Centre players of year named

Mick Maunder, Vern Marshall

DAYVINIA Mills was a clear winner of the Gisborne-East Coast centre award for women’s bowler of the year.

Locally, Mills had wins in the open singles, open fours and Ella Gibson Trophy, and nationally she won the New Zealand club championship singles.

With placings she achieved in other events, she had a total of 54 points. The bowler-of-the-year award goes to the player with the most points, according to a predetermined formula.

Mills, a Kahutia Bowling Club member, is a past winner of the award.

In the race for the men’s award, four players achieved the same number of points. In the 11 years the Gisborne-East Coast centre has awarded points for successes at centre level and had players of the year, it has never before had a tie on points.

Vern Marshall (Kahutia), Mick Maunder (Kahutia), Murray Duncan (Kahutia/Tolaga Bay) and Robin Jefferson (Gisborne) each achieved 37 points.

Marshall had wins in the centre fours and champion of champions pairs. He was runner-up in the open singles and open pairs.

Maunder was a winner in the open fours, and champion of champions pairs and triples.

Duncan had a win in the open fours and won the champion of champions singles, pairs and triples in the division for players with less than eight years’ experience in bowls.

It shows that a junior player can win the bowler-of-the-year award.

Jefferson won three out of six open events, namely the open pairs, open 2-4-2 mixed pairs and the Peace Shield.

Winners of this award have to thank their fellow team members for helping them achieve this success.

Most improved junior players were Diane Oates (Kahutia) and Murray Duncan.

Thanks go to clubs (for the use of their facilities), recorders and umpires; and let’s not forget the greenkeepers.