Competitive field for bowls pairs

A highly competitive field will take to the greens in Invercargill on Sunday to contest the qualifying rounds of the first championship for the season – the Southland Pairs.

The Bowmont Meats-sponsored competition will be played in four grades – open and development sections for both men and women, but organisers must be disappointed with the low turnout, especially in the senior events where only 10 teams have entered the women's section and the men's entry is down about 35 per cent.

This is the first season Bowls Southland has opted to use the "open" draw method where clubmates could be drawn against each other in the qualifying rounds.

Players and administrators alike will no doubt be watching developments with a keen interest and this together with the impact on entries for later events is expected to be the subject of many conversations around the province.

The knockout phase of post-section play in the pairs will continue at Waihopai on Sunday, November 29.

The strength of Eastern was again to the fore in the recent Toogood Livestock Tens event at the Hokonui green, in Gore, but they had to withstand the final round challenge from North Town and a spirited late charge by Western before claiming victory.

Eastern ended the day tied with North Town on six points but won through with a superior differential, while Western were just a point behind.

Individually two teams remained unbeaten for the day, with North Town's Pat Shanks, Joan McGregor and Marlene Orlowski taking the honours in the women's triples and Steve Sanders and Earl Doidge (South Town) extending their record to six wins from six games in the men's pairs.

On Monday the Southland women will travel to Balclutha for their first representative fixture of the season and the defence of their title in the annual Southern Quadrangular, against teams from Central Otago, South Otago and Dunedin.

- © Fairfax NZ News

Newest First

Oldest First