BOWLERS NEAR TOURNEY'S END.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18664, 18 January 1929, Page 5

BOWLERS NEAR TOURNEY'S END.

RINKS, PAIRS AND SINGLES PROVIDE EXCITING GAMES. (Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, January 17. The weather was pleasant for the continuation of the bowling tournament, which is fast approaching its final stages. There was a light breeze, but it was only sufficient to temper the heat of the sun. Most of the play took place on the Wellington club’s two greens, chief interest being centred in the lower green, which was exceptionally fast for the Rink games. The play was of a high order, and it provided a full measure of excitement for a big bank of spectators.

PLAY IN THE RINKS. Play opened in the morning with the fourth round of post-section games in the Rink championship. The WoolfFindlay game started quietly, the score being four all at eight heads. Then Woolf got a two, Findlay replying with two singles and a two, Woolf doing likewise in the next three heads. Up to this point, both teams had been drawing steadily, but the sixteenth head was a disaster for Christchurch. The whole side had a lapse, Findlay scoring six. This gave him a lead of four, which he increased to five with a single at the seventeenth. Woolf then scored a single, and he lay four on the next head, when Findlay trailed the jack out of bounds. A two to Woolf and a single to Findlay left the latter three up with one head to play. The head built up badly for Woolf, but he still had a chance, and with a beautiful yard trail he lay game. Findlay still had a bowl to play, however, and he drew second shot, winning the game by two. Except for their unaccountable lapse on one head, Woolf and his team played sound bowls all through. Dohert}' opened with a four against Bell, who replied with a five and a three. Bell led by twelve to six at the sixth head, but a four and a three put Doherty in front again. They were level at the eleventh head, but the next three heads saw Doherty take a lead of four. Bell then recovered three, and Doherty led by one with three heads to play. He increased his advantage by two singles, and played too safely to allow Bell more than one on the last head. Bell was thus relegated to the one-lifers.

Edwards started well against M’Whannell, scoring six on the first three heads, and he led by twelve to two at the eighth while he held his advantage of two six heads later. Then the Temuka men went off their game, M’Whannell scoring on five heads and leading bv one with a head to play. In the final head. Edwards’s lead got in a good shot. Most of the others’ bowls were a trifle strong, but Edwards drew a second shot with his last bowl and won by a point. The two skips drew some fine shots. This was M’Whannell’s first loss. Wardrop and King had a close game most of the way. They -were level on the seventh head, after which King gained a lead of four. From this point, however, Wardrop monopolised the scoring and won easily. Lowry started well against NobleAdams, who was seven down at the eighth head, but the gap had been reduced to three in the next three heads. Then Lowry scored on five heads, and thereafter always had the game in

hand. The Ardell-Hosking game was keenlv fought all the way, the teams being 5 all at the fifth head, 7 all at the seventh, and 11 all at the eleventh, i After that they kept going evenly till j Ardell scored a clever four at the 1 eighteenth head, and this settled the « In the fifth round the Doherty-Brem- 3 ner game produced some exciting play. - Doherty opened with a four, but at i the eighth head Bremner led by thir- 1 teen to six. Then there was a drama- < tic change. Bremner lay two shots, but 1 Doherty cut them out and scored six, ’ which he followed with a two. Brem- J ner regained the lead in the next three ; heads and was two up at the fifteenth * head. This was the end of the Aucklander. On the sixteenth head Brem- : ner cut out Doherty’s bowl for six, but . ran on to the jack, which went out of j bounds. In the replay Bremner lay ! two till Routley turned up a bowl to : score a single for Doherty, who follow- i ed with two more singles. In the nineteenth there were some great changes. « As a result of accurate drawing Doh- ; erty lay the shot, but Bremner cut . it out for three, only to have Doherty draw the dead shot with his last bowl. The last head started with Doherty two up, and his lead and second player built up a deadly head. Bremner and his third played goods bowls but just failed, leaving Doherty with 3.

M’Whannell led Lowry by seven to two in the first four heads. The fifth head must have beaten all records, as it was killed seven times, four times by M’Whannell’s men and three times by his opponents. M’Whannell always had an advantage and had a lead of eight when the time limit was applied after nineteen heads. Edwards and Ardell started quietly, the scores being 3 all at five heads. In the next six heads Ardell jot a lead of eight, and eventually won very easily. The Temuka men did not play up to form, Edwards being left too much to do. Edwards was unlucky in having to play in this round. He and not Bell should have had the bye. Wardrop started off well and led Findlay by seven at nine heads, but Findlay evened the scores in the next three heads. After that Findlay continued on his merry way, and he was seven up with a head to play. Wardrop had a chance with his last bowl, but his excellent trail was not quite strong enough, and he had to be content with five. Wardrop. who hails from Woodville, is a fine player. In the sixth round Ardell met Doherty, the only two-lifer. Doherty scored a couple of singles, while Ardell notched six in the next three heads, but Doherty evened up with a four.

They, were nine all at seven heads, after which Doherty added three. Then Ardell put on ten in five heads, giving him a lead of seven. A two to Doherty and a single and a two to Ardell gave the latter a lead of eight with four heads to play. With two heads to play Ardell was seven up. and apparently in a safe position, but the sensation of the day was to come. Doherty got one on the jack early and gradually built Up a good head, while Ardell’s men were failing. Ardell played two unlucky firm shots, getting through a narrow port and just missing the jack each time. It is easy to play the game from the bank, but Ardell had plenty of room to save with a draw. Five to Doherty left him only two down, and he got four more drawn shots in the final head, winning by two. Ardell’s team failed again, while the skip himself was strong with his first and narrow with his second. It was a wonderful recovery. The last two heads were played in a bad light, the final bowl being played at half-past eight. M’Whannell got a lead of eight on Findlay in the first half of their game. Then Findlay had his turn with a welldrawn four, followed . by a five, while his opponent, was getting four. With three heads to play M’Whannell led by five. This proved too big a handicap for Findlay, though he got a well-earned three on the twentieth head. Bell led Bremner by two at the fifth head, and was four up at the fifteenth, but Bremner evened the score in the next two heads. A two to Bell was his final effort, as Bremner wound up with three twos. This was a keenly contested game between two teams of careful drawing players. The Rink competition is now reduced to three teams, each of which has had a bye. Doherty is thus entitled to the bye in this round, and has to be beaten tw'ice by the winner of the M’WhannellBremner game, which will be started at nine to-morrow morning. THE PAIRS. There were some interesting games to-day in the pairs. Rennie had a great game with Higgott. The score was 5 all at eight heads, after which Higgott gradually drew away. He had a lead of ten with three heads to play, and that game was all over. Rennie had been playing scratchingly during part of the game, while his lead, Lewis, had been showing good form. In the last three heads, however, Rennie came to light in great style. He got a nice trail for three in the nineteenth and scored a neat couple in the twentieth. He was still five down, but in the

last head Lewis built a good back lead and Rennie brought off a clever trail with his last bowl. This made a tie, and the Christchurch pair got home by two. It was a sensational recovery of Rennie, for whom Lewis led exceptionally well.

Clarke and Bain had an exciting game. Bain led by one at five heads, but Clarke added ten in the next eight heads while Bain was getting three. Then Bain came on again and they tied, Bain winning the extra head. Edwards got a big lead on Hueston early, being twelve up in the first six heads. This early advantage was useful. Hueston piled on a good score later, but Edwards beat him easily by four. Smith and Jack provided even play for seven heads, after which Jack gained an advantage of five in three heads. Then Smith had a turn, and as a result of accurate drawing he was two up with three heads to play. A single and a two to Jack and a single to Smith made a tie. Jack winning by one in the extra head. It was a keenly fought game, with some good play on both sides. This was the third tie gome in the pairs on the Wellington green to-day. Laurenson had a close game with Fielding, the fortunes varying, but Laurenson and his lead. Kinvig, played very consistently, winning by three. This strong Linwood combination has now reached the semi-final and w’ill have to wait some time for another game. Efford is held up by M’Whannell, and the winner has to meet Franks, of Masterton, while the survivor will play Laurenson. Doherty and Routley having a bye in the Rinks, will play Findlay and his mate from Mount Eden to-morrow morning. If Findlay should win he will play Lewis and Rennie in the afternoon, but if the Kelburn pair are successful the game with Rennie will be delayed, probably till Saturday. Edwards has to meet Bain in the same round. It seems probable, therefore, that the final of the Doubles will run into next week, owing to the Rink players holding up the games. THE SINGLES. Good progress was made with the singles to-day, two founds being got off, bringing the competition down to the final. Parsons took one of North’s lives.' He led by 9 to 4 at the eighth head, but North gradually overhauled him and was one up with three heads to play,

North scoring three on the eighteenth after very wide play. Parsons outplayed his opponent at the finish Delaunay had a lead of seven on Pollock at half game, and for the remainder of the game always looked a winner. Coltman and Smart had an even game for six heads, and they had a ding-dong fight for eighteen heads. Coltman was four up with two heads to play, and added two more on the twentieth. Both players mixed their game well, showing themselves able to play firm shots as well as draw. In the semi-final Coltman began well, leading Parsons by four at five heads. Parsons then got two singles, after which Coltman put on five in four heads. Up to this stage it was a keenly contested game, but Parsons then went to pieces, Coltman playing all over him in the last part of the game. Coltman gave a fine exhibition of singles play' The other semi-final had a dramatic finish. North lead by 6 at eight heads, and by 7 at fifteen heads. A three and a four to Delaunay made them level, and Delaunay then took the lead with a single. Then North got a two, followed by a single in the twentieth, in which eight good bowls were played. This left North 2 up, with a head to play. Fie drew a good shot with his first, Delaunay getting a close second. Delaunay was wide and strong with his second, and. as North kept drawing, Delaunay deliberately played his third to the back. North committed the fatal blunder of failing to get a back (bowl, and Delaunay brought off a firm ’trail to score 3 and win the game. It was a shocking exhibition on the part of North, who could not have lost had he played his third and fourth bowls well over the head. Delaunay is a very fine singles player, but Coltman will keep him busy. They will niget at ten o’clock to-morrow morning. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, January 17. The Dominion bowling tourney was continued to-day in perfect weather. Important stages in post-section play were reached. At the end of the fifth round of the Championship Rinks, six rinks were left in the contest, three Wellington and three Auckland, as follows:—Auckland —Bremner (West End), Findlay (Epsom). Bell (Hamilton). Wellington Doherty (Kelburn), Ardell (Hataitai), M’Whannell (Hataitai). As it happened, for the sixth round two Wellington (Doherty and Ardell)

and two Auckland (Bremner and Beil) ! were drawn against one another, whilst Findlay was drawn against M’Whannell. Doherty s was the only rink left in with two lives. As the result of the play on this round, M’Whannell. Doherty (still with two lives) and Bremner remain in the final games. In the Championship Pairs, owing to the fact that some players were competing in the Championship. Rinks they could only play in the Pairs as opportunity offered. Those who were left in at the end of the third round were: Franks (Masterton), Laurenson (Linwood), Fielding (Hataitai), Jack (St John’s). In the fourth round Laurenson (20) heat Fielding (17), and entered the semi-finals. The semi-finalists in the Championship Singles were Delaunay (Epsom) 21, who beat North (Te Awamutu) 20. Coltman (Carlton) 23, who beat Parsons (Ponsonbv) 11. The final between Coltman and Delaunay will be played to-morrow morning.