BOWLS CARNIVAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23703, 10 January 1939, Page 10

BOWLS CARNIVAL

NEW ZEALAND TOURNAMENT THE SINGLES TITLE PRESENT CHAMPION ELIMINATED HIGH STANDARD OF PLAY (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, Jan. 9. The twenty-sixth annual New Zealand bowling tournament was commenced to-day in fine but threatening weather. The greens were in splendid order. A start was made with the Singles competition, the first five rounds being decided on the automatic two-life principle. At the end of the day’s play 76 players remained in. 26 of whom are two-lifers. Comment on the Games Although 384 of the 406 aspirants for the national bowls Singles title were already on the greens of 19 other clubs, there was a f?ood muster of local enthusiasts, plus Pairs and Rinks players, when the president Mr F, A. Hosking, officially opened tne tournament at its headquarters, the Carlton Club, Newmarket, this morning. As there were 374 teams in the Pairs and 220 in the Rinks, the entries of 1000 exceeded by nearly 300 the previous Dominion record, made here four years ago. Overseas competitors include K. I. Cross, the 27-year-old Singles champion of England, who will also play in a composite rink skipped by his father, C. P Cross, and including Wellington Club members. C. R. Ingram (the 1917 national Singles champion) and A. Fletcher: two New South Wales rinks, skipped by R. T. Harrison (“ Boomerang,” of the Referee) and M. H. Love.

The Pairs (four rounds of section play) start on Wednesday, section winners meeting on Thursday on the sudden death principle. The Rinks begin on Friday. They will be decided on the basis of four days of section games (two daily), after which the section leaders meet in post-section plav on January 18, 19, and 20, when three rounds daily are provided for. The number of heads (now called ends) will be reduced from 25 to 21 for that purpose. There are 25 sections in the Singles, 72 in the Pairs, and 22 in the Rinks. In the Singles, the limit is one hour and a-half or 21 ends, and in the Pairs (three bowls per player) two hours and a-quarter or 21 ends. On opening days eight matches in the Singles sections, three in the Pairs, and five in the Rinks will be played.

High Standard of Play

A feature of the day’s play in the Singles Competition was the high standard of play, which surpassed that seen at any previous national championship tournament. Great interest centred in the appearance of the English champion, K. I. Cross, playing on the Remuera green. He delighted the spectators with his beautiful easy action. Young and tall, he has all the attributes of a champion, and the opinion of those who saw him in action to-day was that he will be difficult to dispose of. Cross does not actually drive, but is an exponent of the running shot which to-day had a devastating effect.

Early Defeat of Champion The holder of the Singles title, W. D. Bennet, of Hastings, who won the event in Dunedin last year, was eliminated from the competition in the fourth round when J. Kerr (Onehunga) gave him his second loss in a game which resulted in a score of 23—17 against the champion. Bennet. who was at Rawhiti, won his first game against W. W. Edgerley (New Lynn) rather easily, but lost his first life to E. Moloney (Gisborne) in the second round by 25—12. “ Boomerang ” Eliminated . One of the surprises of the day was the early elimination of the Australian exponent, R. T. Harrison, who was expected to play a prominent part in the tournament, Harrison had a comfortable win in his first match against W. J. North (Te Awamutu), but was soundly defeated by Pi McWhannell tHatailai) in the second round, the Australian scoring on five ends only. McWhannell scored on eight ends in succession at one stage to take his score from 4 to 15. E. A. Wainwright (Patea) was the next to beat Harrisofi, getting home by a margin of six points. The Australian player did a great deal of driving, but these tactics were not successful on the day. Old Rivals Meet Keen play was witnessed on the Auckland No. 2 green, where R. Thomas, of Mount Albert, was the most successful and emerged from the day's play with his two lives still intact. He won four games, defeating H. J. Masson (Rangiriri), F. Cook (Avon). R. Blackwood (Waihi), and finally H. C. Clarke (Carlton) in the fourth round by three paints. He had a bye in the fifth round. The meeting of the two old rivals, Clarke and Keatley, was full of interest, as the pair have met in a number of stirring contests in the past. This time they clashed in the third round, both being two-lifers. Clarke led in the early stages, but Keatley proved equal to the occasion and made a tie of the game on the last head. The extra head saw Keatley with one on the .lack, but Clarke played a superb shot to rest it off for one and the game. Keatley had his revenge in the last round of the day, however, when ho had an easy win over his old rival when the pair met again, this time as one-lifers. Clarke'thus went to the bank, while the Rocky Nook player still remains in. Another instance of two old opponents meeting was in the contest between H. Whitelaw (Whanearei) and R. Buchan (Rawhiti, but formerly of the Northern Club, where he was holder of the club's Singles Championship). A great game resulted when the pair met to-day on Te Papapa green in the fourth round, victory going to Whitelaw by 19—13. Whitelaw thus had four wins on end. and so earned a hvs in the fifth round.

The champion in 1921, J. M. Brackenridge (Lyall Bay), was eliminated in the fourth round, his conqueror being E. Richmond (Epsom) The game ended 16—14. The Wellington player was beaten in the second round by D. Bennie (Balmacewen). A meritorious performance was that of A. J. Eldridge, the South Australian player, who met defeat in the first round at the hands of H. V, Johnston (Carlton), but then carried on to win his next four games The holder of the Auckland Bowling Centre’s Champion of Champions Singles title. J. S. Martin (Ellerslie) maintained an unbeaten record, and in doing so showed what a really outstanding bowler he is. The 1931 champion. N. Bell, jun., Taknpuna, who has returned to the game after a prolonged spell, won his first four matches. J. A. Engebretsen (Wanganui) went out in the fourth round to V. McGuire 'Onehunga). He tailed to reproduce the fine form which earned him the Dominion title in 1935. Livingstone a One-hfcr Commencing the day with a loss to W. Jones, a former Auckland Club player but now a representative of the Whakatane Club F. Livingstone, of Onehunga, holder of the Australian Singles title and runrer-up in the British Empire Championship, recovered well to win his next four games. The 1937 Singles winner, C. Spearman, of Sydenham had a good win over W. Bremner (West End) in the opening round, while his final victory against another two-lifer, C. E. Addison (Edendale) was by a margin of 13 points. Spearman will play tomorrow as a two-lifer.

Dunedin Players Dunedin players were not very successful on the day's play. D. Bennie, with two lives, J. Buchan (Balmacevven) and D. Cormack (Kailuna), each with one life, are the only ones left in the competition. Results of Day’s Play The following remain in:— Section A Two Lives. —Sorenson (Carterton). One Life.-—Eldridge (New South Wales), Morris Whitiora). Section B Two Lives.—Bennie (Balmacewen). One Life. —Harris (St. John’s), Watkin (St. Helier's). Section C Two Lives.J-Robertson (Onehunga). One Life.—Davis (Whitiora). Hilton (Thames). Section D Two Lives.—Fenwick (Thames). One Life—Smith (Helensville), Buchan (Balmacewen). Section E Two Lives.—Somervell (Ponsonby). One Life.—Wainwright (Patea), McWhannell (Hataitai). Section F Two Lives. —Hawkins (Frankton Junction). . One Life.—lngram (Victoria). Tomlinson (Avondale). Section G Two Lives—Cowper (Ponsonby). One Life. Jenkin (Carlton), Stephenson (Rangiriri). Section H Two Lives.—Thomas (Mount Albert) . One Life.—Gamble (Hamilton), Keatley (Rocky Nook). Section I Two Lives.—Veils (Onehunga). One Life.—Bell (Tauranga), Cormack (Kaituna). Section J Two. Lives.—Ryan (Taihape). One Life. —Connew (Mount Albert), Wright (Henderson.) Section K Two Lives—Jury (Ponsonby). One Life.—Piper (Maitai). McQuire (Onehunga). Section L Two Lives.—K. Cross (England). One Life—Gore (Taihape), Dickenson (Avon). Section M Two Lives.—Munn (Canterbury). One Life—Rendle (Upper Hutt), Delaunay (Carlton). Section N Two Lives.—'Whitlaw (Whangarei). One Life—Besley (New Brighton), Buchan (Rawhiti). Section O Two Lives.—Frieberg (Ponsonby). One Life.—Gifford (Balmoral). Hall (Hastings). Section P Two Lives. —Franks (Balmoral). One Life.—Kerr (Onehunga), Robinson (Hamilton). Section Q Two Lives.—McClymont (Ponsonby). One Life.—Andrews (Paratutu), Gribble (Mount Eden). Section R Two Lives. —Walker (Auckland). One Life—Graham (Tia Toa), Dunstan (Waihi). Section S Two Lives. —Morgan (Kelburn). One Life. —Pitkethley (Auckland). Griffiths (Ponsonby). Section T Two Lives.—Donaldson (Grey Lynn). One Life.—Deare (Carlton), Gray (Kelburn), Section U Two Lives.—Spearman (Sydenham). One Life.—Mattar (Foxton), Addison (Edendale). Section V Two Lives. —Bell, jun. (Takapuna). One Life.—Livingstone (Onehunga); E. Taylor (Carlton). Section W Two Lives.—Martin (Ellerslie). One Life.—Robinson (Hikutaia), Greville (Dargaville). Section X Two Lives.—Land (Hamilton). One Life. — Clinkard (Carlton), J. Ure (North End. Invercargill). Section Y Two Lives.—Price (Pukekohe).Hopwood (West End). One Life. —Love (New South Wales), Tomlinson (Ponsonby).