Walker rolling back the years to reach final

Dunedin's Ken Walker will look to emulate his performance of 23 years ago when he contests the men's singles final at the national bowls championships in Wellington today.

After a strong showing in the pairs, Walker yesterday eased into the singles final by beating Putaruru's Kevin Robinson 21-14. He will meet New Zealand rep Andrew Todd who, despite living in Australia, is representing the Burnside club from Christchurch.

Todd showed plenty of courage to come from 10-2 down in his semifinal against Philip Skoglund junior, of Northern, to win 21-15.

Earlier in the day, Todd had accounted for two previous winners, Kelvin Scott, of Blenheim, 21-13 and Peter Belliss, of Cabramatta, 21-16.

But the sentimental story belonged to Walker. His previous singles win was also in Wellington, in 1987.

He had earlier overcome the consistent Robin Jefferson, of Gisborne, 21-11 and former Waimea member, Don Trott, now of Birkenhead, 21-8 in the quarterfinals.

Taranaki's only qualifier in the singles, Peter Scott, of Waimea, lost his opening post-section game 21-12 to North-East Valley's Doug Thomas, who was eventually tipped out in the last 16.

The singles final, along with the women's final, and both the men's and women's pairs deciders, will be played today.

Taranaki's last hope in the women's pairs, Cathy Andrews, of Paritutu, and Lois Ritson, of Lepperton, were unlucky to lose out 20-18 to Omanu's Bev White in the quarterfinals yesterday. The scores had been even playing the last end.

White and lead Josephine Connolly, who were members of last year's winning four, take on the Auckland combination of Bev Crowe and Reen Stratford in the final.

White won her semifinal 17-12 over internationals Genevieve Baildon, of Hillcrest, and Wanganui's Karen Coombe, while Stratford scored a two on the final end to pip the Wellington combination of Clare McCaul and Helen King 17-16.

On Saturday, Andrews and Ritson had posted a commanding 19-12 win over the Khan sisters, Marina and Jan, after earlier eliminating Vogeltown's Gale Fache.

Taranaki's other pairs qualifiers, Elaine Hodge, of New Plymouth, and Janice Ropitini, of Fitzroy, were eliminated in the first round.

TARANAKI centre president Kevin Hills successfully skipped his Manaia team into the final of the South Taranaki Club-sponsored men's New Year fours event at the Hawera Park club yesterday.

Hills' side will take on Nolantown's Grant Pease, who needs the title for a gold star, in the finale. A crucial seven gave Hec Bell, Rod Walker, Kelvin Putt and Hills the impetus to win their semifinal, prevailing 22-14 over Hawera Park's Allan Hunt.

The second semifinal, which finished just after 7pm, was much closer.

Pease's side, including Bob Baker, Bryce Robins and Dick Roberts, came from 14-10 down with three ends to play in the semifinal against Grant Anderson, of Alton, to force the game into overtime.

And it was the Pease side that scored two shots on the extra end to book its place in the final, which starts this morning at 9.30am.

- © Fairfax NZ News