Bowls: New-look pair deliver for host club

Dot Palmer makes a delivery during her's and Omarunui clubmate Ken Robson's win in the mixed pairs final. Photo/Paul Taylor

Late replacement Ken Robson shut out the pain of a nagging back injury to help Omarunui clubmate Dot Palmer win the mixed pairs title at Bowls Hawke's Bay's Finals Day on home turf at the weekend.

"I was over the moon with the title because when I got out of the car there was plenty of pain around my back area. I struggled to get down as far as I like and I played some rubbish bowls. But Dot played relly well at the end," 73-year-old Robson said as he reflected on their 14-11 victory against Featherston's Makaia Campbell and Scott MacKenzie in the final which used the 2x4x2 format.

"There was obviously a bit of pressure on us playing at home and against the only team from out of the province. I was only playing because my brother-in-law [Barry Wakely] had to go away for the weekend. I was one of the very few still eligible to play as a replacement because I hadn't played in the mixed pairs previously," Robson explained.

Palmer and Robson only took the lead in the final with two ends remaining. The score was 11-all going into the 15th end when the host pair scored two before they scored one on the final end.

"It was the first time I had played with Dot and we were playing in windy conditions which made it tougher," Robson said adding to the significance of the feat.

Robson started playing bowls 10 years ago but had two years off following hip replacement surgery. He started at the Bay View club but transferred to Bowls Taradale after moving to Greenmeadows. Last summer he was one of 10 Bowls Taradale members who transferred to Omarunui to give the club a boost.

Havelock North's Bob Hall celebrated his 80th birthday in style yesterday when he combined with his son Grant Hall and Pat Minogue to beat the more experienced Bowls Napier trio of Mark and Dave Stevenson and Malcolm Stockwell 19-8 in the men's triples final.

Yesterday's women's pairs final saw Bowls Taradale's Sheryl Viggers and Lillian Tukiri beat Bay View's Mere Nepia and Cherryn Menhennett 19-12 Viggers was pipped 21-20 by Bowls Hastings Natarsha Grimshaw in today's women's singles final.

Bowls Hastings Pat Golder beat his clubmate Dean Drummond 21-15 in today's men's singles final.

Yesterday's men's pairs final saw Bowls Napier's Bob Strahl and Paul Sorensen beat Bowls Taradale's Lloyd Fitness and David Henderson 19-10. Yesterday's women's fours final saw the Hastings quartet of Grimshaw, Glenys Riddell, Lyn Stowe and Gaylene Harvey beat the Taradale team of Viggers, Jo Hayes, Sheryl Glock and Lyn Bowcock 20-11.

Grimshaw finished the weekend with three titles as she combined with Harvey and Stowe to beat the Omarunui trio of Jan Henderson, Margaret Bridgman and Alison Lott in today's women's triples final.

Today's men's fours final saw the Hastings team of Golder, his father Frank Golder, Neil Barron and Maika Hapuku beat their clubmates Drummond, Ian Mason, Dave Porteous and Paul Scott 13-9.