NEW ZEALAND BOWLING

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1933, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND BOWLING

HAWERA PAIR WIN TITLE

M. J. SQUIRE PLAYS GREAT GAME.

TEAMS BEGIN POST-SECTION PLAY.

By Telasraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night.

Bright weather with some breeze marked the continuation of the New Zealand bowling championships at Wellington to-day. The pairs championship Was won by H. S. Maslin and M. J. Squire (Hawera) in a well-contested final against W. Bremner and C. Hardley (West End, Auckland),, who won the event last year. Squire defeated Gordon (Seatoun) in the semi-final and Hardley defeated Franks (Featherston). Good progress was made in the teams’ post-section play. A Wellington team won the event before the post-section play commenced. All bowlers to reafch post-section play were presented with medals provided by the president (Mr. H. G. Mayer). In the semi-finals of the pairs Deas and Franks (Foxton) did not make too good a showing against Bremner and Hardley (Auckland), Franks giving away too many points. In the seventh head he played a running shot, took out his own bowls and left Hardley five. On the tenth head Franks scored a useful four. Bremner and Hardley then showed their real form and took command. Tn the last six heads the Aucklanders outplayed their opponents and added 12 points to Featherston’s 4, winning 24 to 14. The match between Gordon (Seatoun) and Squire (Hawera) was more of a fight. Squire went away up to the 13th head. Then Seatoun put up a spirited contest, Squire not' being out of the wood until the last head. Squire, leading 7-5 on the 7th, scored 12 points to one on the next six heads. Seatoun scored 9 on the'next five heads, reducing the gap to four. Squire and Maslin drew for a single and finally won. The final between Squire and Hardley was excellent and was not decided until the last head. The Hawera men had wide drawing bowls, particularly the skip, and several times the spectators tvere astounded at the amount of green he took. Yet he came right inside the head, often to get the shot.

Squire started well. Maslin rested out Bremner’s-shot for two. Squire supported with a third. It was an ideal target for Hardley, who made a double miss. 1 In the next Bremner held the shot jack high. Hardley drew another and Squire failed to run either off. The next five heads favoured Squire, who at the Bth head was‘leading 10-5. He played beautiful bowls. On the 10th Bremner had three bowls counting.- Squire drove and took one out. Hardley . drew the fourth and another for five with a measure for six. Squire drove and saved two, leaving Hardley four. Squire lost his head, driving three times when he could well have saved by drawing. He did not repeat it. . In the next three or four heads Squire gave a great exhibition of the drawing power of his bowls, often taking a yard to two yards more green than his opponents to come round and run gently into the head. At the 16th head Hawera led 17-11.

Once more the Aucklanders made a fight, taking a three and two. Bremner’s leading improved but Squire was shading Hardley in the finish. On the 18th head nardley was only three down but allowed Squire to get away with two singles. He had to get five in two heads to tie. In the next head Squire rested Bremner’s wrong bowl in for the shot. Wanting four to tie, Bremner placed two of his bowls on to count. Hardley drew two and was lying four. Squire with his second bowl secured the third shot. Hardley killed the head. On the replay Squire drew three lovely shots. Hardley drove out two, leaving Squire the shot and game by 20-15. The post-section play in the champion teams’ contest commenced to-day in bright breezy weather. A gusty wind troubled players at times to use it cleverly. The two-life system is being used. The two-lifer draw for to-morrow is: Jenkin and Naylor, Effort and Gulbert. The one-lifer draw is: Gordon v. Edwards, Fielding v. Ives, Smith v. Dee, Rendle v. Walker, Reid v. Benefield.