PBEC indoor bowls reps return from Napier with Presidents Trophy

Victory cheer: Poverty Bay-East Coast celebrate their win against Hawke's Bay. They are, back (from left): Adam Rickard, Bryan Pulley, Hina Preddey, Lucy Shanks, Leighton Shanks, Mike Foster and Nanette Treloar. Middle: Malcolm Trowell, David Lynn, Lenard Keelan, Lois Lamont, Keith Setter and Rachael Rickard. Front: Nathan Trowell, Dylan Foster, Matthew Foster and Andrew Rickard. Picture supplied

The Poverty Bay-East Coast indoor bowls representative team travelled to Napier and won the Presidents Trophy by beating Hawke's Bay 79 points to 65.

The 16-member Poverty Bay team shrugged off the early-morning travel and started the event in style, winning three of four games in the fours to lead 12-4.

Pairs were played in the second round and the team won four games and lost four to take the overall score to 24-16.

In the next round — singles — the team won seven games and drew one to stay in front, 39-33.

Hawke's Bay were closing in, but the Poverty Bay team dug deep and recorded nine wins and a draw to increase their lead in the next round of singles. It was now 58-46.

Five wins from the eight pairs games in Round 5 took the score to 73-55 in Poverty Bay-East Coast's favour.

The teams played the last round of fours, even though Poverty Bay-East Coast couldn't be beaten, and the team recorded a win and a draw in that round.

Fours teammates David Lynn and Dylan Foster were the topscorers for Poverty Bay-East Coast. They did not lose a game all day, and recorded five wins and a draw from their six games.

Nathan Trowell and Lois Lamont won five of their games, Keith Setter and Mike Foster won four and drew one, Leighton Shanks returned from a break in playing to win four games, and young Adam Rickard had the same tally.

Malcolm Trowell, Andrew Rickard, Rachael Rickard, Lenard Keelan (on debut), Matthew Foster, Lucy Shanks (also returning from a break), Hina Preddey and Bryan Pulley all contributed to an awesome win.