FOURS BOWLING

Chronicle (Levin), 22 March 1946, Page 2

FOURS BOWLING

HUTT WINS CHAMPIONSHIP | The Wellington Bowling Centre's champion of champions fours' tournament, in which 25 teams engaged, ended on the Wellington Disabied Soldiers' Bowling y Ciub's green in Lloyd Street yesterday in a win for the Hutt Ciub's lour. This was the first important .tournament played on • the new green in Lloyd Street, and it came m for much favourable comment from players and followers of the game. The semi-finals were decided yesterday morning, when some brilliant play was seen. In the first game, Newtown (B. Furneaux, G. Walden, F. Russell, and J. Russell (s) played consistently to beat Seatoun (A. Murphy, C. N. Short, W. Morton, J. Ramsden (s) , 19—11. The. game was even over the earlier stages, but consistent play by the Newtown four enabled them to forge ahead and gain a commanding lead. The second game between Hutt (G. Littlejohn, D. Sugrue, N. H. McDonald and A. J. Webster (s) , and Otaki Railway (D. H. Symonds, D. F. Webster, A. D. Webster, and J. B. Laurie (s), had a sensational ending. Hutt forged ahead in the early stages, but steady play by the Otaki Railway four enabled them to draw level after half the journey had been completed, and take the lead in the closing stages. When the twentieth end was . started, Otaki Railway were leading 24—21, and were lying three. A. J. Webster took the next mat to deliver the final bowl. Before he did so, N. H. McDonald, his No. 3, called out,-"If you can trail kitty into the ditch, I will give you the game." Webster, with a firm shot, took kitty into the ditch, and followed through to lay four, and score a win by one point — 9.F> — 24. •

The final in the afternoon between Hutt and Newtown saw some brilliant bowling. The teams were all square, 12 — 12, on the fourteenth end. Newtown then scored three on the next end, but the Hutt four fought back strongly, to lead 18 — 16 on the nineteenth end. Brilliant play by the Hutt four gave them three oift the twentieth end, and Hutt led 21 — 16. Littlejohn, the Hutt lead, drew well and gave his side the advantage on the last end, but the Newtown team, fighting a forlorn hope, twice burnt tlie head. On the third display, the Newtown players strove valiantly to save the day, but all they could manage was to score three, making Hutt the champion of champions four for 1946, by 21—19.