DELICATE DRAWING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22009, 16 January 1935, Page 12

DELICATE DRAWING

FAST WORK OF SKIPS CONSISTENT FORM SHOWN CHAMPION RINK QUALIFIES SOME SURPRISES RECORDED Section play in the rinks championship was an unqualified success. The weather was all that could be desired and visiting bowlers who were in the competition must have been deeply impressed with the days of brilliant sunshine, which helped to make this division of the event a most enjoyable one. The character of the games, 011 the fast greens provided, had as the basis very delicately-drawn bowls. A shot on the white caused the contestants much deliberation and care in drawing it off or allding another counter. The skips' game was much fast work, in pressing off shots, driving and delicate drawing. This type of bowling contrasted with play of past tournaments when it consisted mostly of drawing only. Indeed it may be said that a new type of bowling has developed in recent years, and no team, which relied solely upon drawing shots, had any chance of qualifying. The successful teams in this division of the annual championships all had to stage this class of bowling to win through, and 011 the fast greens the play has been dexterous indeed. The series of eight games was a test of consistency, and those teams which qualified have maintained a remarkable steadiness of form. Sustained Torm

Many rinks made brilliant beginnings, dropped form and regained it, only to find that the wins recorded were insufficient to carry them into further rounds, the contestants who were unsuccessful have had the fine experience and splendid example of sustained form by their opponents. The umpires on the various greens have carried out their duties with the line regard of not obtruding the rules too far into the progress of the games. Indeed only in rare instances did anv umpire assert his authority, but, on the other hand, they were ever ready when appealed to for a ruling on some fine point in discussion. The members of the various clubs assisted materially in. making the running of the largest competition ever held in New Zealand a most enjoyable function to all participants. The champion rink. G. Dickson. 1. Redpath, H. F. Gibson and H. Wilson, of the Linwood Club. Christcliurch. von the two games played yesterday. The first game against Kelly. Epsom, resulted in the score of ~t> to 17. In the second the Linwood quartet defeated Yukicli, Kaikolie. 24 points to 22. Front Rankers' Collapse

The result of games in Section T caused surprise. At the commencement of the dav, Francis, Balmoral, led with five wins and looked almost certain of going forward on the form exhibited in the previous rounds. However, the sound bowling of the front rank was not sustained. In the first game Balmoral met Steele, Auckland, and was soundlv trounced, the team being completely out-played. The second game was equally disastrous, d e Launay, Carlton, chalking the figures 36 to 13 upon the board on the concluding head. Bremner, West End, Auckland, and de Launay, both with four wins, met in the morning. Ohe of the two teams was to go out of the championship at this stage and Bremner's team never left the result in doubt, winning by 30 to 23. . The Te Awamutu team, skipped by Gee, had the task of winning the last game to qualify for the further rounds, and met Hutchison, Dunedin. The lastmentioned gave a sound game and led until the last few heads, when Gee scored a two, two and a single, to run out at 24 to 23. The game revealed the fine dash of the young skip, Gee, and it marks the first occasion upon which a Te Awamutu team has qualified in a New Zealand rinks tournament. Section A competitors stationed at Waitemata had nothing but praise for the green, the surface of which, after a week's hard wear, was in better order than at the commencement of the tournament, In the first game, Campbell, Mount Eden, bettered his chances by easily defeating the hitherto unbeaten Wairere rink skipped by P. V. Thomas. On the other hand, Petty, of West End, New Plymouth, lost his chance when Evans, Whitiora, drew a great shot with his last bowl to win the game by a point. High Scoring Contest High scoring was a feature of the game between Gordon, St. John's, and Diaper, Imperial, the final being 49 to 24, a total of 66 points. In the second round Campbell, making a bold bid for section honours, met defeat at the hands of Fookes, Carl ton. At one time it looked as if Mount. Eden would win, but Carlton played strongly at the finish, and was two points up with one head to go. Fookes was shot when the change-over took place. Campbell cut it out for two. However, Fookes drew another, and Campbell had the task of removing the further bowl, failed in his objective, and lost by one point. Both Campbell and his number two, A. Campbell, played sterling bowls and deserved success. With section honours secure Thomas, Wairere, changed places with his number two in the last game, so that he would have a spell from the exacting position at the more responsible end of the rink.