Road trip a success for Poverty Bay East Coast indoor bowlers

The Poverty Bay East Coast representative indoor bowls team who enjoyed plenty of success in Mount Maunganui and Whakatāne last weekend are, back (fom left): Andrew Rickard, Bryan Pulley, Keith Setter, Matthew Foster, Dylan Foster and Mike Foster. Middle: Kaye Easton (manager), Sean Haskins, Kayla Trowell, Adam Rickard, Jay Casey and Malcolm Trowell. Front: Warren Gibb, Tina Smith, Lois Lamont, Rachael Rickard, David Lynn and Marise Raklander.

Poverty Bay East Coast enjoyed plenty of trophy success in a busy two days of representative indoor bowls on the road last weekend.

First up was the Hone Trophy event played in Mount Maunganui against Tauranga, Thames Valley and King Country.

Tauranga won the title decisively with six match points. However, PBEC finished a creditable second on three points – a big improvement from last year’s disappointing fourth.

Thames Valley were third and King Country fourth.

PBEC also contested the Friendship Cup against King Country, emerging as decisive winners by 48.5 points to 19.5.

David Lynn (PBEC) and Kevin Boothby (Thames Valley) also donated a trophy for the PBEC-Thames Valley match-up.

The long-time friends have played together at several national competitions and, with the late Graeme Pedersen, won the 2003 North Island triples competition.

The inaugural contest for the Boothby/Lynn Trophy was narrowly won by PBEC, 36-32.

Top scorers for the day were Jay Casey, Kayla Trowell, Rachael Rickard and Andrew Rickard with six wins from eight games.

On Sunday, PBEC contested the Bill Moore Memorial Cup against Rotorua, Whakatāne and Thames Valley in Whakatāne.

PBEC emerged victorious on 89 points to retain the cup, Whakatāne were second on 79.5, Thames Valley third on 63 and Rotorua fourth on 56.5.

PBEC also retained the Sunshine Trophy against Whakatāne, 25-23.

Top scorers, with five wins from six games, were Keith Setter, Casey, Matthew Foster and Trowell.

In other news, a group of PBEC bowlers competed in the Hawke’s Bay Easter tournament.

While several qualified for post-section play in several events, Lynn achieved the best PBEC player result of runner-up in the fours competition with Rodney Mills, Lisa Gould and David Pollard.