BOWLING.

Wairarapa Age, 5 January 1926, Page 5

BOWLING.

WAIRARAPA TOURNAMENT. VICTORY FOR CARTERTON. WELLINGTON CRACK WELL BEATEN. One of the most successful New A’ear tournaments ever held by the Wairarapa Bowling- Centre concluded in the dusk of last evening, when the final issue was contested by rinks skipped by Fisher (Carterton) and Kerr (Masterton). Whyte, who skipped the Carterton rink through the tournament, was unable to play c-n the final day and was replaced by Fisher, his number 3, H. Hall being substituted for Fisher. After a keenly contested and exciting game Fisher, one of the least fancied of tho semi-finalists, won through with handsome play. Karori Eliminated. The first match of the day was between Crawford (Karori) and Fielding (Hataitai), and produced a stand ard of play worthy of a. Dominion final. Play was very even, with low scoring, to the 15th head, where Crawford led 14 —13. A 2 on tho next head gave Crawford an advantage at in important stage of the game, but the next two heads produced three for Fielding, leaving him still one point down. Fielding landed four counters on the 20th head through trailing the “kitty” to tho ditch after Crawford had laid the shot. This turned defeat into victory, leaving tho Hataitai m.-in 20/17. Crawford was unable to do better than a single on the last head, losing the game, 20/18.

The semi-final between Kerr and Fielding was another nrilliant exhibition of bowling. Playing with: splendid team work tho Hataitai* rink put on 10 before Kerr’s team could settle down, and on the Bth head the Masterton skip was down 3/10. A 3, a 4 and a single in the next three heads brought the home team up to 9/10 with half the journey gone.- Kerr then had another succession of counters, giving him a lead of 15/10. On the 19th head he was four up on the board and lying two, hut Claridge, the Hataitai three, burned the head. The visitors were unable, however, to regain their position and lost by. 14 to 19. t ' Wellington Champion Beaten.

A surprise was effected by tfie Carterion rink in the other semi-final, where Ramsay, twice Wairarapa Centre champion and winner of the recent Wellington championship, struck his colours to the rink skipped by the veteran, W. Fisher. Ramsay ’s rink lacked its usual team work, but the all-round excellence of the Carterton rink’s play could not be denied. If it was a draw, a trail,' a wick or a turnover that was wanted, one of them had it waiting, and the Hataitai champion never looked like winning. After 2 all on the third head Fisher was practically always ahead. With 11 heads gone Carterton were up 11/6. A single on the 12th and a three at the 14th gave Fisher a sound lead of 15/7. Bolland and Ramsay both struck their game in. the next three heads, on which Hataitai scored 1,2 and, 2. Ramsay was four down on the board at the 18th. On the 19th Fisher lay 2, but the head was burned by Ramsay, who skittled them with his first bowl. Fisher returned the compliment when Ramsay lay two on the re-play, the head eventually going to Fisher for a single, leaving Ramsay five down and two heads to go. Consistent bowling by the Carterton two and three saw a single gained on the 20th and three on the last head, Fishier winning through to the final by 21 to 12. Attractive Bowling. The final produced a sterling struggle between the Masterton and Carterton rinks. Fisher’s team started off well, and could do anything asked of them. Smith load magnificently throughout, and was ably supported by Hart and Hall, who, accepting the latter towards the close of the game, played far too consistently for their opponents. Fisher was also right on his game, but his task was comparatively easy compared with that set Kerr, whio was seldom supported by his colleagues. Practically every head Kerr was left the work to do, and the defeat can. be ascribed to the accepted theory that a skip cannot do everything. Thurston, was much below form and only in the latter stages did he play anything like his usual game. McCalden was a fairly consistent number two, but Morton, the number three, never found his game. Tho first half of the board was all in favour of Carterton, who led by 13 to G. Fisher led 4/1 on the first three heads. In the fourth, Kerr, with a fine shot, trailed the kitty for two, but Fisher’s last bowl carried it to the ditch for three, giving him a lead of 7/1. On the ieghth head Fisher presented Kerr with three, making the score 10/5 in favour of Carterton. On the 13th Kerr drew two good bowls for a three, and in ,the next McCalden trailed the kitty for two, but Hall drew the shot to the side of the rink. This was displaced by Kerr’s last bowl; 1 up and 10/13 on the board. Better bowls by Masterton in the 14th head saw a wellearned four marked up for Kerr, wh<. took the lead for the first time a; 14/13. In the next head the Master - ton skip played a great running shot for a four, but the kitty wicked and left Fisher the shot, the score being 14 all. Kerr again took the lead with a single on the 16th, but a three to Fisher on the 17th placed him again two up. Masterton reduced the lead by one in the 18th. Kerr was lying one on the 19th, but in drawing -another just bumped up an opponent’s bowl, giving them the shot. On tho 20th Masterton were lying two, but their number 3 turned in a Car ter ton bowl for the shot. He redeemed himself next shot, however, with a superb draw, but Fisher drew inside him, placing Carterton 19/16 with one head to go. Kerr burned the last head

when lying two down, but Carterton set up a fine defence in the re-play, and with a single won the title. The final .score was 20/16. At the conclusion of the final Mr G. Hayne, on behalf of the Wairarapa Centre, presented thie prizes to the winners and runners-up. Mr G. R. Sykes, M.P., made a presentation of a jardiniere to Mr F. Staples, tournament secretary, from the Wellington bowlers, as a mark of their appreciation for his kindness to them during their visit to Masterton. BRITISH TEAM IN TARANAKI. &EW PLYMOUTH, Jan. 4.—The British bowlers mot eight Taranuk’ rinks to-day, the match resulting in a win for Taranaki by 178 points to 142.—(P.A.)