Team composition for Hawke's Bay lacks logic

OPINION: Three Manawatu rep fixtures were played at the weekend involving one men's and two women's teams for one win and a draw.

The win and draw came against the Taranaki women last Saturday.

It was interesting to see this event scheduled as a trial, but the match itself could hardly be called a trial.

It was so named because the centre have a ruling that anybody who plays in senior intercentre events cannot be selected for the masters teams.

The Manawatu women will next play Hawke's Bay on December 13 at a venue in Manawatu to be announced. Senior and development grades are to be played, with team composition being one single, two pairs and one triple.

I can't see the logic in this mix as the national intercentre competition this year involves singles, pairs and fours. Maybe the powers that be will realise the change in the national format and review it.

But it will be a disappointment for one player if they do. With Desiree Lambert in Australia and Sharon Sims not available, two positions from last year's team of six plus two, were up for grabs.

The pairing of Lynlea Rogers and Christine Quinn (now seniors) plus Mere Fryer and Jillian Friis join Fran Frith, Bev Budd, Sheryn Blake and Fiona Sayles as our senior team.

The development team has many new faces. It will be interesting to see how they get on against a Hawke's Bay side that includes at least two national development players.

The team is: Julianne Mills, Georgi Rogers, Lyn Jensen, Kaye Hammond, Sue Scott, Emily Grey, Robyn McGregor and Irene Ellis.

Talking to men's selector Eric Watson on Sunday night, he was disappointed with the overall result, particularly the seniors'.

They finished third behind Taranaki and Wanganui. The development side finished one step higher in second.Two weeks ago our five-year and under women travelled to Raumati for the annual WKWM fixture. They were second, a good performance, particularly as Wellington were third.

The winners were Kapiti with Wairarapa in last spot. Sharon Groves was the pick of our players, winning all three singles.

The RSA eliminations were at Northern on Sunday and the two teams to qualify for the trip to Nelson in March were, in first, John Tranter, Barry Evans and Brian Wesche (skip), and in second, Charlie Lake, Warren Marsden and Skip McPhee.

Only 12 teams participated in an event that involves our history and the best prize in Manawatu bowls. Surely there are more than 36 bowlers affiliated to the RSA who would like to play. 

No entry from Takaro even though they cancelled their club champs.

If you have been wondering what has happened with the New Zealand team's match-fixing hearing, the answer is nothing yet.

It has been held over till December. I played in the Palmerston North club's open triples last Thursday and 40 teams lined up in reasonable conditions and on good greens.

Neil Friske, Grant Simms and Tony Turere won the event from clubmate Gordon Dixon and his team. Seems Terrace End are on a roll. Neil tells me he has 48 teams entered for their Christmas Ham tournament in December.

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