NOTES ON GAMES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22006, 12 January 1935, Page 14

NOTES ON GAMES

PLAYERS OUT OF FORM FEELING THE STRAIN CHAMPION RINK EXTENDED TWO HARD CONTESTS There was much tension m evidence ninoiis many teams during the play in the first game °f tho rinks championship. It was seen that individual members of teams were showing the effects of four strenuous days of gruelliii<j; games. Many sound exponents in the departments of team work wore obviously out of form. In many instances it took the whole of the first game before several |)1 avers could settle down to their average standard. As the day advanced the character of the games improved.

In the game played by ,1. Nash, of Palmerston, the veteran champion pushed a bowl through the head for a counter. It was a nominated shot. One Palmerston team was five down and one bowl to jjo. Both hands were blocked, leaving no other shot on. It ■was worth six on the board—the five shots saved and the counter. Change in System Tho change, new to Auckland, from playing three games of 21 heads with a timo limit to two games of 25 heatb permitting tho contestants to take all the time they wished, did not work out. a.s well as anticipated. However, some games were finished at 1.30, while tho second games were drawn out until O.JJO p.m. Contestants did not appreciate the new arrangement. There was much interest in the first round, between McGee, Wakefield, Beer and lOngebretson, of iNapier, and Oughton, liill, Tongue, Lorain, of itocky Nook. After the splendid introduction to Auckland of the skip of tho Napier team in tho singles championship, there was speculation that his team would bo prominent also in the rinks championship. The character of the game \nas drawing and pressing shots of the real tournament type. Napier scored six on the first head. However, at the fifth, llocky Nook began to pile on the score and by the Kith was to 13 in the lead. Napier made a lino recovery and won by live points. One of the closest and most interesting games oj; the morning was that between Fookes, of Carlton, and W. Thomas, of Wairerc. Botli teams were evenly matched and Fookes held the advantage of six points on the 17th head. Wairere then forced the pace and gradually crept up. Fookes evened on the last head and the play-off went in favour of the visitors, by the narrow margin of one point. Peculiar Result In the second round a peculiar result occurred in the game between Sutherland, of Avondale, and Petty, of New Plymouth. On the l'Jth head the score was level, 21-all, but on the next head Petty was responsible for a nice shot, which ultimately produced a three, owing to Sutherland displacing his own bowl. This score was followed by another three and a four and a close game on the 21st ended in a 10points margin on the 24th. The Whitiora team, skipped by Evans, gave Mahcr, of Auckland, a sound trouncing. At one time the score was 2S to 5. The Waikato team from lead to skip played splendidly. Fookes, of Carlton, had to get two to win on the last head against St. John's, Wanganui. It was a great struggle all the way. Brenmer, the champion skip of two seasons, started his attempt "to win the championship this year with a loss against Bartlett, of Awnkino. The score went for West End 9 to 9 on the fourteenth, 14 —12 on the eighteenth, 10 —13 on the twentieth and 1!) —21 on the ultimate head. The Awakino skip is credited with having a bowling rink for practice on his home property. However, in tho game against Bremner Bartlett played some most unconventional shots, so unconventional that tho West End men were not prepared for the attack. In the second game, however, they piled up tho score against Nash, of Palmerston. On the eighteenth the numbers were even. A six was the result of one count and the game ended 32 to 23. The winning team was more at home in this game, with much drawing, a few pressing shots and occasionally a drive and a burned head. Reverse for Dunedin Much to everyone's surprise, the Dunedin rink, skipped by Hutchison, which was considered to be an extremely strong one, met with a reversal in the first game against Francis, of Balmoral. The score read 14 to 2 for Balmoral on.the eighth head. The Dunedin team did not lend on the board at any part of the game. do Launay's rink, of Carlton, also smarted poorly against Gee, of To Awamutu. The visitors led all the way in the latter part of the game. The champion rink team, Dickson, Redpath, Gibson, Wilson, of Linwood, Christchurch, was given a hard tussle by Lamb, of Carlton. It was a very even game until tho closing head, the champions coming out the ultimate winners, but with only one point difference. Both the number three and skip are great drivers. The third player, however, in this department was not as accurate as his skip. The game attracted much attention.

Jn the second game tho champions mot McPhail, of Auckland. The aggressive shots were not played so freely in this game and again a local rink gave the champions a good game. Three points were wanted by the Auckland team for a tie and it notched two.