BOWLS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12536, 24 April 1935, Page 7

BOWLS

BttR’TON CUP TOURNAMENT V HOLMES WINS PINAL The final stage of the Burton Cup tournament was reached yesterday, under rather unpleasant conditions, heavy r ain having fallen overnight, and overcast weather prevailing throughout the day. The Kahutia green was playing excellently in spite of the adverse weather,»which. fAt was mentioned by the players av'the conclusion of. the games, and the greenkeepof is to be congratulated on his 'accomplishment. Post-section play was commenced at 8.45 a.m. with the following results : Stephenson 22 v. Dudfield 18. Branch 23 v. Smith 15. Bennett 24 v. Lowe 24. Holmes 20 v. Morse 17. 1 The semi-finals followed immediately, the results being: Holmes 23 v. Branch 11. Bennett 24 a - . Stephenson 18. This left Holmes and Bennett to play the final, the teams being as follows: — Poverty Bay: Bavliss, Buzza, Falconer, Bennett (skip).. Gisborne: Balfour, Johnston, Maude, Holmes (skip). Play in detail was as follows: First head: Holmes won the toss. .Bavliss drew the shot with a. very nice bowl, Johnston displacing him to lay one. Holmes added another with a beautiful shot. Bennett with a firm shot pushed Holmes through, leaving Holmes only one rip es 1, Bennett 0. Second head: Balfour drew one close which remained shot, and was added to by Maude. Bennett failed with two firm shots, leaving Holmes two up. —Holmes 3, Bennett 0. ; Third head: BothSßavliss and Buzza drew excellent shots, . one of which was displaced by -Maude. Bennett with a nice draw, added another -Holmes 3, Bennett 2. pcnirth head: Balfour in this head drew a perfect shot , just behind-the, jack, which had his. opponents plav- : ing well up to the head. Johnston added- one more, and wifih plenty of roopa to draw a third shot, Maude did so. Holmes then trailed the jack to lay five up. Benn-fttt with his last bowl drew- the fourth '.shot.—Holmes 6, Bennett 2. Fifth head: At this stage of the game Balfour was leading perfectly unci drew a beauty, only to be displaced by Buzza. Maude came'to light again rind the. head finished one up in favor of Holmes. —Holmes j 7, Bennett 2. Sixth head: This was a very pocr head, no player showing any brilliancy, and a short bowl played by Johnston survived against the efforts of the rest of the team.—. Holmes 8, Bennett 2. Seventh head: In return- lor the pom- head previously played, Balfour and Johnston played beautifully, drafting two - great shots each. Beit-. in*Mhad to do his best in this head to 'save three.—Holmes 9 ) 'Bouirott~2.'~~~ Eighth head: In this . head both, loads failed, and Buzza came to light with two shots. Maude, with a perfect drive altered the position to one up in favor of Holmes. This was followed 'by a nicely-placed firm -shot by Falconer, leaving Bennett the winner of the head by one.—Holmes 9, Bennett 3. Ninth head: Balfour repeated his performance of the seventh head and played two very close shots. One of these was rested out by Buzza, and the. other one by Bennett. Holmes then drew the shot with’his last howl.—Holmes 10, Bennett 3. Tenth head; This proved a very tame head. Bavliss playing the only howl close. Holmes just failed to score after springing the jack.— Holmes 10, Bennett 4. 11th. head: Both Bavliss and Balfour played good shots in this head, the latter finishing with the shot in iii.s favour. Bennett was rather unfortunate in pushing one of his opponent’s howls into second shot. This was added to by another nicely drawn by Holmes. —Holmes 13, Bennett 4. 12th.. head: With the ‘‘devil’s number” hoisted up in their favor, the players of - Holmes’s team stuck to their task doggedly, and with the skips failing to produce a counter, the head finished one up in favor of Holmes, the shot bowl having been played by Balfour. —Homes 14, Bennett 4. 13th. head: One or two changes took place during the head and after good shots were played by Buzza and Bayli'ss, the jack was shifted about, and the head finished one up in favor of .Bennett.—Holmes 14, Bennett 5. 14th. head: Balfour drew a good shot with his first bowl, and Buzza just missed with his first. Balfour •then drew over the lead. Buzza followed up with his second bowl, a real beauty, resting the shot bowl to lay two up himself. Maude was called upon to: drive, in'lt missing with his first, and with iliis second

succeeded, to finish one up for Holmes.—Holmes. 15, Bennett 5. 15th. head: . Two .shots were drawn by .Balfour, and - one by Johnston in this head, which: meant a. drive for Buzza. He brought off the drive perfectly, hut curiously the- jack went straight up ip the air, only to land back on the - green in exactly the same place. Falconer then drove, taking one bowl out. Holmes' drew another. Bennett then drove and took out the three shot' howls, finish ing one up.—Holmes..ls, Bennett 6. 16th. head: This proved a real tin illei. Buzza drew two shots, and Falconer one. Maude drove and missed wi',th both, bowls. Holmes just missed with both his howls, leaving Bennett three up.—Holmes 15, Bennett 9. • 17th. head: Leads hud twos of both teams played perfect howl's in this head, and after several changes of position the head finished in favor of Bennett- after a nicely-drawn shot Holmes 15, Bennett 10. 18th. head: At this stage olf the game Bennett was playing wonderfjul bowls, and brought off a trail to lay three up, and then drew another, but Holmes drew the second shot.—Holmes 15, Bennett 11. 19th. head: Bennett's team were going ‘’airly well under the determined leadership of tlieir skip, and at the tinle of the skips going down to the head Bennett was two to which ho added another. Holme s was short with both bowls.—Holmes 15, Bennett 14: 20th. head: Holmes rallied his team for the final stage 'of the game, and each man responded well particularly Maude, who drew a perfect shot, followed by another whicli covered the jack. Falconer missed with his drive, as also did Bennett. Holmes 'drew another and finished three up.—Holmes 18. Bennett 14. 21st. head: "The final head produced good' bowls., from both teams, and when Bennett went down to bowl, he lay one up and with a perfect shot promoted one' of his own to lay two. He failed to improve with Ins last, and the game went to Holmes, the final score being:—• Holmes 18, Bennett 16. At the conclusion of the game, the president of the Centre (Mr Power), made the presentation of the Burton Oup-to the winners, and trophies to the runners-up. Both teams received the congratulations of the spectators, and responded suitably to tile remarks made by the president. The Gisborne Club are to be congratulated on having again produced the team to win the Burton Cup, Harold Armstrong and his team ■having won it last year.