BOWLS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10312, 22 January 1927, Page 11

BOWLS

N.Z. TOURNAMENT INTER-SECTION PLAY IN RINKS CHAMPIONSHIP . AUCKLAND. Jan. 21. Some fine games were witnessed m the rinks inter-section play yesterday, the contest between Benefield (St Johns, Wanganui) and Walker (Auckland) .providing an exciting finish'. The Wanganui players started at the top of their form and led at the sixteenth head, by 16 to 7. In the concluding stages Walker made . a great effort to draw into a winning position, the scores at the commencement of the last head being Benefield 20 Walker 19. The Wanganui team oistdrew Auckland at the finish, Walker failing with his drives to avert defeat. Stewart defeated Hayden (lakapuna) in a game in which the Dunedin team always held the ll PP cr hand. At the conclusion of the 12th head Stewart was 14 to 1 Hayden s six. Hayden strove to reduce, the lead, but could only score occasional singles, the Dunedin men’s drawing for position being excellent. A number of heads were burned by Hayden towards the finish, hut the Dunedin men kept on their game, eventually winning, by 18 to 12. - The Qhrlton team, skipped by Laurenson, registered a. decisive win against Mcßobio (Rcmucra). game was keenly contested up to the '■elfth had, when the Carlton men, with 10 points, had a lead of one. In the next head Laurenson notched four and repeated the performance in the ldth. the scores them being 18 to 10 .in Carlton’s favor. Carlton then went on to score three, one and two in successive heads, winning by 24 to 11. . , . : In the following .round Stewart Tri.et Laurenson, Pilkington played: Hays den, Benefield getting the bye./ ' j

Stewart's team played very stead,y from the opening head and always had a shade the better of the diaw shots. At the conclusion of the twelfth head the scores were: Stewart 10, Laurenson 8. The Dunedin team iinprovcl its position to 12—8 in the fourteenth. Laurenson scored three in the 17th head, bunging Carlton’s score to 13 against Dunedin’s 16. The next lionet was burned by Carlton, and the time limit was exhausted. Stewart winning by 16 to 13. Pilkington had an easy victory over Hayden (Hamilton). His team soon got a substantial lead, the scores at the llt-li head being 11 to 5 in Pilkington’s favor. Pilkington scored'six in the next head and at the 14th the scores were 26 to 5 in Pilkington’s favor. The game, concluded at the 18tli head—Pilkington 28, Hayden 13. The semi-final proved an easy victory for Benefield’s team, which gave a great exhibition of all-round play. The Hamilton team did not play badly, but time and again Benefield trailed the jack with _ great drives or running shots, taking the scores from his opponents. At the. 11th head Benefeld’s score was 11 to Pilkington’s 5. The latter added onlv one to his total when the 18th head' was reached, the scores then being Benefield 22. Pilkington 6, when the latter retired. t ] THRILLING CONTEST IN RINKS CHAMPIONSHIP BENEFIELD BEATS STEWART BY 22 TO 19 SCORES 5 ON LAST HEAD AUCKLAND, Jan. 21. One of the most thrilling finishes in the history‘of the contest resulted in Benefield (St. Johns, Wanganui) capturing the rinks championship at • the Dominion howling tournament to-day j The weather was brilliantly fine\and the green extremely fast. Benefield’s rink met Stewart’s -(Dunedin) rink in the final. Stewart, however, had two lives. In the first game, Benefield had an easy victory by 20 to 10, but the next game which followed almost immediately after was much more stubbornly contested. Stewart’s rink showed all round improvement, and led until the last head. At the end of the 13th head Stewart led 19 to 7. but never scored again. Slowly Benefield crept nearer, and when the last head was played Stewart was only two up. Benefield was lying two on the last head when .a shot try Stewart gave Benefield three more, making the final score: Benefield 22, Stewart 19. The rinks Were: McMillan, Bowling, Wight, Benefield (St. Johns); Gregory, W; Smith, Benthy, Stewart/-(Dunedin).. N ; /■ TfteietHer results 'were• '- "I

PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIP Second round.—Pilkington (Hamilton) 17 v. Benefield (St. Johns) .15; Third round.—Walker (Auckland) 20 v. Pilkington 19. Semi-finals.—Walker 28 v. Proctor (Remuera) 17; Bell (Hamilton) 20 v Hurra-way (Green Island, Dunedin) 9. Walker and Bell" will meet in the semi-final to-morrow afternoon. SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP Fourth round.—Smellie (Green Island, Dunedin), 15 v. Walker (Auckland) 13; Bell (Hamilton) 19 v. McItyre (Hamilton) 13. Mcltyre still has one life. The draw for the semifinals to-morrow morning is: Bell v. Smellie'; Mlcl'tyre v. Clark (Rocky Nook, Auckland). —P.A.