BOWLS TOURNEY

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 97, 18 January 1935, Page 11

BOWLS TOURNEY

Post-Section Games For Rinks Title THREE MORE ROUNDS Carlton Team Without a Loss By Telegraph'.—Press Association. Auckland, January 17. The Dominion howling tournament was continued ito-day, when further games, in the post-section rounds of the full Tins championship and inter-section rounds of the pairs championship were played. The day was extremely hot, and contestants having completed a lull week s play in the rink championship, showed signs of tiredness. The pace of the gam«s was fast. T. Buxton Dr. P. Moir, HL. Clarke, S. Jenkin, of the Carlton cluJ, remain undefeated in the rink championship, gaining the distinction of being the only team to survive the fourteen successive rounds. Jenkin has also the record of playing in 24 successive games in the Dominion 'without defeat. Play will be resumed in the rinks, pairs and singles championships. to-mor-rov. '-file following teams retain their tw> lives in the rink competitionßuxton, Moir, Clarke, Jenkin (Carlton); Mihchen, Donaldson, Liverridge, Whittle (Grey Lynn). The one-lifers are as follow:—Paget, Blood, Wilson, Mingins (Epsom); Stephens,. Macklow, Livingstone, Robertson (Onehunga). The following survive in the pairs competition, in which further post-section games were played • to-day: —Ball au .“ Murray (Hawera) ; Harris and Harns (St. Johns); Wakefield and Beer (Aapier) ; Logan and McCarthy (Port Ahuriri); Loveridge and Pilkington (Hamilton); Casey • and Lobb (West End, New Plymouth) ; Wellings and MeWhannell (Hataitai). Owing to players being required tor rinks and pairs to-day, no further, play was held in the singles competition. Eleven players still remain in. Those with two lives are:—Rourke (Hawera), Engebretsen (Napier), Russell (St. Heliers). One-lifers are: —Routley (Kelbourn), Somervell (Ponsonby), Coburn (Ponsonby), Keatley (Rocky Nook), Luscornbe (West End, New Plymouth), Livingstone (Onehunga), Wellings (Hataitai), Richards (Devon.port). Napier Rink Eliminated. The third refund played to-day saw the elimination from the competition of the strong Napier rink headed by EngJbretsen in the game against Jenkin,, of Carlton. The team made a great impression with the bowlers of Auckland in its conduct of play. There was a marked tendency to build slack heads by lack of placing position, shots. Nevertheless, the brilliance of Engebretsen in pulling his team out of tight corners was one o‘f the thrills of all the games played by the Napier rink. Probably it was the certainty of the remarkable accuracy .of this skip that prompted the opportunity of taking frequent chances to the advantage of Carlton. It was soon evident that the front'rank of the Carlton team was much stronger. The Napier three was a sound and reliable b’owler, but was outplayed by Clark, who was in a brilliant mood. Carlton had the run ot play. , i Some excellent shots were staged by Engebretsen that went three down on the last head, requiring live to tie. The Napier skip wa_§ faced with a complete lack cf position on the head, and had to admit defeat, although playing, both his bowls, making an obviously vain attempt to obtain the count. The slump in form was specially noticeable iu the third round of the day; McWhannell (Hataitai), in.a previous round, gave a brilliant display ,of bowling, raking his game out of the fircin magnificent style by a delicately drawn shot to the jack, resting on the very edge of the ditch. It was difficult to believe that the same team could be beaten by the big margin of 22 to 8 in the conchid- , jug round iu the game against Robertson (Onehunga). The weariness of the players was the reason for the complete reversal of form. Similarly, Walker (Mt. Albert) utterly fell to the sound bowling of Mingins (Epsom). The Automatic Draw. It was exceedingly unfortunate for the Carlton club that the automatic draw for games brought two teams of that club, Lancaster and Grahame together. More unlucky still was the fact that the winner of the Lancaster and Grahame tussel was drawn bj- l ,la y J<mk>m all ‘ other Carlton team. Moreover, .while tne first-mentioned game was. played Roberts's team was defeated. Thus, four Carlton teams which have performed so admirably were reduced to one. In the first two rounds to-day between Lancaster and Grahame there was steady play of excellent bowls. The character of the play indicated that there was little to pick between the strength of the respective teams, one of whom had to be eliminated from the further rounds of championship play. The other game between Roberts (Carlton) and Brackenridge (Lyall Bay) was very one-sided. Roberts was outclassed in form on the g'ame, and shook hands with Brackenridge at the close of the nineteenth head, the score being 23 to 11. Stone (St. John’s) met Bremner (West End, Auckland). The game was a one-sided tussle, am! ended 25 to 12 in favour of the visitors. Stone was a powerful factor in t|ie game. It was unfortunate again that two teams from the Waikato. Gee (Te Awamutu) and Pilkington (Hamilton), were drawn to play against each other when each had only one life. However, the circumstance can only be accounted for by the luck of the automatic draw, which has proved the only satisfactory method. Pilkington snatched victory from his friends by drawing an absolute shot on the white with his last bowl, thus taking' the game out of the fire on the final bowl. Some Interesting Finishes. The decision game between Thomas (Wairere) and T. Walker (Mt. Albert) had some interesting features, and also much sound bowling. The score read 8 to 8 on the ninth, but Mt. Albert ran up a total of 20 to 15 by the twentieth head. Wairere came again and piled on six counters. On the concluding head, however, Walker was not to be denied, and he drew a third shot with his last bowl, and ran out the winner by three points. The Wairere team had provided sound play of a high order throughout the section and post-section, rounds. The Napier team, in all divisions of team work, greatly impressed. . At the same time as the Wairere team was meeting with defeat, Logan and McCarthy, of the Port Ahuriri club. Napier, put up a great stand against Higginson and Hosking, of Grey- Lynn, in. the pairs championship. The Napier pair put 3 to 0 on +he board before tjieir opponents opened their score, and ran out easy winners by 22 to 11. . r Mingins (Epsom) met Stone (Manganui). The game showed the complete collapse of the Wanganui rinks. At no stage of the game did' the visitors look like winners, the total score oeing 28 to ’ Results of the fourth round are as follow: — TWO-LIFERS. Robertson (Onehunga) 18 v. F. A. Hosking (Pukekohe) 16. Whittle (Gray Lynn) 16 v. McWhannell (Hataitai) 15. S. Jenkin (Carlton), a bye. ONE-LIFERS. Lancaster (Carlton) 1< v - GraEarn (Lyall Bay) 23 v. Rob*rEngeCbr^o"n ’(Napier) 21 V. Brighting John’s, Wanganui) 25 v.

. Bremner (West End, Auckland) 15. Mingins (Epsom) — v. Arnott (lalmerston North) 15- „ Pilkington (Hamilton) -0 v. G-ee (To U Walker (Mount Albert). 20 v. Thomas (Wairere, Napier) 17. The following were eliminated in the fourth round :—Graham, Brighting, Bremner, Arnott, Gee, Thomas, and RobCltS ’ FIFTH ROUND. Whittle 19 v. Robertson IS. Jenkin 29 v. Lancaster 19. Engebretsen 17 v. Brackenridge 12. Mingins 26 v. Stone 17. Walker 24 v. Pilkington 12. • McWhannell 19 v. Hosking 18. The following were eliminated in the fifth round:—Lancaster, Brackenridge, Stone, Pilkington, and Hosking. SIXTH ROUND. Jenkin 17 v. Engebretsen 13. Mingins 26 v. T. Walker 11. Robertson 22 v. McWhannell 8. Whittle, a bye. , , • The "following were eliminated in the sixth round:—Engebretsen, 1. Walker, and McWhannell. . . Play in the rinks competition will be continued to-morrow.' hollowing is tne draw: —Jenkin (Carlton) v. Whittle (Grey Lynn); Miugins (Epsom) v. Robertson (Onehunga). . Results ot play in the pairs competition‘areThird round: Logan and McCarthy (Port Ahuriri) 22 v-H>gg~ and Hosking (Grey Lynn) 10: Hams and Harris (St. Johns) 20. v. Voughton and Loram (Rocky Nook) 19. Plav in the pairs competition will also be continued to-morrow. Following i» the drawMcWhannell (Hataitai) i. Murray (Hawera); Beer (Napier) i. Pilkington (Hamilton); Harris (St. Johns) v. Lobb (West End, New 11}m Turn of the two-lifers left in the singles competition, Engebretsen (Napier) and Russell (St. Heliers), will meet to-mor-row. Other games in the singles competition will be played at the completion of the above-mentioned matches. WELLINGTON MEN OUT Hataitai Teams Outplayed Dominion Special Service. Auckland, January 17. The tenth day’s play in the bowling tournament opened in glorious weather, with the greens still fast after the lon, tsnell of dry weather, which, while welcomed by the contestants, is proving so disastrous to farmers in the province. Three Wellington teams remained in the rinks contest when play commenced today, McWhannell (Hataitai), with two lives; -Brackenridge (Lyall Bay), one life; and Brighting (Hataitai), one life. This was a great record considering.the large number of rinks engaged from other provinces, particularly Auckland. McWhannell lost one life in Ins first game, being defeated by Whittle (Grey Lynn), 15-16. The Hataitai rink had the same experience fis yesterday afternoon in having to play off a tie after the bell rang. He was lying one shot on the last head and wanted another for a win, but bis bowl went too wide. On the replay Whittle held the winking shot. Brackenridge (Lyall Bay) had a good win over Roberts (Carlton), 23-11, his scoring points being largely due to his capacity to draw the shot on a fresh length when the jack had been carried near the ditch. The last two heads were not. played. . Brighting took no further interest in the contest after the first game, which he lost to Engebretsen (Napier), 16-21, and was eliminated. Unusual Incidents. Unusual incidents have multiplied during the tourney, but one that occurred in the rink match between Sunde (Glen Eden) and Wright (Onehunga) seems to be quite unprecedented. The former wanted five to a tie on the last head', and it was building up nicely in Ins favour when Valla, the Onehunga number, three, drove the jack into the ditch with a toucher lying just alongside the white. Of course it was impossible lor Lien Eden to beat it, so Vranjes did not play his last bowl, nor did either of the skips, five bowls being unplayed. Ihere are often several bowls unplayed in a burned head, but it is doubtful if .five have ever been unplayed previously m a head which counted. . When play started, this morning the sixth round in the singles could not oe completed, because Engebretsen (Nanicr), Livingstone (Onehunga), and Wellings (Hataitai) were still in the rinks, the first two as skips and Wellings in MeWlianneH’s rink. Similarly. the pairs were held up by McWhannell himself, Beer in Engebretsen’s rink, and Harris in Stone's rink. Brackenridge Loses Ganic. Brackenridge was out of the contest after his second game to-day, when he lost his only remaining life, being defeated by Engebretsen (Napier), lb-..x. This game saw 'again the dominance ffit form of the Napier 'skip.. The accurate drawing and splendid driving on the par. of Engebretsen placed the Lyall Bay team in a weak position. Indeed, Brackenridge remained on twelve points for no less than seven heads, while the, Napier team piled up nine points, eventual.}' running out winners by 18 to 12. McWhannell was one of the only six rinks remaining in the competition after the second game to-day, in f he only just beat Hosking (Pukekohe/,. 19-18. It was one ot the most brilliant, games staged during the day.; ’Play on the final head drew rounds of applause from the onlookers for mar , v « accuracy. On the twenty-first Pukekolie waned three points to win,'and two .to lie. On the change-over of the skips Hosking lav one shot and'added another, necessitating the replay of the tiergamOn this head the lead' for Pukeko e placed a splendid bowl on the white. This shot was reached by the number two of Hataitai, but there was some doubt as tn whom the shot was in favour, ini” circumstance impelled McWhannell o direct his number three to drive the pack. In this shot he was J'the coming to rest on the very ed B e of th. ditch. A Splendid Shot. Hosking drew a, splendid shot for game to within IS inches of the jaerf. This shot, on an average, would have been a winner, but McWhannell was equal to the occasion, ior he drew a peifect shot to within a couple of inches ano won his game in brilliant manner, me Hataitai men o\i the whole were slightly superior to Pukekohe, and in the latte half of a strong tussle for an ultimate victory piled on 10 points, while tne Pukekohe team chalked up two. Nevertheless the final head provided a thrill to the game more startling than any other game in the post-sect'on round. In the third game McWhannell was eliminated by Robertson (Onehunga), 822. His rink was off its game and was badly beaten. t The match’ in the first round between Brighting and Engebretsen was a complete victory for the Napier team, ana full credit can be given to the skip Engebretsen for his wonderful drawing shots, which were placed on many successive heads throughout the games. Indeed, it can be said that the game was won solely on the fine play of the Napier skip. Given a few inches a bowl would come down the green with the utmost precision, and on quite a number of occasions two of Engebretsen’s bowls were to be seen on the white. The Hataitai front-rankers were clearly superior T o their opponents, but Brighting was outclassed by the Napier skip and the game finished 21-11.