Up against cream of the crop

in top six: The Gisborne-East Coast women's team went up against some of New Zealand's best female bowlers in the national intercentre final, played at the Browns Bay Bowling Club, Auckland, this month. The Gisborne-East Coast team and support personnel were, back (from left): Dayvinia Mills, Jasmine Merrick, Mere Nepia, Lesley Seymour (reserve), Trevor Mills, Joy Davis (reserve) and Anita Vaotuua (manager).Front: Carol Hawes, Glenda Kapene, Jessie Davis-Law, Tanya Harrison and Bobbie Beattie (selector/coach). Picture supplied

Bowls Gisborne-East Coast senior women's team met the cream of New Zealand bowling in the national intercentre final at the Browns Bay Bowling Club, Auckland, this month.

In the singles, Dayvinia Mills struck three past or present Blackjacks in the five games she played.

She beat Nelson's Jo Edwards 25-21 and staged a great comeback against North Harbour's Selina Goddard. At one stage, Mills was 17-2 down against Goddard but by the end of the game had fought her way back to a more respectable seven-point losing margin, 25-18. She lost by the same score to Wellington's Lisa White.

In her first game, Mills lost 25-24 to Thames Valley's Lindsay Nicholls and in her last she lost 25-19 to Central Otago's Debbie Lloyd.

Mere Nepia (skip) and Jasmine Merrick lost their first game 15-3 to Thames Valley, lost 20-12 to Nelson and lost 20-15 to Wellington. In their fourth game they beat North Harbour 18-14 and in their last beat Central Otago 17-12.

Carol Hawes (skip), Glenda Kapene, Tanya Harrison and Jessie Davis-Law beat Thames Valley 12-9 and Nelson 15-9.

They lost their last three games — 19-5 to Wellington, 15-12 to North Harbour, and 13-12 to Central Otago.

Overall, the Gisborne-East Coast women's team finished sixth in the national intercentre final.