BOWLERS’ FINE DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21619, 23 January 1945, Page 4

BOWLERS’ FINE DAY

DOMINION TOURNEY PLAY IN THE FOURS (P.A.) AUCKLAND. Jail. 23. With fine weather prevailing, the scheduled programme of the New Zealand Bowling Association’s championship tournament was completed yesterday. Three more rounds of post-section play in the tours took place and at the end of the day's play there were eight teams left. The only two-lifers are M. J. Squire, Hawera. and C. G. Spear, man, Christchurch R.S.A. In addition to the fours, a twelfth round match was played in the singles championship between A. Murdoch. Otahuhu. and Spearman. The former won a very exciting contest by a single point, 25—24. There was another large gallery at the Carlton green and the spectators were unstinted in their applause of the excellent play they were privileged to witness. The teams which are left in with one life apiece are: Englebretsen, Hcretaunga, Hawke’s Bay: Comiew, Carlton: Donaldson, Pousonhy; Herrick, Auckland: Walker, Itemuera; and Benson, Balmoral. With eight teams left, in the fours semifinal and the final of the pairs still unplayed and seven competitors left, to contest the singles championship there is no prospect of the tournament concluding before Wednesday afternoon. As Donaldson is still in all three events it may not be possible to bring about finality until Thursday. Results: FOURS At Carlton Fifth Round.—Two-lifers: Benson. 27 v. Hill, l(i; M. J. Squire, Hawera, 20 v. Donaldson 14. One-lifers: Eorieh 20 v. MeMurchy 17; Thomson 21 v. Grace 10: Englebrotsen 3(1 v.. Purdy 13; Exelby 20 v. Jenkin IS: Conuew 24 v. Williams 15. Me Murchy. Grace, Purdy, Jenkin and Williams were eliminated. Sixth Round..—Two-lifers: Squire 22 v. Benson 12; Spearman (two-lifer) -22 v. Borich (one-lifer) 21. One-lifers: Englebretsen 19 v. Thomson 13; Donaldson 28 v. Hill 10; Connew 20 v. Exelby 12; Walker 25 v. Johns 21 ; Herrick 19 v. Mitigins I.S. Hill, Exelby, M ingins and Johns were eliminated. At Mt. Eden Fifth Round.—One-lifers: Herrick won from Hastings by default; Malgins 21 v. Adams 18; Johns 15 v. Armstrong 13; Walker 23 v. Pilkington 13. Hastings, Adorns, Armstrong, and Pilkington were eliminated. The Mount Eden players were transferred to the Carlton club in the afternoon. Fine Play Seen , Some exceptionally fine play was seen in the fours competition at both the Carlton ami Mount Eden greens. The chief interest at headquarters centred in tcums possessing two lives. There were nine of these at the start of play at Carlton, but seven suffered defeat and four, 11. 13. Jenkin, Carlton, E. P. Exelby, Fraukton Junction, W. A. Hill, Balmoral, and T. L. Williams, Paeroa, were eliminated as they had two losses. Squire's Hawera team drew the bye in the first round and then inflicted defeats upon Donaldson and Benson. The turning point in the gsune against Donaldson came in the nineteenth head, when the latter held well in an endeavour to get into position behind the jack, where there were five Hawera bowls. Donaldson trailed it back and lay shot. This was promptly removed by Squire, who thus added five to his totai. The Hawera team’s game against Benson produced some of the best howls of the tournament. The members of both teams from the leads onward gave exceptionally good drawing displays, while the skips were continually called upon to play a variety of shots in order to effect alterations in their favour. The game was evenly contested up to the ninth end, when they were B—all.8 —all. Squire’s me.i are playing so well that it will take a good combination to beat them. Spearman defeated Jenkin by a substantial margin in the first game. The Christchurch skip then had a bye, during which he played a. singles game agains Murdoch. In the last of the fours contest Spearman was called upon to make a number of recoveries. His lead was almost invariably short and the positions facing the skip were anything hut enviable, especially over the earlier stages. During Ibis time the Christchurch team was down six points on a couple of occasions. Borich led 17—13 on the fifteenth end and tnca Spearman obtained a five to become- 1 up. The latter was 3 up with one head to go. but Borich secured the three’necessary to make a tic. On the extra .head both leads failed badly and it was not until the Christdhurch No. 2 came along tfiat the bowls lay fairly close. White. No. 3. added another. Despite a drive by Preston, Borich’s position remained unchanged.