Challenging conditions bring out the best in Gisborne-East Coast lawn bowlers

Representative bowlers (from left) Malcolm Trowell, Warren Gibb and Andrew Ball in Gisborne club attire. They played their parts in a better-than-expected Gisborne-East Coast showing in the men's Octagonal bowls tournament in Napier at the weekend. Photo / Gisborne Bowling Club

The Gisborne-East Coast men’s side did better than expected in challenging conditions in the Octagonal bowls tournament in Napier at the weekend.

Although they finished seventh out of eight teams, they had a win and three draws in their seven matches.

“We won 11 games out of 28 ... most of the time we’re scratching around six or seven wins,” selector Malcolm Trowell said.

Last year, they won eight games.

“This is our best effort for a few years.”

Trowell said the weather made things difficult at times.

“Conditions were terrible on Sunday,” he said. “It was blowing 40 knots and bowls were being blown all over the rink.”

On Friday, Gisborne-East Coast drew 2-2 with Hawke’s Bay and 2-2 with Kāpiti, and had the better differential in both matches.

Wellington beat them 4-0 the following day, but they held their own in the triples.

“It was 15-all on the 17th end when their skip produced a miracle shot with his second bowl,” Trowell said. “It put them 19-15 up, and they added another shot in the last end to win 20-15.”

Then came a 3-1 loss to eventual tournament winners Taranaki and a 2-2 draw with Whanganui.

Sunday brought a 3-1 win against Wairarapa and a 3-1 loss to Manawatū. Wairarapa finished eighth in the tournament.

Five of Gisborne-East Coast’s wins came in the triples, three in the singles, two in the pairs and one in the fours.

Shaun Goldsbury played singles throughout, but places were shuffled in the other disciplines.

Trowell and Steve Berezowski were each in five winning combinations, Andrew Ball was in four, Warren Gibb three, Murray Glassey two and Vern Alder, Hiki Kennedy, Vern Withey and Alastair MacPherson one each.

Trowell said the tournament was good preparation for the National Intercentre championships in Auckland in three weeks. That squad would be named soon.