BOWLING TITLES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 46, 23 January 1939, Page 9

BOWLING TITLES

RINKS TO BALMORAL. FRANKS WINS SINGLES. NEW RECORD SET. l’er Press Association. AUCKLAND, Jan. 21. The annual tournament of the Now Zealand Bowling Association was concluded in Auckland to-day, when the finals of the rinks and the singles were played on the greens of the Carlton Club. The rinks event was won by the, Balmoral team, skipped by \\. C. Franks. This player was also successful in the singles. Franks thus created a Dominion record h.v being the first player to gain the honours in both the rinks and the singles in one tournament.

Tremendous interest centred in the finals of both matches. The streets in the vicinity of the Carlton green were lined for a considerable distance on both sides with motor-cars. Ihe special grandstand erected on the western side of the green was packed, and all the sides were lined live and six deep with enthusiasts. The balcony of the pavilion was also crowded, and the attendance was estimated to ho a record for such an event. The weather was fine and warm, ami the green was in a fast condition. There was just a mild cross breeze, and it was not the disturbing element it had proved in the earlier stages ol the tournament. Following were the results of the matches:— RINKS. Final.—C. E. Robertson, H. Franks, J. Benson, AV. C. Franks (Balmoral) 32 heat A. Taylor, J. Bird, D. 0. Fraser, G. A. Doare (Carlton) 11. SINGLES. Final.—W. C. Franks (Balmoral) 19 beat A. Connew (Mount Albert) 12. DEARE’S THIRD APPEARANCE.

The final of the rinks was played this morning, and the event was noteworthy for the fact that Doare, of the Carlton Club, was making his third appearance in the final of a New Zealand . rinks championship, whereas his opponent, though the winer ol' many events in other parts of the Dominion, was a newcomer in such a competition. The Balmoral team started rather scratchily, and only good play on the part of the skip kept the scoring nearly on level terms. Benson, the No. 3, who had been a strong force in the previous games, was the unsteadiest of the four. However, once he struck form about midway through the game, lie executed many brilliant shots, which forced the team ahead, and made matters less difficult for his skip. After Benson found his true form the result was scarcely in doubt, more especially over the latter part of the contest. Doare received good assistance from his lead, Taylor, who overshadowed his opponent to some extent, hut there was no cohesion between members as a team. In the circumstances, Deare played very well, and it was no fault of his that the score against him mounted so high. He had to cope with Franks at his best, and j had some very difficult heads to deal with. ALL-ROUND EXCELLENCE.

Altogether, the winning team excelled in all-round play, and this constituted the outstanding difference between the fours. Deare showed good form early in the game, drawing the actual shot on the first head, but Franks evened on the next. A four to Carlton on the third head was the result of Taylor's placing two nice shots to open with, while Bird and Deare added atonher each. Deare lay well on the fourth head, where there was some difference of opinion between himself and Bird as to what the skip should do with his last bowl. The final result showed Bird’s judgment to be correct, as a single was obtained. Up to the sixth head, Benson was driving badly and lacking the accuracy bo bad hitherto displayed. Franks also missed with a drive, and drew on this head, at the end of which the board showed 9 —2 in favour of Carlton. The Balmoral team made a forward move at this stage, chiefly as a result of Benson coming on to his game, while Franks continued to add to anything Benson did.

The score at the end of the ninth head was 9—7. Balmoral was lying fivo on the tenth head, when Deare took the jack to the ditch to obtain a single. The match was squared on the next head,, where excellent play by Franks, junr., and his father paved the way for a three. From this point Balmoral forged ahead, and were never overtaken. Good team work realised two points for Balmoral on the twelfth head, but Taylor’s first howl was a counter. On the succeeding head Fraser, who had been giving an indifferent display so far, was responsible for two good shots. On the fourteenth Bird added another, hut Benson sent the jack to the ditch, burning the head. It was a fine shot by Benson. On tlie replay Fraser was again on the mark, but Benson was once more equal to the occasion, as be wrested the closest bowl for the shot. By touching the jack Doare increased his opponents’ total to two, and Franks added another with his last.

With a great run on the backhand Benson carried the jack to the ditch for two on the fifteenth. Franks drew third, and Deare pushed up a fourth. This made the spore 19—11. That was practically the end of the contest from Carlton’s point of view. The Balmoral team scored 3,5, and 5 on the succeeding heads to make the final totals 32 to 11, with three heads to play. THE SINGLES FINAL.

The final of the singles produced bowls of a standard, that compared more than favourably with that witnessed at any previous New Zealand tournament. There was little between the pair up to the thirteenth head, at the conclusion of which the board showed 11-all. Both contestants received liberal applause from the large gallery for their consistently accurate drawing. From then onward, however, Franks showed superiority, and went steadily ahead. The turning point came on the sixteenth head, where Franks held a lead of five, and lie eventually clinched the match on the twentieth head with a score of 19 —12.

Connew played steadily throughout, and was a little unfortunate in some trails which would have turned the fortunes in his favour. However, he was unable to maintain the marvellous consistency of the winner.

Franks opened the scoring on a three-quarter-length head with a single, and scored similarly on the second. Franks lay the shot on the third, and his opponent promoted anotlfer, giving the Balmoral representative an early lead of 4—o. Connew opened his account on the, fourth, where Franks missed with two drives, allowing Connew three counters. Connew held the shot on the fifth, hut Franks rested the jack for one. He followed with a positional shot for two, and made it three with a difficult draw on the backhand. There was only one good howl on the next head, that belonging to Frank's. Singles on the seventh and the eight to Connew made the snore B—s in favour of Franks. SPLENDID PLAY. Two good howls increased Franks’s advantage on tlm ninth. Both played

splendidly on the tenth, first one and then the other holding the advantage with touchers. Finally Connew carried the jack a little, hut could only obtain a single. Franks had a lapse on the eleventh when he missed drives with his last two howls, allowing Connew three shots, and the hoard then read 10—9.

Connew took the lead for the first and only time in the game oil the twelfth head. He realised two points by driving his opponent out, and the latter was tumble to redeem the position with his final draw —Connew 11, Franks 10. Franks evened the score on the thirteenth, where lie drew a great backhand shot for a single. He went into the lead again on the next head with a couple, Connew failing with his drive. Two good opening shots by Franks saw him further increase Ins total on the fifteenth.

The sixteenth was the turning point of the game, as Franks here advanced his lead to live. Connew's last two were weak shots. A single was added by Franks on the seventeenth. Good as Franks’s play had been hitherto, his howling on the eighteenth was superb. He was forced to produce an accurate draw, as Connew had twice beaten him for vho shot. It was an outstanding effort on the forehand, and gave .Franks a lead of 18—11, with three heads to go. On the nineteenth head. Franks lay his first- close, and played for position with his next three, a single resulting. Connew was lying one on the twentieth head, hut this was no use to him. and ho attempted to burn the head, hut failed.

PREVIOUS WINNERS OF SINGLES

Dunedin, 1914.—Carlton Club (J. S. Kilgour). Auckland, 1915. Ponsonby Club (M. Walker). Christchurch, 1916.—Roslyn Club (F. H. Fountain). Wellington, 1917. —Wellington Club (C. It. Ingram). Dunedin, 1918.—Caledonian Club (W. Foster). Auckland, 1919.—Ponsonby Club (M. Walker). Christchurch, 1920.—Dunedin Club (E. Harraway). Wellington, 1921.—Newtown Club (J. M. Brackenridge). Dunedin, 1922.—North-East Aallej’ Club (J. C. ltighy). Auckland, 1923.—Ponsonby Club (M. Walker). Christchurch, 1924. —Taieri Club (W. Car-swell). Wellington, 1925.—Dunedin Club (J. D. Best). Dunedin, 1926. —Caledonian Club (V . Foster). Auckland, 1927.—Rocky Nook Club (H. C. Clarke). Christchurch. 1928.—Caledonian Club (J. Scott). Wellington, 1929.—Carlton Club (A. It. Coltman). Dunedin, 1930. —Balmacewan Club (F. Lambeth). Auckland, 1931.—Hamilton Club (N. Bell, junr). Christchurch, 1932.—Caledonian Club (.J. Scott). Wellington. 1933. —Wellington Club (W. Parkhouse). Dunedin, 1934. —Taieri Club (IV. Carswell). Auckland. 1935. —Hatailai Club (W. A. Welling-s). Christchurch, 1936. —Onchunga Club (F. Livingstone) Wellington, 1937. —Sydenham Club (C. Spearman). Dunedin. 1938.—Hastings Club (W. D. Bennett). PREVIOUS RINKS CHAMPIONS. Dunedin, 1914.—Wellington Club: W. Grenfel, A. E. Erskine, W. J. Thompson, J. Porteous (skip.) Auckland, 1915.—Palmerston North Club: N. H. Nash, S. Dixon. F. J. Tasker, J. A. Nash, (skip). Christchurch, 1916. —Newtown Club: C. Davis, A. E. Davis, A. B. Duff, J. Laughton (skip). Wellington, 1917.—Auckland Club : J. A. ltyrie, A. It. Coltman, W. Coltman, G. B. Osmond (skip). Dunedin, 1918.—Otago Club: W. Itobson, J. Spinks, E. Falconer, C. It. Smith (skip). Auckland, 1919.—Karangahape Club: A. J. Andrey, W. Given, O. Gallagher, E. Jury (skip). Christchurch, 1920.—Wanganui Club: H. Brookfield, F. L. Anderson, H. F. Tilley, A. P. London (skip). Wellington, 1921.—Karangahape Club: B. Hilton, A. Bell, O. Gallagher, E. Jury (skip). Dunedin, 1922.—Taieri Club: J. A. McKinnon, W. 13. Allan, W. Allan. W. Carswell (slap). Auckland, 1923.—Ponsonby Club: It. Somervell, J. F. Hosking, V, Casey, A. Parsons (slap). Christchurch, 1924. —West End Club (Auckland): W. Ure, H. S. Hill, O G. Maher, W. Bremner (slap). Wellington, 1925.—Hamilton Club: H. J. Wernham, F. T. Wilson, A. C. Mclntyre, It. N. Pilkington (skip). Dunedin, 1926.—Dunedin Club: J. D. Best, H. G. Siedeberg, F. McCullough, E. Harraway (skip). Auckland, 1927.—5 t. John’s Club (Wanganui) : J. McMillan, H. Rowling J. F. Wight, A. H. Bonefield (skip). Christchurch, 1928.—Caledonian Club: F. Kettle, V. Langley, D. Hutchison, W. Foster (skip). Wellington, 1929.—West End Club (Auckland): C. E. Hardley, F. Needham, I. Clarke, W. Bremner (skip). Dunedin, 1930. —St. Ivilda Club: E. SWilson, T. C. Buist, J. Dowland, D. M. ’Stuart (skip). Auckland, 1931. —Dunedin Club: J. I>. Best, A. J. H. Gregory, H. Gardiner, G. A. Dearo (skip). Christchurch, 1932.—Auckland Club: Macky, Keys, de Launay, M. Walker (skip). Wellington, 1933. —Lyall Bay Club: Hastings, McKenzie, Brackenridge, Naylor (skip). Dunedin, 1934. — Liinvood Club: 0. Dickson, J. Eedpatli, H. Gibson, H. Wilson (skip). Auckland, 1935.—Grey Lynn Club: W. Mincham, L. Donaldson, H. Liversidge, It. Whittle (skip). Christchurch, 1936.—Canterbury Club: C. H. Elsom, J. W. Turpin, C. J. Shaw, It. Haworth (skip). Wellington, 1937.—Canterbury Club: E. Elsom, P. Mum, C. Shaw, It. Haworth (skip). , Dunedin, 1938.—-Linwood Club : S. •T. Sneddon, F. ltedpath, P. Munii, H. Wilson (skip).