BOWLS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 407, 16 January 1909, Page 7

BOWLS.

N.B. A..TOURNAMENT. EXCITING FINISH IN THE FOURS. J NAPIEJR ON TOP. ■ ■ < (BV' TELEOKIi-K—I'KKS3 ASSOC!ATIOH.I Napisr, January 15. . Tho Northern Bowling Association's championship'fours were concluded to-day in dull weather; A coupio of showers, fell during the morning, necessitating, tho stoppage ,of playon one occasion. Play opened on tho Napior green. In the filial between Napior and Feilding great interest, \vi\s taken, the match being closely followed by a largo crowd of spectators. .Napier scored a brilliant win, which was greeted with enthusiasm. The following is tho outline of the game:—Napier: 11. Holt, A.,E. XVrightson, J. P. Smith, H. Bull (s.), 24. Feilding: \Y. Irving, G. Manning, H. C. Stewart, G. Saywell (s.), 21. Tho result was in doubt until the last head. The opening was all in favour .ofFeilding, and supporters of tho local team thought that tho side skipped by Bull were' in for a severe-drubbing. Feilding won each head to the seventh, and had thirteen up before Napior opened their account, play was then suspended owing to a sharp shower of rain, and, on resuming, Napier put in their claim. On tho eighth head the local team lay two, and they secured another three on s tho ninth. On tho tenth head Bull out out the Feilding bowl with a splendid drive, and, drawing tho jack with his filial shot,- Napier lay. three. On tho eleventh head Wrightson, l with a splendid drive, took the jack into the ditch, and his bowl followed it. Stewart (Feilding third) then played a fine shot, and lay sec-ond,-leaving Napier oho up. On tho twelfth :head Holt. led. beautifully for Napior, but, when tho skips went down, Feilding. were lying. Bull,-with a brilliant drive, cut out tho Feilding bowl, but Saywell went one better and got tho shot. _ Tho ' leading was. throughout , distinctly ■ fine, Holt and Irving vying with . each .other in this respect. On tho thirteenth head the bowls were splendidly placed, when Smith, the Napier third, with n. great shot cut out the Feilding bowl and got tho shot. Stewart, with a brilliant drive, made a dead head. (On.the head being played again Napier wore thrio up 1 /and tho score war/ Feilding 14, Napiei "iv On tho .'fourteenth head Stewart made another dead head, and, on reicommeucihg, cut out Napier. bowl and left Napior lying two. Bull, with a fine-drive,' ;carried the' jack to the ditch and Napier 'lay one. On the fifteenth head Napier secured another point, and scoros were posted equal, amidst great applause. Manning drew the jack beautifully for Feilding on the/sixteenth hbaci, and Feilding wero-three up. On the. seventeenth head Napier equalised matters, .the score then Napier 17, Feilding 17. On tho next head Napier wero lying three, when , Saywell played: a beautiful shot and left Feilding lying one.: : On the nineteenth head they secured an additional three, :andthe score was: Feilding -21,■ Napier, 17. On the' twentieth head Napier lay two, but were still two behind their'opponents. The final hoad was badly opened, and was practically the worst of tho game.. Manning sent down a lino shot and/lay behind.tho jack, 'while Stewart repeated the' operation, and. Feilding were lying two. Smith theri;played a beautiful draw, Which carried tho jack with it, and Napiefl'was lying three. This-shot practically won the match. Bull placed his remaining shots with unerring skill, and/each of thorn scored. , Saywell failed-to change the aspect of the head, and Napior,' lying five, won a magnificent game by 24 to 21. : "/'■

.' Tho recovery of the Napier team .was V brilliant exposition of skill, and 'roused the spectators to great onth'u.siasm: Feilding alsr« played & magnificent game, but just .failed against the dogged 'persistency'" of their opponents. All the Napier team played with great skill,, while tho driving, of Stewart, of Feilding, was a treat to'witness.: 'Bull, the Napier skip, was carried shouldor i high. off the greeii fjy his enthusiastic supporters."' i Ini tho afternoon, Feilding, ; winners in C sectioiij met Blnff'Hill, winners in A-'section, •in a'match-for second position in the cliani•pioiVipiirsl both' teams having..been..defeated by Napiel.- The.',match was distinctly good,; and considerable; attention, .1 but ■ Feilding, opening on the first lead with :threo 'up, hold tho advantage throughout. Bluff Hill, made a gallant offort to catch their opponents, ; but Feilding wero not to be denied, and won' by 19 to 15. Tho scores .wero:— Feilding: :.Irving, Manning, Stewart,Saywell (sJ, 19. Bluff Hill: .■-Newton,- Snodgrass, M'Carthy, Ai Kennedy (s.), 15. Tho citizens' match is expected to bo finished to-! ■morrow afternoon, ,;. v - : . - .

"MUSHROOM CLUBS." (BT TELEGKAPn—PRISS ASSOCIATION.)

i ■ Naplflr, January 15. ■ About, fifty bowlers met t'o-uight uncles the auspices of tho Northernßowling Association, when the .question of .entertaining, at tournaments was -discussed, and approval: was. expressed of . tho council's recommendation to increase the entrance fee for. players taking part in annual tournaments from 2s. 6d. to 12s. 6tl. A motion, regarding mush-: room clubs entering for champion fours was withdrawn on its being stated that the matter would receive the council's attention,.