Indoor Bowls Trophy To Auckland

Auckland’s indoor bowls representatives successfully challenged the holders, Northland, for the George Welch Trophy, “the Ranfurly Shield of indoor bowls.”

Played in Dargaville, Auckland gained two wins and two draws in the fours, seven wins in the pairs and nine and a half in the singles.

Northland had previously won the trophy from the strong Waikato centre and it was Auckland’s first challenge.

In the fours, two games were drawn, S. E. N. Smith (Auckland) drawing with I. Florance (Northland) and G. Woolley (Auckland) levelling with I. Florance (Northland), 6-all. Smith beat Nicol, 9-6, while Woolley beat Nicol, 10-9.

In the pairs, Smith beat Florance, 13-2, and lost to Nicol, 5-10. Woolley beat Nicol, 17-6, beat Florance, 13-4. J. Russell beat H. Findlay, 6-4, beat W. McMillan, 9-5; Pridham beat McMillan, 7-6, beat Findlay, 9-4.

In the morning session of the singles both finished up with four wins, while Auckland gained 5½ to Northland’s 2½ in the afternoon.

The final result gave Auckland 39 to 17.

Caption beneath photo: The Auckland indoor bowls team which beat Northland for the George Welch Trophy. From left.—Back: R. Sheahan, B. Pridham, G. Woolley and J. Russell. Front: F. Bell, Mrs B. Parry, Mrs K. Smith, S. E. N. Smith.