FIRST LEG OF DOUBLE Fours Title Won On Last End

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30956, 12 January 1966, Page 13

FIRST LEG OF DOUBLE Fours Title Won On Last End

A. L. Rudduck, of Meadowbank, Oamaru, yesterday completed the first leg of the coveted double in the New Zealand bowling championships when he won the fours title by beating C. Simon, of Hutt, 24-20. It was a tense and enthralling final, marked by the splendid drawing of both teams. Rudduck makes his second title quest in the pairs final this morning on the Opawa green, when he plays E. W. Grimman (Caversham).

Only once before has a player won both events. In 1936 a Canterbury club team, led by R. Haworth, won the two titles.

W. P. O’Neill’s Carlton bowling machine came to a creaking halt when it was beaten, 30-16, by Simon in the semi-finals. The Carlton team, after gaining an early lead, was outdrawn and outplayed by Simon.

Rudduck had a harder match against H. H. J. Robson (Mangakino). But after being down, 6-9, he came back to win. 22-16. Same Tactics The final of the fours kept the crowd of about 1500 in a state of constant suspense Both teams adopt the same tactics; they rely on the tight drawing game with little use of the drive to add or retain points.

Perhaps because of this, and because both skips were quiet and undemonstrative, the final was not as spectacular as some in recent years. But for the bowling purist who insists that the drawing game is the best, it had everything to offer. It was not until the last end that the game was decided, and even then Rud-

duck had to draw through a maze of bowls to take his side from one down to two up, with Simon still to use his last bowl.

However, Simon just missed taking the shot For most of the game bowls were clustered around the kitty and the skips drew constant applause as they drew delicate shots to take a shot bowl out, or reduce their opponent’s score by intelligent play or add precious points. Vital Heads There were three vital ends in the game. After three heads Rudduck had a 4-0 lead. Twice he slithered his woods through a narrow gap to give him two shots on the fourth end. Simon’s number three. W. Newman, studied the head and advised Simon to try and draw through the narrowist of gaps. Simon demurred but Newman insisted. Simon tried hard but he only succeeded in kissing in another of Rudduck’s bowls to give Rudduck another point. The same procedure was repeated on the eighth head. “There is no place to go on the backhand,” said Newman, when Rudduck was one up. The path that Newman gave Simon was about as difficult as the Hampton Court maze, and he foundered on a short bowl. To disprove Newman’s

advice, Rudduck drew on the backhand and just sidled around a wing bowl to gain two shots. That made the score 10-3. Made Amends After that Simon’s team fought back well. Newman made amends with some finely executed shots, J. Grimes and F. Senior were always on target, and the score narrowed to 20-17 at the eighteenth. Later came Rudduck’s bad moment. He had gained a three on the twenty-second and as usual asked his lead to throw a short kitty. Instead it landed near the ditch. The Hutt team gained one vital point. It could have been fateful for the Oamaru team, for they were three down with Rudduck having one more bowl. He judged the errant north-west wind, which had just blown up, perfectly to save two shots. Simon tried hard to draw another shot but his bowl missed by a fraction and nestled just an inch or so away from Rudduck’s bowl. Lucky Bowler

It has been said by many of the spectators that Rudduck is a lucky bowler. Certainly he had his fair share of luck, but he has been in superb form throughout the tournament.

His temperament cannot be faulted. Time and again this short, dapper man has drawn the final shot on a tight end. He has the perfect bowling'delivery. It is smooth and related and he plots his shots well. Rudduck is a former South Island snooker champion and his number three, Keen, a competent billiards player. Watching them team it could be believed that their billiards and snooker training has stood them in good stead. They are always looking for the placement of their own bowls and how to restrict their opponents’ scoring chances. The gaunt Keen started brilliantly but he seemed tired by the end of the match and was not placing his shots as precisely as he had done earlier.

Hard Battle The leader, T. McGimpsey, a retired farmer, had a hard battle with the Hutt lead, F. Senior, and they finished about square although Senior had the distinction of gaining six touchers.

The second, R. W. H. Anderson, had one or two bad shots but he always managed to redress them. Simon, the Hutt skip, played soccer for Wellington for many years as a left-half, and he, too, had a fine knowledge of distribution. At times his navigation was uncanny as he threaded his way past stray bowls to nestle in near the kitty. Quiet and undemonstrative, the sft sin Simon always kept trying and he played some brilliant shots to retrieve seemingly impossible situations. Newman was more volatile but he played many fine shots on the wide draw. At number two Grimes had pin-point accuracy.

When the last head was being bowled Simon perhaps reflected on an earlier fours match in the tournament against A. Walker (Shirley) when he was seven down on the last end. He drew seven shots to tie the game and then won the next end.

But against Rudduck’s team it would have been a miracle a gain a seven. But Simon’s last bowl went desperately close to saving the match.