Games on the road build experience

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Gisborne East Coast players with five years of bowls experience or less went head to head with their Hawke's Bay counterparts at Wairoa Bowling Club on Waitangi Day.

This was a chance to see, build and give newer players a taste of higher-level competition with a view to the future, whether that be representative play or just bigger tournaments.

The men's team members were: Vern Withey (Wairoa), Ray Young, Alan Parker (both Kahutia), Andrew Ball (Poverty Bay), Nathan Trowell, Ashli Ferris, Ron Robertson and Geoff Pinn (all Gisborne).

Selector Arthur Hawes said the men managed to win three games out of 10 over the day. Highlights were Alan Parker winning his singles match and youngsters Ashli Ferris and Nathan Trowell winning their pairs match.

Three of the other games could have gone either way as the final points difference was one or three points.

The women managed three wins and two draws. Their team members were: Raelene Tangiora (Wairoa), Kathryn Flaugere (Poverty Bay), Angela Gibson-Sam, Karen Pinn, Diane Oates, Adrienne Torrie, Nanette Treloar and Joan Gledhill (all Gisborne).

The one thing I did notice with the women was that when a team lost, it was a one-sided game.

Hawke's Bay won the day with 38 match points and a plus-67 differential. Gisborne East Coast had 20 match points and a minus-67 differential.

A Representative team of 10 women and 10 men head to Taranaki tomorrow to take on teams from Taranaki, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Wairarapa, Hawke's Bay, Kapiti Coast and Wellington.

This is known as The Octagonal where eight centres vie for glory.

Having been out of this tournament for many years, Gisborne East Coast have jumped back in.

I find this to be beneficial as usually the rep teams have only two fixtures on the calendar — one in September against Bay of Plenty (at the start of the season), and the other in November against Hawke's Bay.

Then there has been no more until the national inter-centre near the end of March.

Between those dates, most of the players will have been playing among themselves.

This will be an eye-opener for many of those travelling, as a lot of the country's top bowlers come from these centres.

The selectors have put together the best players available. To those selected, I can only say, “All the best, and make the most of this oportunity you have been given. It can lead to bigger things.”

The women's team — Singles: Tanya Harrison (Gisborne club), Sarah Brown (Te Karaka). Pairs: Glenda Kapene and Raelene Tangiora (both Wairoa), Queenie Takurua (Gisborne) and Diane Murray (Te Karaka). Fours: Carol Hawes, Lyn Trueman (both Gisborne), Paige Richter (Kahutia), Lesley McIntosh (Gisborne).

Men — Singles: Jamey Ferris, Robin Jefferson (both Gisborne). Pairs: Malcolm Trowell and Arthur Hawes (both Gisborne), Steve Goldsbury (Gisborne) and Mark Walker (Tolaga Bay). Fours: Bob McIlroy, Charlie Ure (both Gisborne), Mick Maunder, Ben Elkington (both Tolaga Bay).

The tournament starts at lunchtime on Friday.

It will be played to a round-robin format and finish late on Sunday afternoon.