Bowls: Transtasman rivals to roll for bragging rights

Australia No3 David Holt wills his shot to the jack as Kiwi top seed Murray Glassey watches in the opening day of the annual PBA Challenge at Bowls Heretaunga yesterday. Photo / Duncan Brown

Ben Twist will be the first to admit self-assertiveness is part of the Australian psyche but the international draws the line when it comes to playing in the Professional Bowls Association Challenge in Hastings.

"We're not too cocky in bowls because we understand it's a little different game to other sports," said the 26-year-old St John's Park Club bowls coordinator from Sydney after the opening three rounds of the historic PBA Challenge International at Bowls Heretaunga yesterday.

When the dust settled, the Scotty's Meats NZPBA team were 7-6 wins up but only after the visitors thumped them 5-0 in the opening round.

The hosts smartly adjusted to the indoor surface, winning the next round 4-1 before pipping the Aussies 3-2 in the third.

"We came out off the blocks and played really well across the board to the credit of the Kiwis who didn't play any worse because they rose later in the rounds to play better.

"We also realise it's been pretty even in this tournament [over the years] so no one deserves to be cocky. It could be anybody's game," said Twist as the best three players from each team, after two more rounds today, will compete in the finals from 2.30pm.

"As a whole, I'm confident we're the better team because player for player we're stronger than they are so I guess it's the old cliche of coming out and playing your own game.

"I like to think that if we come out to play our best we'll be too good for them," said Twist whose teammates of Ray Pearse, David Holt, Steve Halmai and Jamie Smith aim to wrench the silverware off the Kiwis who won it in Sydney last year.

Settling that score is a given but the top Aussie seed pointed out the two nations are tied 3-all in the PBA Challenges so today would be about claiming the bragging rights.

"Last year they dominated us in the finals so that's something we'll focus on tomorrow because we don't want to make the same mistake."

Twist said the parochialism from home fans could spur them on today.

He echoed the sentiments of the Kiwis, thanking Club Hastings for sponsoring the challenge and for its top-class services.

Kiwi No2 seed Rob Ashton said the Aussies were strong but they adapted to the conditions in the face of pressure from the word go.

"We knew we had to do something and we're more than capable of doing it, so we proved that in the second and third rounds," said the sales rep for sporting apparel from Auckland who stands alongside top seed Murray Glassey, of Hastings, Andy McLean, Craig Merrilees and Laurie Guy.

Ashton and Guy, of Wellington, had two out of three wins yesterday for the Kiwis.

Twist, Pearce and Halmai had two wins each for the Aussies.

"We've just got our noses in front ... no doubt we're looking for bigger and better things tomorrow."

Bowls, Ashton said, could change the complexion of a game with a few lucky slides but also cruelly lose a match through no fault of the player.

"Overall the cream comes to the top and the Kiwi lads are playing really well," said Ashton who has been playing PBA for more than a decade and has won several national outdoor titles.