WEDNESDAY’S PLAY.

Waipa Post, Volume 31, Issue 1731, 11 March 1926, Page 5

WEDNESDAY’S PLAY.

•‘CLiAiRREJ, ILOV'ERIDGE AND ROBERTSON SECTION WINNERS. The final round of the section play eventuated on Wednesday morning. Unfortunately rain commenced to fall shortly after play commenced, which the calculations of some of the teams. The surprise of the tournament was brought off by Cruickshank (Te Awamuiu) who skipped the team in the absence of White and defeated Pilkington (Hamilton) by the good margin of 23 to 17, thus eliminating Pilkington from the section. On the next green Loveridge ('Whirl ora) and Douglas (Te Awamutu) who had four wins each in Section B, were having a hard tussle. On the last head the score was 17 all, but on the final head Loveridge secured two over his opponent and won the section. The Section winners were:— A.—(Rockv Nook (Clarke). iSection B. —Whitiora (Loveridge). Section C. —Onehunga (Robertson). THE SEMLFINAL 'ln the afternoon Clarke and Love'ridge met in the semi-final, Robertson securing the bye. The weather cleared up somewhat and the green w r as playing in perfect order, although a ■strong wind proved tricky. The teams ■were as follow: — Rocky Nook — ( G. Sidler, A. Ashbury, <j. Milner and H. C. Clarke (skip). I Whit iora—Mitchell, W. Burrow, Land and H. C. Loveridge (skip). THE PLAY. Rocky Nook early established a lead .of B—3 on the seventh head, and on ' the eighth Clarke drew two perfect ~\owls. Loveridge was short with his ~rtiirst,' but drove and, killed the head <4-With a great drive. In the re-play Whitiora scored one, Clarke saying three with his-last bowl. The ninth head was a great exhibition of bowling, eight bowls being within two feet of kitty. Clarke eventually scored one. Whitiora scored one on the next, the score reading Rocky Nook 9—5. The next head saw Whitiora holding two, but Clarke, with a drive, removed them and notched another two. Milner killed) the next head, and in the re-play Clarke drew a perfect shot, trailing kitty to score one. Two more to Clarke on the next head made the score read 14 —a in his favour. On the thirteenth head Whitiora took a turn and scored three, Loveridge drawing to within an inch. Clarke saved his side on the next head by drawing shot when he was four down. Whitiora retaliated, by scoring two, and with five heads to go Clarke was leading 15—10. Whitiora gained on a measure in the next and repeated it on the eighteenth head. With three

heads to go Whitiora were three behind. The next head saw both skips fighting hard with Loveridge holding two. till Clarke, with his last bowl, sent down a 'fast one and disturbed the head, cutting one out. The twentieth head saw -Loveridge break up the head, but kitty did not quite go dead and Clarke drew the absolute, gaining one. The last head saw Clarke get one more, making the scores read: Rocky Nook 17 Whitiora 13