BOWLING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 198, 19 February 1912, Page 5

BOWLING.

THE TARANAKI ASSOCIATION TOURNAMENT.

Commenting on last week's tournament, the Patea Press 6ays:— Opunake again wins the shield, and deservedly so, for both rinks, and particularly the skips, the redoubtable Dudley and Burton, played magnificent bowlirig throughout, which was marvellously consistent. On Friday Opunake were leading, but Fitzroy and Inglewood were still within striking distance, and interest ran liigh, the scoring boards being watched incessantly by enthusiasts. Considerable interest centred round th# Opunake-Fitzroy, match, which was played a,t Waverley in the forenoon. Opunake, who had played seven games, had six wins to their credit, and Fitzroy four wins and two losses. If Fitzroy won,_ they would still have a chance of gaining the shield. Opunake, however, won by the narrow margin of one point on the, aggregate, and that on the last' head. Burton's rink, the B team, finished first, beating Fitzroy (Abbott, skip) by 17 to 13. Dudley, the skip of the Opunake A team, was, however, some points behind, and it appeared as if Fitzroy would get the point. Dudley, however, was equal to the occasion, adding two points on the last head to his score of 12, which gave Opunake a one point lead in the aggregate. But by far the most exciting game of the tournament was that played on Friday afternoon between Waverley and Opunake—Burton v. McGorrery, and Dudley v. ,D. Taylor. As the game proceeded the score boards were watched by a coterie of spectators who, after iach head, calculated the aggregate scores and speculated upon the result. On the 13th head McGorrery changed a loss of one into a win by four by a magnificent drive by which he took out an awkward one sent up by Dudley. In the adjoining rink, the 11th head was being played simultaneously, and Taylor also added four to his score, which brought the aggregates to Waverley 24, Opunake 20. The finish which resulted proved the most unique ever seen in the Taranaki tournaments. At the 17th head, the number being played, the teams tied on the aggregate, the scores being Dudley 20, Taylor 13, and Burton 13, McGorrery 20. Both rinks played another head, I and, strange to say, another tie resulted, Dudley adding two points to his lead, which, however, was balanced by McGorrery. Again another head had to be played, and again a tie took place, Burton and Taylor each adding one point to their score. The next head proved Waverley's downfall, for Burton lay three up while in the other rink Dudley was only one down to Taylor. The play throughout was on both sides remarkably good, the Opunake skips finding that those of Waverley were foemen worthy of their Bteel.