BOWLS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3029, 16 March 1917, Page 7

BOWLS

CHAMPION RINKS* CONTEST WON BY WELLINGTON Great interest was taken yostorday in tho semi-final and final jtamos of the Champion Rinks' contest between the representatives of the various clubs. The conditions were just as unpleasant as tlioy were tho reverse on Wednesday. A howling north-wcstorly gale accompanied by clouds of dust swept over the Wellington Club's green, playing havoc on occasions with the bestlaid bowls, and punishing severely bowls tliat were laid down with the least fault in green or strength. When the Wellington-Nowtown game was adjourned at dusk on Wednesday, the former was 16' points to Newtown s 10 on tho fifteenth head. Wellington got two shots on the n6xt head, olid Newtown two on tho seventeenth. Then Wellington, to make it interesting, got in another three, and Newtown replied with two on the nineteenth head. This gave Wellington a sevenpoint load, with two heads to go. On tho twentieth head Wellington got in two shots \ip till the third player. Wylio took' one out with a drive and Braekenridge with his first shot took out Wellington's remaining shot, and lay three. Riovwright. with his first bowl was strong, and Drackenridgo drew another shot with his second, making four shots. Much depended 011 Sievwright's last bowl. With perfect strength and green he drow a beautiful second shot. Six of a lead and ono head to go is liardlv a winnor's position. Newtown lay two shots when Braekenridge, dead-headed. On the play-off, Sievwright brought his bowls all round tho jack, but none within a,yard and a half of it. Newtown again lay two, thanks to forcing tactics, when Brackonridgo agnin tried to get tho white, and failed with both bowls. Sievwfight then laid down a careless bowl, as tjio match was won, and to tho surprise of the bank, it pulled into shot position. It was really a pity the way Karori dealt will Eastbourne on tho last six heads. When the game was adjourned on Monday the scoro was 16—13 on tho fifteenth head in favour of Karori. Eastbourne was not permitted to scoro again, whilst Karori piled on another nino points.' Semi-final. The scores were as follow: — Wellington—Muir, Potter, Thompson, Sievwright (s.), 22; Newtown—Davis, Leahy, Wylie, Drackenridgo (5.),15. Karori—Henderson, Roberts, Crawford, Cooper (s.), 25; Eastbourne— Cray, Munro, Marquis, Powell (s.), 13.

Tho Final —Wellington Wins. The final game for the bluo ribbon of bowls was a splendid one. Every shot was well considered, every contingency was earcf?lJy oouned over and provided for as far as was possible. Indeed, it was such a close-fought contest that it lastod over three hours, and tho interest in the contest was to sonic oxtent killed by the tediously slow play. Tlio game commenced witn a dead-head, and was spun out by five of them. Wellington mitnaged to keep a little in front until tho tenth head, when Karori got a lucky four, Sievwright failing to get among tho counters. This made the scoro 9 —B in Karori's favour, and was the prelude to a ding-dong go, which kept both rinks strung up, and a populous bank jocularly interested. At the fourteonth head tho score was 12 all. On tho sixteenth head Karori's nearest shots woro cleared out, and after a measuring seanco Wellington counted in four shots —16 —14. Fighting every inch of tho way, Karori got singles on tho next two heads, bringing tlio score up to 16 all on tho eighteenth head. Then Wellington got a two, and on tho twentieth, alter a deadhead, Karori got a single. With only ono point between tho rinks, and one head to go, tho finish was distinctly exciting. Roberts put down a good shot behind tho jack for Karori, which Potter just missed. With his second bowl Roberts ciimo down oii tho back hand to rest out Potter, and took his own shot out, leaving Wellington lying a measure

for shot. With his first bowl Crawford, with a fino shot, trailed tho jack a couple of feet and gave Wellington

two shots. Thompson drciv a yard or moro short. Crawford, with a a firm shot took out Wellington's front shot, but Thompson drew another on tho fore band in good style. On tho skips going up tho tension could be felt in tho air. Cooper, with his first howl went narrow, and got lost in some front wood. Sievwright drew a yard to tho right of the jack. Then Cooper again essaying a draw,'went out too wide, to affect the head—so Wellington lay tho shot and tho game. Both skips played excellent bowls, and exorcised sound judgmont, but there was no denying the superiority of Siovwright's generalship. Crawford, as three for Cooper, played well up to the last two heads, when he throw up some short bowls. Roberts was also responsible for some fine shots, but showed an increasing disrespect to green as tho game neared its close. Hendersou played capital bowls as lead, and was a little better on the wholo than his opponent,. Muir, who was not so deadly as on WednesdayPotter as two for Sievwright played tho gamo of his life. Ho drew tho shot with a persistency that .was almost monotonous, and was a big factor in tho rink's success. Thompson was erratic. Ho played -some very good shots, and at times somo that were, very indifferent.. As showing how oven was tho form of tho two rinks, j Wellington scored on ten heads and Karori on eleven. The game may be classed as one of tho.best fought finishes in. a championship that has been soon in Wellington for somo years. Tho scores'woro: —

"Wellington—-Muir, Potior, Thompson, Siovwright (s.), 19; Karori —Henderson. Roberts, Crawford, Cooper (s.), 17. At tho invitation of tho president of tho Wellington Club (Mr. W. Berry) tho winning and running-up teams woro invited into tho pavilion for refreshment. Mr. F. Moadowcroft, president of the Wellington Centro, was in tho chair, and proposed tho health of tho president of the Wellington Club, to whoso club the honour of tho champion, of chanmions competition had come. Mr. Moadowcroft congratulated (lie winning team on their success, and spoke bighTv of the way the lunuers-iip had fought a good fight. Mr. Hcrrv responded and expressed his gratification at having led tho winning I"am in the Wellington Club. Mr. J. 1). .Sievwright 7'c-sponded on behalf of the winning team, and M. Cooper on behalf of tho losors.

TOURNAMENT AT EASTBOURNE. The first rink tournament at Eastbourne is be held at Easter. There will ho room for eight games (sixteen rinks), and all the clubs are being invited to send representatives. Tho green is one of the prettiest and litest sheltered in the district, and players may relv on having a good timo. TEAMS FOR TO-MORROW. Newtown teams for Saturday ho: V. Hataitai at Newiown—Alpe, Salmon, Smith, Tonks (s.); Playi'.e, Remington, Roveli, C. M. Luko (s.j. A 1 Hataitai—E. Read, Levestam, Duff. Laugton (s.). V. Lyall Bay, at Lyall Bay—Crosby, Gyles, S. Roborte, Priddlo (s.); W. Roberts, Thomloy, Bennett, Ilygor (s.). Throe Newtown rinks leave for Mnsterton this morning, and will play

thoro this afternoon and to-morrow (St. Patrick's Day). The following rinks have been selected to play against Thorndon at To Hiwi to-morrow: Houldsworth, Thorpe, Wiggins, Shallcrass (s.); Kinnear, Fairlev, Skinner, Ferguson (s.). Tho following rinks will represent the Hataitai Club on Saturday:— Against Newtown, at home: Young, Matthews, M'Lcunan, Hendry (s.). Away: Carswell, Hulse, Julius, Pryor (s.); Johnson, Ballineer, Fielding, Pcnnor (s.). Edwin Feathers, against Johnsonvillo: Stonebanks, Ward, Bailoy, M'Whannoll (s.); Kitto, Ridley, Brown, Kcan (s.).