BOWLING

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 29, 5 January 1931, Page 2

BOWLING

PAIRS TOURNAMENT.

PATEA WIN FINAL. Playing excellently, Bourke and Sheean, skip (Patea) won the final of the Manawatu Bowling Centre’s pairs tournament at the Terrace End green on Saturday afternoon, defeating Allen and Wenham (Feilding) by 20—17. It was an uphill struggle from the sixteenth head onwards. Allen and Wenham played with great consistency, the lead especially drawing the shot time after time, but their opponents also were very accurate, Sheean being at his best when the position looked bad. The Feilding pair had previously rather comfortably accounted for Moxon and Fenwick, skip (Northern) in the semifinal, while Sheean had had the bye owing to six straight-out wins in his section, he being the only one to emerge from that stage without suffering a reverse. He went right through the tournament unbeaten.

Sheean was the first to open his account with an excellent two, but with the aid of accurate drawing by his lead, Wenham was able to reply with a three on the second head. Sheean again secured two and then added another to make the tally 5 —3 in his favour. Wenham was lying two on the next, a close head, when Sheean sent down a beautiful bowl, which turned in to give him a perfect toucher and single for the head. Sheean again drew the shot beautifully at the next, and Wenham just missed taking him out, leaving’him a singlo for 7—3 with six heads played. Both the leads, Allen and Bourke, drew nicely on the seventh. After nearly all the shots had been placed within inches of the kitty, Wenham took the head for a single. On the following head Allen “wicked” in off his opponent’s bowl to lie within two inches of kitty, but Sheean eventually took the head with a single after a measure, his shot bowl having nearly been taken out by Wenham after the latter’s failure to draw. Wenham, who had been playing steadily but unluckily, experienced a change of fortune in his favour when he recorded a single on the ninth head and followed it with a good three. However, Sheean scored a single in the eleventh head to retain the lead 9—B. Wenham added another three on the twelfth head to assume the lead 11—9. Ho drew a beautiful toucher with his third shot at the thirteenth head, where he recorded another three to increase his lead. On the succeeding two heads he registered singles. There was a great contest at the fourteenth, which produced some fine bowling. The skips took each other’s bowls out in turn, the advantage finally resting with Wenham. Allen drew beautifully at the fifteenth for li is skip to win the head. Sheean began to add to his score again when he captured the sixteenth for two. He took the next with a single. Two more on the eighteenth head brought Sheean within two points of his opponent’s total. Wenham experienced a turn of ill-fortune at the next and Sheean recorded a nice four and regained the lead 18—16. The issue was still very open, but there was a more definite indication of the result on the penultimate head. Patea were lying two when Wenham drove twice without success. Sheean added another two to his score, leaving the Feilding pair with four required to equalise on the last head, which was made a short one. Bourke drew a toucher with his first bowl and added another beautiful shot. Wenham took one out when he caught it _on the edge with the first bowl. Wenham had several bowls “dead” and was left in a hopeless position. He “wicked” in to lie one up and took a single off the-head, which he finally attempted to kill, and lost the game, 20—17. Cheers were then given for the winners and runners-up at the call of Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., president of the centre, who congratulated the winners upon their performance. He stated that the Patea lead, Bourke, was no stranger to the district, he having previously resided in Feilding, where he had been known as an excellent bowler. Mr Nash expressed tire hope that the pair would be present at the Easter tournament. He stated that all would agree that Allen and Wenham had played a most consistent game all through. The Northern pair, Moxon and Fenwick, were to be congratulated on gaining third place. It was unfortunate that the two section finals had had to be played under adverse conditions. He thanked the Terrace End Club for the use of its green, the ladies for afternoon tea, and the umpires, Messrs Toogood, Cutler and Needham, for so efficiently carrying out their duties. Mr Nash mentioned that nine outside clubs liad been represented in the 36 pairs competing in the tournament, and he trusted that all had had a pleasant time.. The winners then received their presentations and suitably responded.

BOWL TESTING

PARTICULARS TO HAND

In connection with the proposal to establish a bowl-testing centre for the Manawatu in Palmerston North, Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., president of the Manawatu Bowling Centre, has now received the blue prints, two patterns and other necessary material. The matter is in the hands of a sub-com-mittee and the work will bo put in hand as quickly as possible.

VISIT TO WANGANUI CENTRE. In connection with the proposed visit of the Manawatu Centre to the Wanganui Centre on the 28th inst., a letter has been received by Mr J. A. Nash, advising that tho matter will be put before the Wanganui committee at the earliest possible convenience.

OROUA GALA DAY. All arrangements are now complete for the gala day to be held on the Oroua green, Feilding, on Saturday next. Full complements of players from all clubs in the centre are now definitely fixed.