NOTES ON THE PLAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20779, 23 January 1931, Page 14

NOTES ON THE PLAY.

BRIGHTING DEFEATS DEARE. INTERESTING SEMI-FINALS. EASY WIN IN THE SINGLES. t In the fifth round of the t'inlcs championship, Deare, Duncdin, with two lives, suffered defeat at the hands of Brighting, one life. The Wellington team was always in the lead and a five to Deare in the concluding stages made no appreciable difference in the scores.

Lobb, New Plymouth, got a good start on Fraser, Mount Eden, but in the dying stages of the game the local men made up much of the leeway. The New Plymouth men from lead to skip played verv steadily. Buckley, Grey Lynn, was the first to make a start in the game with Lowry, Kelburn, and he held tho early advantago to the finish to win fairly comfortably. Kilgour, Carlton, beat Munro, Pukekoho. Here again the winners got to tlio front early and were never in danger afterwards. Much interest centred in tho sixth round game between Brighting and Walker, as it was noticeable that when a good shot was played applause catno from all parts of the ground. In this game, which was won by the Hatnitai team, tho winners were clearly the better team, the play of the visiting number two and three, Martin and Dr. Shore respectively, being particularly good. The former's bowls were always in position on the head and the latter shono in all departments of the game and frequently changed an adverse position to a favourable one.

Lobb was altogether too solid for Kilgotir's Carlton team. Good team work gave the local players no chance of keeping with the visitors.

A Clone Contest, The Buckley-Deare game was the closest ono of tho round and it was anybody' 3 gamo until tho final two heads. The score was 12—all on the 17th head and Dcaro took tho remaining four heads for hard-won singles to win by 16—12. Buckley and his men retired at this stage with tho satisfaction of having put up a good fight, nob only in this game, but also right through tho tournament. Tho semi-final game between Deare and Walker opened with a single and a three to Deare, Walker responding with four singles on tho following heads. Deare then notched a couple of singles and following on with a brace of threes, ho led 12—4 on tho 10th head. Walker secured a brace and a single on tho next two heads and was then only five down. Tho Dunedin team, however, came away again with a singlo and a pair of two's and was in a prctty safe position, with tho score at 17—7 with 15 heads gone. Wulker and his men tried hard to equaliso matters, but the Duuedin players were too steady and scores were hard to obtain. Walker went down by a margin of night points. In the leading position Best moro than held his own with Kumrner, but thero was not much between the respective twos and threes, Gregory and Brackebush and Gardiner and Muston. Deare quite overshadowed Walker and a good deal of the credit of tho win goes to his efforts. On one occasion he left tho head five shots down, but drew in two beauties and so made a difference of seven point? Successful Final Effort. The other scmi-fisial between Brighting, Hataitai, and Lobb, West End, New Plymouth, was a closely-contested gamo all tho way and it was only in the lattei stages that Lobb drew out to he beaten only by a timely last-minute effort on the part of his Wellington opponents. On the 14th head tho teams were equal 10— all On the 15th head Bennet paved tho way well for Hataitai. Bruco retrieved tho shot for New Plymouth, Lobb added another, and Brighting missed his drive, leaving Lobb two up, tho score being 12 —10. Another single went to New Plymouth as a result of Casey's fine leading. Luscombe, the New Plymouth number two, was responsible for another single on the 17th head.

The 18th head was twice killed before a definite result was attained, Blighting eventually securing a single. Lobb drew a really fine shot at such a critical stage on the 19th head and the score was then 15 —11 in favour of West End, Now Plymouth. Brighting was responsible for a single on the 20th head and ho commenced the last head three down. Lobb's front men found the vicinity of the jack and Brighting called on Dr. Shore to bring tho white back and with a trail shot he succeeded in sending the jack back to four of his own bowls. Bruno, the New Plymouth number three, failed to get int<r position and Lobb went to the mat with tho ganie against him. Brighting added one for five with his first bowl and Lobb went over the head. Brighting came in the front with his next and amid a breathless silence Lobb played his last bowl too wide and did not save.

The winners did not play the same fine game as they did against Walker in the previous match. Martin especially was off his game, while Dr. Shore played rnanv narrow bowls. However, the latter retrieved tho position nicely on the. last head and much of fho credit of the win goes to him. Brighting was good, but missed a few drives. The New Plymouth team played reallv well and the one and only failure by Lobb cost the team the match.

Tn the singles game between Muston nn<] P.ell, the Hamilton player led all tho way and had a comfortable win over the Auckland club man.