FINAL OF THE RINKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18929, 29 January 1925, Page 11

FINAL OF THE RINKS.

PILKINGTON'S TEAM WINS. RUNAWAY FROM STEWART. CONCLUDING GAMES DESCRIBED. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] WELLINGTON. Wednesday The Dominion bowling tournament was concluded to-day, Stewart, the Dunedin two-lifer, being reduced to one life by defeat at the hands of Walker (Auckland) in the sixth round, and the semifinals, eliminating Bremner and Walker, leaving Stewart and Pilkington to play off. The last-named had a run-a-way victory. The following are the details. SIXTH ROUND. Bremner (West End) 23, v. A. Smart (New Plymouth) 19. Pilkington (Hamilton) 24, v. E. J. Hill (Wellington) 16. Walker (Auckland) 20, v. Stewart (Dunedin) 18. SEMI-FINAL. Stewart 23, v. Bremner 18. Pilkington 22, v. Walker 21. FINAL. Wernham, Wilson, Mclntyre, Pilkington, s (Hamilton) 27, v. Gregory, Smith, Bontlev. Stewart, s (Dunedin) Jl. The sixth round was opened on a stodgy green about 9.30 a.m. Walker had a great game against Stewart, who was 7 (o 0 on the opening heads. Good team work, however, enabled Walker to make up the leeway, and it was a hard fight, to the end. Walker only won on the last head, when he had to drive to take a howl out. This he accomplished. Stewart failed. The Pilkington v. Hill game was also a good one. but Mclntyre and his skip were very deadly, the former especially so. Hill was beaten a few heads from home, and Pilkington finished 8 up. Bremner v. Smart was a very good tussle. West End led all the way to the seventeenth head. Smart then got 3 up, but Bremner got two good scores, and was 3up on the twentieth head. On the twenty-first. Ure lay well, but the opposing No. 2 drove and took the kitty to the side line, where, the No. 3 drew two shots. Smart added another, and Bremner was 3 down with his last bowl to go. Ke played a beauty, to trail the kitty back for a measure for shot. Smart had no hope of a 3. He drove, and took out his own counters, leaving West End winners. Play in the Semi-finals. The semi-final,s were played on the lower green, the upper being used for the sixth round. It was very wet when play started, and it was a drive to get the bowls up The Pilkington v. Walker game was a fine one, and commanded a large audience. Play was pretty even all through, though Hamilton were always a few to the good. On the ninth head Hamilton were 13 to 6, but on the fourteenth head were only one up, the score being 14—13. "Walker and Parker made some nice shots to score. Hamilton were 17 to 16 on the seventeenth head, and getting two singles and a three were 6 up and 1 head to go. Pilkington won. Both skips were loudly applauded for fine shots made when required. The Bremner v. Stewart game was not too even, as the Dunedin men picked the heavy going from th& start. Stewart got a four by picking Ure out on the thirteenth head, and this made him 17—6. West End replied with a two and four, but the Dunedin team got a three on the next, making the score 20—12 on the sixteenth head. West End scored on the next three heads and had two good chances for a score, but the green was not working sufficiently well to let Bremner get his fine work in. West End wanted four to tie on the last head, but only got a single. Runaway Game in Final. The final between Pilkington and Stewart was watched by a very large crowd and the play was keenly followed. On the first two heads Stewart was lying well but good driving by Mclntyre On the first and Pilkington on the second turned the tide in Hamilton's favour and they got a 5 and a 2. Everything continued to go Hamilton's way. At the thirteenth head the score was, Pilkington, 21, Stewart, 7. Stewart was striving hard, but Pilkington's rink was playing too well. On the fourteenth head Stewart nicely cut out the lying shot and gained a single. On the fifteenth head Pilkington got a two. The next head saw Stewart gain a single and on the seventeenth he got a three. On the next he again scored, notching a two, but on the nineteenth head he drove unsuccessfully and Pilkington gained another two. This ended the game, as Stewart realised it was impossible to win. Although a runaway game from the start there were many interesting heads. Pilkington played a fine game throughout, and received splendid support from Mclntyre, his number three. Mr. F. Meadowcroft, president of the Dominion Association, presented the championship banner to Pilkington's rink, and pointed out that it was the first time in the association's history that the honour had };one to Hamilton. Mr. Pilkington's club would hold the banner for 12 months, and Mr. Meadowcroft hoped that the same rink would be the banner bearers to the next Dominion tournament at Dunedin to defend it. Mr. Meadowcroft stated that to reach the final Stewart's rink had played 16 games and Pilkington's 15, as the" latter had one bye. «. Cheers were given for both rinks by the large crowd present. Both skips suitably responded.