However, the second round was disastrous for the men. They lost both pairs and both triples. The women were up to the task, though, winning all of theirs.
Sunday was a little more even. Gisborne-East Coast managed to win five out of the 10 games in the morning round. This gave the team 32 match points out of 56, which meant Hawke’s Bay needed to win eight out of the 10 games left in the last round to retain the Challenge Trophy.
There’s no denying the visitors’ efforts but it was a big ask. They managed to win six games, two short of what they needed. For the second time this century, Gisborne-East Coast team had pulled off a significant victory.
The GEC women won 13 of the 18 matches they played. The men won seven.
I will say, though, that in most years one of the genders does better than their counterparts.
Of the women, Dayvinia Mills won all her disciplines which — even though there were only four rounds — is never an easy feat against strong opposition.
All the women put their hands up to their selector for the next inter-centre fixture next year, as all played a part in the tournament success.
Lucy Shanks proved her worth in the team. She came in for Paige Richter, who pulled out late last week. Shanks led in the fours, pairs and triples. She was steady up front and set up heads time after time for her teammates.
Tanya Harrison won both her singles, Sharon Olsen also managed three, and in fact all the women managed to win three out of the four disciplines played.
The men had a different result. Adam McIlroy won both his singles, and Robin Jefferson won a couple of pairs. They were the best of the men’s efforts.
The rest managed either one win or none at all. I was told that even though he had just one win, Charlie Ure played very well.
Our ring-in had a struggle over the weekend and failed to record a win but I don’t put this result down to him; rather, the selector. It was always going to be a big ask, as every Wednesday for months the team had been practising here.
I hold our guest team member in high regard as a player of the sport but to expect a man to show up on the day and play in the fours, where the players either don’t know him or don’t know his game play, is not wise.
If anything, he should have been put in the singles to give the other players a chance to get to know him . . .
he represented Hawke’s Bay in the singles discipline for years.
I realise Steve Goldsbury was unavailable, recovering from knee surgery, but some very good players weren’t even considered or asked if by chance they could play. You won’t know unless you ask.
It was also good to see former Gisbornite Dwayne Cameron, now living in and representing Hawke’s Bay, back on Gisborne greens.
Two-time national winner and New Zealand rep Cameron showed how he has progressed over the years he has been involved with bowls.
He and his team didn’t disappoint. They were steady, they were strong, they were better . . . but so were our women.
