BOWLING HISTORY MADE

Chronicle (Levin), 21 February 1947, Page 8

BOWLING HISTORY MADE

-Press Assor.iation

Stremsous Play In Pairs And Singles

Bv Telearavh—

WELLINGTON, Peb. 20. Today marle bowling history in New Zealand. The unprecedented nature of the finishes in all the finals at the Dominion championships held in Wellington was outside the experience oi players with up to half a century in the ganie. A tie in a New Zealand final entails not an extra eiul, as in ordinary matehes, but the entire roplay of the match. iSneh eventualities have beeti almost yvithout preeedent but today they were the order of the day. In the singles, Vella (Onehunga) raet the two-lifer W. Freeth (Maitai) and took his lirst life from him; met him again for his seCond life and tied; mei him a third time and became ehampion. In the pairs, W. li. Hawkins and E. P. Exelby (Frankton Junction) niet V. Armstrong and II. B. Kay, tied after a strenuous battle and liad to recontest the event before I^celby won. In the i'ours, a ?Splay was missed bv only one point, but the eneounter in whieh J. J. Ogorman, H. L. Kule, A. Murdoch and T. T. Skoglund (Otahuhu) went down before G. A. Crawley, F. Wilton, V. F. Hurlstone and F. H.Crowley (Tolaga Bay) when the East Coasters rallied from a forlorn positiou with a miraeulous 7 and went on to wiu will live in bowling memory. Vella 's Narrow Win Two finals were conte.sted on tlie Khandallah green. Freeth lias not been very prominent ,in the New Zealand championships previously, but Vella was third in the fours in 1945 and fiftli in the singles last year. Tlieir iirst engagement opened 011 a elose point basis, the seore being 9-all' at half-way. On the 13th Freeth caused a gasp 01 surprise by sending down a bowl with the wrong bias. At the 16th end Freeth led 13 — 11. On the 17th Freetli threw a long head but played sliort and wide with his first bowl. Vella drew the shot ubout a foot behind kitty and Freeth 's next did not alter the position. Freeth'? last 311st missed trailing kitty and Vella 's linal one drew a second, squaring the game 13-all. Vella took the^ lead l.>y drawing a foot in front of the jack which Freeth just failed to alter. — Velfa 14, Freeth 13. Vella tried his luck with a short head 011 the 19th but put his lirst 6ft. over. Freeth drew the shot but Vella rested him out. Freeth shifted the kitty and took the shot. Vella 's next lav equidistant. The players inspected the head, after which Freeth drew the shot with his last and evened* aceounts. — 14-all. Freeth 's first bowl on the 20th was slightly over tlie head and Vella 's a trifie short. \ ella's second did not come in. Freeth played his third short tro make Vella change his hand, but Ihe Onehunga man was over the head, as was Freeth 's, but it was a eounter and left him lying 3, thus Freeth led 17 — .14 with one head to go. Freeth threw a long head 011 the 21st end and then drew within a foot oi kitty. Vella played narrdw and went across but well behind the head. Freeth drew another perfect shot with his second and Vella was again narrow and improved Freeth 's second bowl. Freeth then put his third behind to ward against a drive. Vella played a beautiful running' shot which earried the jack almost to the ditch and he lay three. Freeth with his last bowl was short, leaving Vella a chance to win with his last. General cheering broke out as the Onehunga ehampion played a perfect bowl under most tense conditions for a maximum 4 and took the match 18—17 with his last bowl just m play. Second Game a Draw. Freeth defended his second life witlieven greater tenacily than his first. He cailed into play all his green eraft and Vella appeared more interested in the match than in anv so far in this tournament. O11 the 10th Freetli was ahead 9 — 8 and improved his position to 15—11 on the 15th.. They were 15 all on the 17th. Vella led 17 — 15 on theTO.th and Vella got good green with his first an the 2f)tfi. Freetli was. short. Vella got a. b.etter .one and lav, tlie sh'ot. Freeth tobkf%e^st(^eb^vl)Uiit did not. improve his position' and "Vella lay 2! with his third. He was in a niueh tiet ter position with oue on kitty and two behind. After buruing the head Freetli played a running shot, earried the kitty and lay 2. Vella uad a great chanee to draw the shot but was 15 feet short and Freeth toon the lead 18 — 17 with oue end to go. The ltist head was just over three-quarter leiigth. Freeth went a couple of yards past 011 a good line. Vella was four feet short. Freeth 's second drifted in the wind and Vella 's followed it. Freeth drew the shot with his third and Vella took Freeth 's bowl with his third. Vella was one up and one bowl each to go. Freeth paused for the wind to steady, then delivered and t'ell short. Vella failed to get up and 1 amidst exclamations on the surprises 011 this unusual tournament, the game ended 21 all.

' Freeth Feels the Strain. After a cup of tea the singles finaiists went to the lists once more but now nature played a part in the game. Freeth lvas ■ hitherto usually avoided the Dominion 's - singles championships on account of their strenuous nature and he showed signs of feeiing the strain, Though he still retained his perfect smootli deiivery, some of his toucli was gone: As he said after, the bowls would. just not go where he wanted them to. O11 tlie other hand, Vella, 6ft 2in of physical robustness, started into the third match with the dash of the early afternoou and it soon became apparent that the singles title title would go to Onehunga and Vella won comfortably by 24 — 13. Astonishing Recovery. Highest interest centred in the final of the fours between Slcoglund (Otahuhu) and Crowley (Tolaga Bay). Though each head was keenly contested, Skoglund had the advantage at the start and led 9 — 7 at the half-way mark. The seore after 13 ends was 11—9 for the Otahuhu team which was increased to 13= — 9 on the 14th. For the 15th Crowley 's No. 3, with a perfect full shot, rested the shot bowl out and lay 3. Skoglund drove but was still

three down.— Slcoglund 13, Crowley 12 On the 16th end, when he was one down, Skoglund drove tlie shot bowl oi. and lay three. With his second bowl he took another of Crowley 's off and lay 5, the kitty having run into tlie ditch near the boundary. Thus the Otahuhu team. was 18 — 12. Crowley h cliances grew difnmer at the next head where, in spite of Crowley carrying one of Skoglund 's bowls, the Otahuhu four raised their total to 20 — 12. Tolaga Bay seeined. ragged and Otahuhu wa playing with the utmost confidenee. Oi the" 18tli Skoglund put his bowls wel; at the baek as a precaution against Crowley 's drive, whicli only reduceu the leeway 011 the head to *2, mahina Otahuhu 22 — 12. With the end appar ently in sight fortune smiled upon tht East Coasters and from a ragged team they were galyanised into eoncerted action. On the 19th Skoglund was lying 2 and Crowley killed. Miraeulous Seven. On the replay Crowley was again lying 2 as the skips went down. Skog lund's first bowl struck another and went .alf. vrowlev's first was short. Skoglhiid ,'drove and kitty junipe.d i n t ■ • the air .eqmixig down not far away butleaving. Crowley. .with tw'Q. /)rbvvl?yV last bowl, easily running, came into tht£ i lifeaxl aiid: lUstod' thq.lyttypi.ack, j£ivinj>* Jldhi ainios't mi-pacul»'oi^v ""seVeh and, makifig tlie seore 19—2-2. • ■ • • - When the skips changed over on tht 20th end, Crowley got no result vvitt his first bowl. Skoglund put his furthei baek and Crowley drove to be 2. Skog hmd drove 'nt the jack and took a shot bowl out but Crowley still lay two and the seore read 22 — 20 with oue end to go. When tlie skips changed over 011 the final end, Skoglund was 2 down. Crow ley put his first beside the pack and Skoglund narrowiy missed with his first. Crowley was lying 3 with his last bowl and Skoglund 's ftnished up just outside that shot. Thus Crowley won by 23 — 22 011 the fiual end. "The crowd, still half ineredulous, cheered heartily at the Tolaga Bay team's astonishiiig change in fortune.