BOWLING

Taranaki Daily News, 29 January 1921, Page 3

BOWLING

TARANAKI TOURNAMENT. FEARING THE END. YESTERDAY’S PLAY. Fine weather again prevailed for the fifth day of the Taranaki tournament yesterday, when post-section play was continued on the New Plymouth green, in the presence of a large and interested crowd of spectators, who followed the game closely, frequently applauding the play. The third, fourth and fifth rounds were completed, and there now remain •in: J. McNeill (Fitzroy), with two lives; F. Spurdie (Inglewood) and A. Billing (West End), each with one life. Rain fell in the early morning, and early in the games aft ?d tlje play somewhat, but as the morning advanced the greens were as keen as ever, and some splendid play was again witnessed. In the third round, J. D. Sole continued his victorious career, defeating H. Smart. Smart opened the scoring with a one and a two, but a ffve and a three to Sole made the West End skip 9—3 on the fifth head, and he kept the lead, gunning out by a margin of . 7 points.

McNeill had no difficulty in accounting for Billing, the score reading 12-z2 on the 7th head and 26—12 on the 21 st. The closest contest was provided among the one-lifers. The “Diggers”, skipped, by A. L. Humphries, gave Fitzroy (S J. Smith) a great match, and the game was very close. At the 10th head Smith led by 6 to 5, but a 4 at the next gave Humphries the lead, and he kept there until the 15th, when a four gave Smith the lead. A five in the 18th, followed by a single, made the score 18—13 in favor of Smith. Humphries, with his last shot, trailed kitty, and lay four, making the score 18 —17 Smith, however, was 2 up at the next. Both the winners and the “Diggers” received an ovation.

Luscombe easily ccounted for Mason, as did Spurdie for Burton, and Higgs for Foy. In the next round J. D. Sole was drawn against McNeill, and suffered his first defeat, the Fitzroy skip drawing beautifully. Sole opened with a three, and at the fifth head the score read s—l in his favor. Then a five and a two gave McNeill the lead. Sole lay four at the seventh head, and kept the lead to the 13th head, the score reading: Sole, 14; McNeill. 10. A couple of twos to the Fitzroy skip and singles to the West Ender saw the board read 16 —14 in Sole’s favor on the seventeenth head, but in the eighteenth head McNeill drew beautifully, and lay 4, repeating the dose on the 20th head, when the score read 22—17 in his favor. Sole tried hard to save the game, but the Fitzroy skip added two more on the last head, and won by 7.

Higgs and Smitlf also provided a great contest. The score read 13 all on the 14th head. Then Higgs scored a two and a one; but Smith kept close to him, the score reading 17 —16 at the 19th. Higgs lay. three at the last, and this proved sufficient to win the game, as Smith only lay one at the last head, and lost by 3 points. Billing and H. Smart kept together to the 15th head, when the board read 11—10 in favor of Billing, who added five at the head and won comfortably. Spurdie also beat Luscombe comfortably.

In the seventh round J. D. Sole and McNeill were again drawn, and once again the Fitzroy four proved too good. Sole scored in the first four heads, and led s—o.5 —0. A three on the fifth and a four on the seventh saw the score 7—6 in McNeill’s favor. The game now fluctuated, first one and then the other taking the lead to the sixteenth head, when the scores wore 13 all. McNeill was up on the next three, whilst Sole scored a couple on the 20th, the score being IS—l5 in favor of the Fitzroy team, who were one up at the last head, and won by 4 points. The game between Billing and Higgs was also even in the early stages, the score being 11 all at the 10th. Billing added 9 in the next five heads, and though Higgs reduced the deficiency he was defeated by 4 points. Detailed scores: THIRD ROUND. Two-Lifers. J. D. Sole 22 v. H. Smart 15. J. McNeill 26 v. A. Billing 12. One-Lifers. S. Spurdie 26 v. J. Burton 10. S. J. Smith 20 v. A L Humphries 17. Luscombe 27 v. Mason 10 on the 19th head. A. Higgs 28 v. Fo/ 15. FOURTH ROUND. Two-(Lifers. J. McNeill 24 v. J. D. Sole 17. One-'Lifers. A. Higgs 20 v. S. J. Smith 17. A. Billing 21 v. H. Smart 12, in the 20th head. F. Spurdie 29 v. Luscombe 18. FIFTH ROUND . A. Billing (West End) 21 v. A. Higgs (Fitzroy) 17. •I. McNeill (Fitzroy) 19 v. J. D. Sole (West End) 15. TO-DAY’S PLAY. The tournament will be concluded today, commencing at 9 a.m. In the sixth round Spurdie (Inglewood) will meet Billing (West End). McNeill has the bye, and will play the winner in the afternoon. If defeated. McNeill still has another life, and will have to play the winner again.