BILLIARDS TITLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23431, 22 August 1939, Page 16

BILLIARDS TITLE

AMATEUR TOURNEY NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIP OPENING GAMES DECIDED The New Zealand amateur billiards championship commenced yesterday afternoon at His Majesty's Arcade. Mr. W. J. Lyon, M.P., officially declared the tournament open. J. J. Shepherd, Anckand, defeated E. W. Warren, Auckland, in the first contest in the afternoon, the former proving to ho too consistent for the veteran and winning by 210 points. In the evening It. Carrick, Auckland, beat T. Ticrney, North Auckland, by GG6 points to 397. Shepherd Defeats Warren Shepherd displayed great confidence at the commencement and made a run of 24 at his first visit to the table. Further breaks over tlio 20-mark resulted, and he had gained a cood lead before bis opponent had settled down. Warren improved and by steady play compiled breaks of 22, 33 and 22. With the scores at 201 to 101 in favour of Shepherd. Warren added a losing hazard break of 40. Shepherd retaliated with a run of 32. Both were displaying good form at this "staire, with Shepherd scoring more freely. The latter earned well-merited applause with a nicely-played all-round break of 09. Ho was in again soon afterwards with broaks of 27 and 51. lie was outpointing the veteran at this stage of the game and had increased his lead. Warren was not to bo denied, however, and made a gallant attempt to overhaul the leader by compiling runs of 20, 35 and 37. Shepherd, however, maintained his accuracy and scored solidly over the remaining stages, to hold a clear-cut margin at tho finish. The final scores were:—J. J. Shepherd. 000 (breaks of 25, 24. 22. -12. 32, 09, 27, 54. 28. 30. 20, 28 unfinished); E. W. Warren. 450 (breaks of 33, 22, 10, 20, 35, 37, 21). Auckland Champion Wins R. Carrick (Auckland champion) defeated T. Tierney (North Auckland) rather comfortably in the gamo decided last evening. It attracted a large attendance, including a number of ladies. Tierney had the better of the openincr stages and soon registered a run of 20. Carrick found touch and (cave a fine display of all-round billiards in a break of 71.' Tierney, who possesses a sound knowledge of the game, evened -up the scores with a nice effort of 40. Carrick's next visit resulted in a run or °2 lie was plaving very consistently, and added a break of 49. The scores at this stage were 275 to 152 in favour of tho Auckland champion. The North Aucklandcr improved his total with runs of 29 and 23. The speed of the table seemed to worry Tierney. who double-baulked himself on a number of occasions. Carrick passed' the 400-mark with Tierne.v's score nt "27.". Tierney was striving hard for points and appeared' to bo unlucky in breaking down after scoring a run of 29. Favoured with good scoring positions. Carrick continued to plav verv freely, a break of 51 beinir his next effort of note. Tierney made a 20-odd break, but Carrick improved on this, and two 20's and a 30 were his next efforts. He held a lead of over 200 at lhis stage, and. maintaininc this, he ran to points with the scores: R. Carrick, 000 (breaks of 21. 71. 22. 22. 49, 30 51, 22. 25, 30. 24 unfinished, average 10.7) T. Tierney, 397 (breaks of 32, 40, 22, 23, 24, 28). Programme for To-day The Raines for to-day are:—lo a.m., "W. Glass (South Auckland) v. R. WhiffordI (Auckland): 2 p.m.. L. F. W. Holdsworth (New Zealand champion) v. W. O'Neill (West Coast); 7.30 pm. S. Moses (Wellington champion) v. M. D. White (Auckland).