Lex Kennedy (s), Steve Berezowski, Val McGreevy and Marion Jones were unbeaten, while Powell’s team had three wins.
Other qualifiers were decided by ends won. Jeff Davis (s), Joy Davis, Dave Hooper and Trish Leach, with 26 ends, and Ora Peipi’s team, with 24 ends, also progressed.
Post-section play was conducted under a one-life system.
In one semifinal, Powell’s team produced eight ends of steady pressure to overcome the occasional brilliance of the Davis team, and won 11-8.
In the other semifinal, Kennedy’s team were ahead 9-2 after five ends before Peipi’s team established a pattern of play.
On the ninth end, Peipi’s team took five shots to go into a 10-9 lead, and the real battle was declared.
For three ends, each bowl was vital. The skips had to play their finest to reach 11-11 with a deciding end to come. Tension mounted from the lead bowl on, and the result was always in doubt.
Peipi won the last point to take the match 12-11 and earn the right to a place in the final, contrary to the bookmaker’s odds.
The final took a similar form, with Peipi’s team 9-1 down after four ends.
However, they regained their composure and pulled back to 9-9 after seven ends.
The importance of the lead bowls was evident. Young Ricki Peipi put up consistently good opening shots on both days. In this game, Sutherland had to play her best to balance the head.
With two ends left and the score at 12-11 to Powell’s team, they put the seal on their win to run out worthy 15-11 winners.
COMING UP
Twilight aggregate: Week 3, Thursday January 25; Week 4, Thursday, February 1; Week 5, final Thursday, February 8.
Start at 5.30pm, entry $5, all welcome.
Open mixed pairs club championship: February 3 and 4.
Junior mixed pairs club championship: February 6 (Waitingi Day).
Gisborne
VETERAN Maurice Taylor is still setting the pace on the greens in tournaments around the district.
Last week he was in outstanding form when he skipped his team of Ted Mehrtens and Margot Willock to victory in the Gisborne Bowling Club’s annual Alex White Triples.
Three teams finished the day with three wins out of four, which meant points differential decided the final placings.
On that score, Taylor won by a considerable margin from Jeff Davis (skip), Joy Davis and Karen Higgins, with Lyn Trueman (s), Bruce Gledhill and Jim Wilson third.
In all, 30 bowlers from the three city clubs contested the Beetham Village-sponsored event.
Last call
ENTRIES for this weekend’s Burton Cup tournament close at 4pm tomorrow. It would be a sad day to see this magnificent trophy locked away permanently, so come on bowlers, have a go. Generous prizemoney is at stake.
COMING UP
Entries are still open for the club’s junior fours championships, which will be decided on February 3 and 4. Winners go forward to the Gisborne-East Coast champion of champions fours.
The Hilton Croskery Triples is the next club tournament scheduled. It’s set down for Wednesday, February 7. Entry forms are at all the city clubs.
