BOWLING.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 April 1917, Page 8

BOWLING.

THE BANNER COMPETITION WON BY PIHAMA. At Stratford on Saturday the final match for the banner was decided, Uncontesting teams being Pihama and New Plymouth. The day was • fine and the green in good order. A rather keen wind, however, did not make matters too pleasant. The players were:—

VoPihaiua—Thornley, Roberts, Julian, Lsmbie ;»liii]: Laaaie, senr., Moore, Poiie, yif.ua, kip). New Plymouth—Fookes, Firth, Bary, A. K. Smart (skip); Luseombe, Morey, Johnson, H. Smart (skip). At the end of five heads Mason, by scoring four singles, stood 4, anS IT. Smart 2. Mason put on 0 more and Smart 2 by the 10th head. Pihama 10, New Plymouth 4. At the 12th head Smart lay 3, and Mason failing to burn the head. New Plymouth stood at 7. The 13th headxaw Smart gain another 3, Ma.son again failing to drive, and the score stood 10 all. "Mason improved in later play, and on the 20th head Pihama lay 18 and New Plymouth 15. Mason, on going down, was laying 3 off. His first ball was wide, and the second in driving diverted the jack and' gave New Plymouth two more, making New Plymouth 20, Pihama 18. In the final head lambic and Moore (Pihama) and Luseombe and Morey all clustered round the jack. Johnson's first ball was short, and Pohe also lacked power. Johnson sent his last ball well behind, and New Plymouth lay.' Smart's first ball was short, and Mason's ball cannoned and pushed New Plymouth in, giving them 2. Smart's last ball was also awry, and too much power saw him push a Pihama bowl to the jack— Pihama 1. Mason played for safety, and the final figures read: Pihama 19, New Plymouth 20.

The play between A. K. Smart's four 'and lambic's rink was interesting tlirougliout. In tlio first two hearts Lambie (Pihama) scored 2 and 1, the. third brought a single to Smart, Lambie scored 2 at the 4th, and Smart a. single at the sth head —Pihama 5, New Ply-, mouth 2. Lambie scored 2 at the sixth head, there being some beautiful bowling here. ■ When the ships went down' to the seventh head Lambie was lying 2, but Smart's last bowl cut one out. Pihama 8, New Plymouth 2. On the, eighth bend New Plymouth improved. When Lambie played, Smart was lying 4, but Lambie succeeded in cutting out! 2. Pihama 8, New Plymouth 4. At the ninth head Firth and Bary got in some, fine bowls and lay 4. Julian trailed the jack arid cut one out, but Smart's last bowl also scored, giving New Plymouth 4. Pihama 8, New Plymouth.4B.' The tenth head saw Smart notch a single, placing his rink in the \om\ for the first occasion. Smart looked like scoring well in the eleventh head, lying 3, but Lambie's last shot trickled through and drew the jack, scoring 1, nutkiag both rinks !). At the twelfth Iread Bary was lying 2 when the skips went down to play. Smart endeavored to put in a block, but failed to cover up his defence, and Lambie's last shot came, through and gave him a single and the lead. Pihama 10, New Plymouth 9. The thirteenth head was disastrous to Smart, 'being 3 down when lie Went to play. He tried to draw, but in both instances was short. Pihama 13, New Plymouth 9. The 'fourteenth head favored . New Plymouth, who were lying 2 when Lambie's last Bowl burnt the head. The , next attempt also saw Lambie burn the head, Smart then lying 3. At the third attempt Pihama lay 2, and Smart's last ball, a drive, missing, made Pihama's total 13, New Plymouth !). At the fifteenth head Lambie wan compelled to burn the jack, Smart then lying .1. Lambie next tried to cut out Smart, who was lying 1. He turned a second New Plymouth ball to the jack, anil Lam'bie was obliged to drive again and succeeded. The third attempt spelt disaster to Smart, who lay 5 down. Both his drives just failed to catch the jack—so near and yet so far—and Pihama jumped to 20, Ijjw Plymouth 0. It was now a case of shaking the score along, and although a long way in the rear, Smart's four stuck to their guns. Frequently they lay in good positions, but generally Julian and Lambie reduced the New Plymouth howls clustering around the jack. Still Smart was persistent, and his last bowl in the sixteenth head enabled him to reach double figures, Pihama being 20. Lambie was one up when Snmr,t'B last 'bowl again drew- the jack, 1 up. Pihama 20, New Plymouth 11. On the eighteenth head Bary's bowl was next to the -jack. -Lambie tried a .drive anil then a draw, bnt both failed, and another single made Smart's men 12.

The other rinks, wtyh less burnt heads, had finished, with New Plymouth a lead of 1. This meant that Smart required 7 to wjn, with heads to go. In the nineteenth Pihama was 2 down, when Lambie, with a nice draw, reacshed the jack, Smart's last bowl cut Lambie out and carried the jack, scoring 3. Lambio's attempt to burn the head failed—Pihama 20. New Plymouth 15. At the twentieth head Fookes' bowls were well up and Thornleys a little wide. Firth's first lay 1. Roberts, a left-hander, just missed drawing the jack. Firth's second was a good one, ilmt too strong, whilst Roberts was well behind. Bary's first bowl was wide, and Julian' got in next to Firth Smart's first bowl was short, but. his latt cut Julian out and he lay 2. Lanvoie's bowls were short and wide, Pihama 20, New Plymouth 17. Smart had thus pulled up 8 points. The final head showed Smart requiring 2 to tic and 3 to win. Fookes' bowls (against the breeze) were both short, and Thornley lay 1. Firth's and Roberts' bowls were also well off the jack.. Bary's first bowl drew the jack. Julian's first ran wide, and Bary's second just failed to touch the jack and ran on. Julian's shot lay when the skips went down. Smart's" bowl went well hack behind Bary's. Lambio sent his bowl 'behind

Smart. Smart thus required to cut Julian out or trail the jack to where, Baryjs bowls lay. lie tried the latter course and missed the jack by the proverbial coat of polish. A near tiling, but it missed, and Pihama. ran out winners by 3 points. Mr. Morey, on behalf of the van-! quished, congratulated the Pihama Club upon winning the banner He was pleased that his'club bad lost to rinks of thorough He also extended thanks to' the Stratford Club for the hospitality extended and the very good order in which the green was kept. Mr. Lambie, senr., on behalf of the Pihama Club, expressed pleasure at winning t!ie banner. They had had a big struggle throughout and thoroughly relished the play. They bad hart an enjoyable, day, and 'althouh a smnll club they would endeavor to bold the banner next year. Mr. Masters, in presenting tiie banner, also congratulated the winners. He believed the Pihama 1 Club was one of very small membership (Mr. Lambie: We brought them nil in), and, naturally, the success was very pleasing to all concerned. Re reciprocated the kind .remarks made about the Stratford Club . and grounds, . and hoped to sef the grounds the scene of many similar contests. The bowlers then adjourned, after cheers,'including one for the ladies for providing refreshments, bad been exchanged. Banner Winners. 1912—Hawem. 1013—New Plymouth.v1914—Xew Plymouth. 1915—West End. 1910—Pihama.