BOWLING.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1921, Page 3

BOWLING.

FINAL OF TOURNAMENT. WON BY FITZROY. Weaker conditions yesterday afternoon were not conducive to sensational scoring in the third and final contest between the teams skipped by McNeill (Fitzroy) and Billing (West End), but there was a good attendance of players who watched every delivery with keen interest. That the respective teams wera evenly matched was again demonstrated by the fact that at the nineteenth head the scores were level, and Billing had hard luck In not staving off defeat, while McNeill owes his victory not only to his consistent good play, for he was the mainstay of the team, but also to having two lives in the final, the first of which he lost, tied on the second, and won on the play-off. The contest was well fought out, and up to the last delivery by Billing yesterday was anybody’s game. That the exhibition of bowling was not doas mot detract from the merits of the skips, and there were occasions when fine play redeemed some of that which was inferior. Mostly West End had the advantage in leading play, while Hurlstone was often to the fore as second, and Petty, a reliable third, though: he failed in several drives. Both the skips were worthy of their place, but McNeill proved the better player, his win being largely due to his own accurate play. Brooking, in the lead, was rather off color, while the second man (Fairhall) did better than in the previous games. Beadle, as third, was by no means up to bis usual form.

filling jumped off with five at the first head, but McNeill then made a single, followed by a couple. On the next head Billing scored a single, McNeill responding with two. Then Billing obtained a single, McNeill securing four at the following head, with two at the next, making his score at the eighth head 11 to 7. Only singles were scored at the next four heads, each skip notching two. At the fifteenth head the board showed 13 all. McNeill then scored two and alternate singles brought the score again level at the nineteenth head. At the eighteenth head Billing looked to have n good chance, as he had three bowls close to the jack, but McNeill drove and scattered both the bowls and the jack, burning; the head and scoring a single off ihe replay. The twentieth head was very exciting. Petty drew tl’e shot and Hurlstone got in another, but Fairhall came to the rescue and scored. Then Hurlstone got the advantage, but Fairhall carried the jack and lay two up. Petty saved one, and Billing had a good try to win the head, but just failed. The last head was algo' interesting, and both Petty and Billing had hard luck in not breaking up the head/ tbo game ending: McNeill 20, Billing 16. Both teams received rousing cheers.

That the slightly better team won was quite in accord with the usual course, of bowling, hut there was so little difference between the contestants that it can certainly be said there was just that difference between the two skips. As, however. Billing had not previously acted as skip of a tournament team be was somewhat at a disadvantage as compared with his opponent in this respect, and by defeating McNeill in his first life proved he was worthy of his, opponent.

In handing the championship shield to Mr. McNeill to pass on to the Fitzroy Club for ■one year, W. .7. D. Solo, president of the exoerottve th? Centre, warmly congratulat-tej-.-ros and said that the trophies for £b» nrsrolboys to? thd two teams would be jprts-Mitra xvhHD Tenfiy. At his call three ihwrty eheers wrr? yiron r the the rxrr.-???s-iun, Jbb£b s£ksy. ''T u n?

'cheers Were also given for the ladles, the local bdwlers who were going to England, and Mr. Sole. Thus ended the last tournament that will ever be played on the Brougham Street green. INTERPROVINCIAL CONTEST. • Addressing the bowlers present on the New Plymouth green yesterday. Mr. J. D. Sole said he would like to arouse enthusiasm over the interprovincial matches that were shortly to toe played, and he asked for nominations to be sent in so that Taranaki, might be worthily represented thereat, mentioning that the tour would take about five days.