, over the remaining eight heads. The former champion, J. D. Best. Otago, was eliminated in the first round to-day by Whittle, Grey Lynn. Another player of note who was put out was Haworth, Canterbury. He was skip of the champion pair and rink in 1936.

The veteran Taieri player, Carswell, had a runaway victory over M. Sunde, Glen Eden, by a margin of 15 points. At the end of the play this morning the two-lifers left in were Rolls, Deare, and Austin. Results are as follows: — First Round

At Wellington.—Austin (Cromwell), 22 v. Spearman (Sydenham), 14; Rolls (Featherston), 20 v. A. MacDonald (Balmacewan), 13; Griffiths (Grey Lynn), 19 v. Nash (Palmerston North), 18; Whittaker (Onehunga), 26, v. Gray (Kelburn), 19; Deare (Carlton), 25, v. Munro (Thorndon), 10. At Victoria. McMurchy (Grey Lynn), 25 v, Stephenson (Nelson), 15; Mitchell (Blenheim), 23, v. Fox (Barrington), 13; Firth (Glen Eden), 16, v. Stirling (Wellington), 11; Bull (Levin), 16 v. McCormick (Hawera), 14; Johnson (Port Ahuriri), 24, v. Wilson (Petone), 17; Ewing (Stratford), 18 v. Taylor (Rawhiti), 17. At Hataitai.—Whittle (Grey Lynn), 19, v. Best (Otago), 8; Dickson (Thorndon), 19, v. Hey (Opawa), 8; J. R. Smith (Kelburn), 24 v. Kay (Shirley), 13; Mason (Paritutu), 19, v. Hampton (Sumner), 18.

At Kelburn. —Buchan (Balmaccwan), 18, v. Adams (Phoenix), 15; Dowland (St. Kilda), 19 v. Silbery (Petone), 18; Hawkins (Frankton Railway), 18 v. S. Ingram (Victoria), 13; McWhannell (Hataitai), 19 v. Haworth (Canterbury), 14; R. Nicholas (Blenheim), 17, v. Dyett (Karori), 16; Brighting (Hataitai), 20, v. Ritchie (Opunake), 10. At Thorndon.— Squire (Hawera), 18 v. Seccombe (Taihape), 12; Reid (Kaituna), 19, v. Ryan (Taihape), 12; Madsen (Opawa), 20 v. Giles (United, Christchurch), 17; Bond (Frankton Railway), 18, v. Chambers (Sumner), 16; Carswell (Taieri), 22, v. M. Sunds (Glen Eden), 7; St. John (Maitai), 30, v. Russell (St. Heliers), 10. Second Round At Wellington.—Rolls 24 v. Griffiths 12; Deare 17 v. Whittaker 15; Spearman 21 v. MacDonald 8; Gray 19 v. Nash 9; Austin, a bye. At Hataitai.—Whittle 18 v. Dickson 14; Smith 18 v. Mason 16. At Victoria—McMurchy 18 v. Mitchell 15; Johnson 22 v. Firth 15: Bull 22 v. Ewing 11. At Kelburn.—Dowland 19 v. Buchan 4; Hawkins 21 v. McWhannell 14; Brighting 18 v. Nicholas 9. At Thorndon. —Squire 23 v. Reid 17; Bond 24 v. Madsen 13; Carswell 20 v. St. John 11.