BOWLING FINAL STAGES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21867, 21 January 1941, Page 7

BOWLING FINAL STAGES

Fours And Pairs Dominion Tournament By Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, January 20. The New Zealand bowls championships will conclude to-morrow. The position in the fours is interesting in that L. W. Besley, of New Brighton, a hitherto unknown skip, has by his own play taken his team into the finals. A member of a club where the opportunity for hard competitive bowls is limited, Besley has shown himself capable not only of ranking among the best players in New Zealand but also of being one of Ure best skips seen in action in these contests for a long time past. No matter how hopeless a shot may come up the green from one of his own men, he never gets upset but plays each end as it lies. During those important pre-final games that have meant so much to his team he has been able to give them the shot that counted. To-morrow Beslev and his team are facing heavy odds in meeting P. Munn (Canterbury) .in that few cases are known in which a onelifer has beaten a two-lifer twice. Munn’s team has already had one close victory over the New Brighton four In meeting Besley on Saturday afternoon .Munn had the advantage of skipping a young team against one in which the average age was nearer the sixty than the fifty mark. In the game on Saturday Besley’s team admitted they were tired and did not expect to win. The rest on Sunday restored them. They had one bye in tpe eighth round and will be completely rested when they take their places to-morrow morning. In to-day’s game with Mitchell (Blenheim) Munn was fighting all the way against a skip who has won high honours during the tournament by his propensity for saving the situation with his last bowl. On the last end to-day Mitchell required two to win, but Munn’s men outdrew the Blenheim players and gave Canterbury a 19-15 victory. The Semi-finals New Brighton (Besley) after losing a life in the sixth round on Saturday inflicted a crushing 26-14 defeat on North End, Invercargill (Ure) in the semi-final. The other semi-final produced ah easy win for Blenheim (Mitchell) which beat Hawera (H. S Maslin) 22-15. Playing conditions were difficult, a strong south-westerly blowing across the line of play. The result of the New BrightonNorth End game was never in doubt. Pla” stopped at the nineteenth head with Invercargill in a hopeless position. Ure started badly, letting Besley stand 13-2 at the ninth head. The New Brighton men were playing good bowls, finding the Jack and getting length consistently, while their opponents were ragged. North End took five on the thirteenth head followed by a pair and a single, and the score then stood 18-14 against them. Over the final three heads Besley countered with a pair of twos and a three to put the result beyond doubt. \ Blenheim (Mitchell) eliminated Hawera (Maslin) 22-15. Blenheim was five up on. the final head and a twO gave them a good margin. Hawera made all the pace till half way through the game, the score standing at 10-2 against Blenheim early, narrowing till the fours were level at the sixteenth end. After this Blenheim never looked back and put on pairs and singles on every succeeding end, while Maslin’s score stayed at 15. A three on the nineteenth and a pair on the twentieth ended the game 22-15. To-day’s Games The times of to-morrow’s games all depend on the result of the 9 a.m. game between Munfi and Besley. If Munn wins he gets the championship and a win automatically releases Williamson and Joseph (Canterbury) to meet Maslin and Squire (Hawera) for the final of the pains. On the other hand if a second game is necessary between Munn and Besley, this will be commenced between 1 and 2 o’clock, and the final of the pairs cannot be placed Until about 4 o’clock or a little later. Wins by Munn (fours) and Joseph (pairs) would mean all three titles being won by Christchurch players, equalling the record established last year when Auckland men took all three. Play in the fours today resulted in Mitchell (Blenheim) getting third and Maslin (Hawera) fourth. To-day’s results were:— FOURS Eighth Round Munn (Canterbury) 19, Mitchell (Blenheim) 15. Besley (New Brighton) a bye. Fourth Prize Maslin (Hawera) 25, Ure (North End, Invercargill) 18. PAIRS Fifth Round Joseph (Canterbury) 19, Hadwin (Hutt) 18. Semi-finals Squire (Hawera) 24, McClymont (Ponsonby) 9. Joseph (Canterbury) 22, Calder (Phoenix, Oamaru) 18. FERGUSON CUP Timaru v. Park, at Timaru: Mesdames Sewell (s), Richardson, Chapman, Steven; Mesdames Hunt (s), Gledhill, Young, Miss O. Bradley; Mesdames Foden (s), Keast, Connelly, Kebby; Mesdames Wilson (s), Gibb, F. Bradley, Mrs Stocker. Kia Toa v. West End, at West End: Mesdames Gray (s), O’Hagan, Shephard, Adams; Mesdames Laverty (s), Hunt, Moore, Donaldson; Mesdames Crisp (s). Greenfield, Miss O’Connor, Mrs Hadlee; Mesdames Butcher (s), Minifie, Kirkwood, Urquhart. Emergencies: Mrs Story, Mrs Fahey. West End v. Kia Toa: Mesdames Dewar, Wallis, Maclaren, O’Connor; Mesdames Gunn, Davey, Mclntyne, Stoddart; Mesdames Hunt, Oram, Crerar, Barker; Mesdames Osborn, Ellis, Brownie, Dalgleish. Ashbury v. Temuka, at Ashbury: Mesdames Baker, Roycroft, Whitton, Luck; Mesdames Stevenson, Tregenza, Hamlyn, Shaw; Mesdames Arbuckle, Home, Lewis, Richards, Mesdames Scales, Henshaw, Baird, Lomas. Emergencies, Mesdames Morgan and Clark. Park v. Timaru, at Timaru—Mesdames Healy (s), Goddard, Her.’on; Heaton; Murphy, (s), Power, Chittock, Purcell; Hargadon (s), O’Neill, Waldie, Shailes; Stevens (s), Lowry, Toneyeliffe, Avery.