Around the Greens: Club Bowls news

WINNERS: Poverty Bay Bowling Club open mixed fours champions were (from left) Val McGreevy (three), Lex Kennedy (skip), Betty Herring (two) and Marion Jones (lead). Pictures supplied

Poverty Bay Bowling Club members held their open mixed fours championship on a hot Waitangi Day.

Four games of 12 ends or one and three-quarter hours were played. Winners were decided on games won, then ends won and differentials.

Seven teams competed, and they included the club's annual summer visiting couples, “The British Lions”, Maureen and Rob Hicklin and Carole and David James.

The Bill Ferris Trophy for the championship was won by Lex Kennedy (skip), Val McGreevy, Betty Herring and Marion Jones.

They won all four of their games and were only seriously challenged by the team of Jan Powell (skip), Ian and Kathy Carroll, and Erin Sutherland, whom they defeated 14-10 in the third round.

On nine points from three wins were Jan Powell's team and the team of Steve Berezowski (skip), Barrie Denham, Diane Christie and Bruce Ball.

Both these teams won 26 ends so the runner-up was decided on differentials. Steve's team had a differential of 28, whereas Jan's was only 14. It showed how close the competition was.

In 1992 the inaugural winning team for the Bill Ferris Trophy included Ora Peipi, who is still a member of the club.

This is the club's centenary year so it is a good time to reflect on the history of the various championship trophies members play for.

The Beetham Lifestyle Single-entry Triples Tournament was held on Wednesday last week, with three games of an hour's duration.

A smaller number of participants braved the heat of the afternoon.

Winners were Bruce Ball (skip), Ngawai Turipa (two) and Graham Atkins (lead).

In second place were Gary Tocker (skip), Marie Thomas (two) and Bruce Gledhill (lead).

Third place went to Dennis Gladding (skip), Noel Dunn (two) and Andrew Ball (lead).

The Stonehaven Memorials/Owen Shield Single-entry Tournament was held on Sunday afternoon.

Ten teams took part in this triples-format competition, playing three games with a one-hour time limit. Ideal weather prevailed, making playing conditions much kinder for bowlers.

The winners were Murray Owen (skip), Barbara Gibson (two) and Andrew Ball (lead), with three wins and a differential of plus 35.

What a thrill for skip Owen to win the shield his grandfather, Arthur Owen, donated and won in the first year members played for it, in 1944-45.

The shield was originally contested by leads and twos. However, with dwindling player numbers it became necessary to open the tournament to all bowlers.

Murray thanked his team and the sponsors, saying he had always wanted to win this shield but was never lucky enough to be in a winning team. Now he had skipped the team and achieved his goal.

Second place went to Kevin Bright (skip), Brian Cairns (two) and Alan Lister (lead) with three wins and a differential of plus 7.

Third were Willy Murray (skip), Graham Atkins (two) and Kingi Stevens (lead). They had two wins and a differential of plus 28.

The prizes and shield were presented by Jenny Bright on behalf of sponsors Stonehaven Memorials.

A lucky draw for losers was held. All team members had to be present for the prize to be collected. On the second draw, the team of Marty Ryan (skip), Tony Dobson and Bruce Elliott were the winners.

Coming Up: WEDNESDAY, February 26 — Beetham Lifestyle Village Optional Triples S/E, 12.30pm.