BOWLING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143769, 18 April 1912, Page 2

BOWLING.

THE BANNER FINAL.

The final match in the banner competition was played at Stratford on Wednesday afternoon between New Plymouth, winners of the northern sec- ’ tion, and Hawera, winners of the southern and western sections. The weather conditions were perfect, and the Stratford green was in good order. It was agreed to play 25 heads, and a close match resulted in a win for Hawera by 6, points—74 to 68. New Plymouth started well, when six heads had been played Herbert Smart’s rink being 8 to 1, A. K. Smart’s 6 to 4, and Handle's 3 to 8, the latter having lost six at the fourth head, a disaster from which they never recovered. At the thirteenth head H. Smart was 6 up, Allan Smam 10 up, and Bundle 19 down. Bundle stuck at 7 for eight heads, and H. Smart was on the fatal 13 for four heads, when he got away ' again. jWhen twenty heads had been played H. Smart’s score was 20 to 11, but Allan had lost two 6’s and was only 21 to Hicks’ 19, while Bundle’s score stood at 12 to Foy’s 34. In the remaining five heads H. Smart improved his position a little, ending up with 24 to Robertson’s 13. Rundle also finished with, a good run, scoring 7 in the five heads to Foy’s 1, but when the last bowl had been played ho was 16 down. Allan Smart lost another 5 at the 24th head, and finished one down to Hicks. During the last few heads the game was exciting, Hawera having a small lead. With two heads to go- New Plymouth’s score was only two behind, but Hicks’ .5 gave Hawera a lead of 7 with only one head in that rink to go, so that the game was lost bar a miracle. This didn’t happen, Smart getting one out of it, and so the game ended with Hawera six to Hie good. Bundle's rink was up against a strong combination, and', though they played a good but unlucky game, the loss of two 6’s and a 5 proved too big a misfortune to overtake. ■ln H. Smart’s rink Binnio was playing a fine lead and the others rather more than held their opponents, so that the rink had - the command, of the game all through. Allan Smart’s rink did splendidly up to the sixteenth head, the skip playing a deadly game, but after that he lost three s’s, which proved his undoing. The game was contested in a most friendly spirit, and there was no occasion to call for a referee, while burned heads were few, Folloiving are the scores; ' , _ _ N.P. H. Humphries, Luscombe, A. Goldwater, S. Bundle (skip); J. Hicks, Henson, Tait, Foy(s.) 19 35 Binnie, Penn, Bary, H. Smart, 5 (skip); Reilly, Crabb, Shore, W. Robertson (skip) 24 13 H. Goldwater, Burgess, Hall, A. K. Smart (skip); G. Syme, J. Syme, Curtis, B. Hicks (skip) 25 26 Totals 68 74 During the afternoon the Stratford ladies entertained their visitors with a beautiful afternoon tea. On the conclusion of the match, Mr. A. Goldwater, president of the losing club, congratulated Hawera on winning the banner in the first year of the competition. Ho also, on behalf of both clubs, thanks the Stratford Club for the use of the green, and the Stratford ladies for their generous hospitality. Mr. Foy suitably replied for Hawera, and Mr. Moryon for Strafford, and cheers having been exchanged the first banner competition was over.