LAST HEAD

Northern Advocate, 22 January 1927, Page 5

LAST HEAD

BENEFIELD’S GREAT WIN

DOMINION RINK CHAMPION. STUBBORN UP-HILL BATTLE (Special to ‘‘Northern Advocate.”) AUCKLAND, This Day. Snatching victory on the last head after a thrilling uphill tight, the four -skipped by E. Benefield, of St. John’s .Howling Club, Wanganui, annexed the Tinks championship of the Dominion at the Carlton green yesterday. The runners-up were the Dunedin rink •skipped by T. Stewart, which was defeated by 22 points to .19, after leading almost throughout. The Dunedin rink led at the 13th

head by 19 to 7, but did not score

again. Gradually the Wanganui rink drew closer, being two down with one head to go. Then came a climax which will be recalled in bowling circles for many years to come. The Wanganui rink was lying one when the skips changed ends for the last

time. A large crowd surrounded the green and watched the skips with “breathless interest as they prepared to deliver'the fateful bowls. Bene-

field placed another bowl near kitty.

Stewart took a running- shot but dis-tin-bed his own bowls, leaving Bene

field lying five. It was a memorable moment and the crowd could not control its excitement. With his last bowl Stewart tried again to pull the game out of the fire. His shot missed ..and Benefield’s rink had won by three ■points.

• The two rinks had met earlier in "the afternoon when by defeating ■Stewart by 20 points to 10, Benefield deprived his opponent of one of his

“lives.’’ Benefield’s rink had won ■so comfortably that the genera] ex-

pectation was that Stewart would stand little chance in the second meeting. The Dunedin rink, however, responded well to the occasion, while Benefield’s men for half the second game did not display the. form they bad 'shown ■. earlier..

OTHER PROGRESS RESULTS. The following were further results of games played yesterday in the Dominion championships: — Pairs championship, second round — Mclntyre and Pilkington (Hamilton) 17 v. Wight and Benefield (St. John’s) 15. Third round, Brackebush and Maxwell-Walker (Auckland) ■2O v. Mclntyre and Pilkington 19. Semi-final: Brackebush and Walker 22 v. Watson and Proctor (Remuera) 20. Dell junior and Bell senior (Hamilton) 18 v. Best and Harraway (Green Island) 9. Maxwell-Walker plays Bell

.in. the final at one o ’clock today. championship, fourth round, Smellie (Green Island) 15 v. Walker (Auckland) 13. Norric Bell (Kamil-

ton) 19' v.' Mclntyre (Hamilton) 15. Mclntyre entered the round with two lives and is eligible for the semifinals for which Cki'rke (Rocky Kook) has also qualified. The draw is Korrie Bell and Smellie v. Clarke and Mclntyre. SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP. CLARKE AND BELL IN FINAL. Semi-finals. —Clarke (Rocky Nook) Ijeat Mclntyre (Hamilton), 17 —7. Bull, junr. (Hamilton), beat Smellie (Green Island), 17—10. Clarke and Bell meet in the final.— Press Assn. H. CLARKe”WINS SINGLES. | In the final of the singles champion-j .ship, H. Clarke (Rocky Nook) beat | Norrie Bell (Hamilton) 24—21. j The pairs final, Bell jnr. and Bell 1 ■sear. (Hamilton) v. Brackcbush and Maxwell-Walker (Auckland) has start- j ed and is the sole remaining game of | the tournament. —Press Assn. j

PAIRS PROGRESS. In the Pairs final Bell, Senr.. and Bell, Junr., against Bnsh and Walker, the former were leading by 7 to 3 at the end of the seventh head.