Bowls: Tukiri better on the drive than flight

UNBEATEN THREE: Hawke's Bay's Lillian Tukiri is playing for a Manurewa Cosmopolitan Club team which was unbeaten yesterday. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR

SINCE 2013 Hawke's Bay bowler Lillian Tukiri has copped a bit of flak when she has fronted at the North Island Chartered Clubs Women's Fours tournament.

"We nearly didn't make it to that Johnsonville tournament and we won't live it down," Tukiri recalled after her Manurewa Cosmopolitan Club team opened the 28th annual event with three wins during their section play at the Omarunui club yesterday.

The team's No 3 was referring to when she and No 2 Nancy Wilson missed their flight from Auckland to Wellington in 2013. They had to catch an early flight the next day and got to Johnsonville just in time to resume play but they both had to pay a $100 fine to the tournament organiser before they could take to the greens.

Despite this hiccup and nearly becoming a twosome instead of a foursome, the team won the plate section in Johnsonville.

It's a surprise Tukiri, who moved to the Bay three years ago with hubby Bill to avoid the traffic congestion and be closer to children and grandchildren, wasn't copping flak from her Bowls Taradale clubmates for playing with an "out-of-town" team at this week's four-day tournament, which will see 96 teams battle for a slice of $6400.

"They've all been very understanding. We've been playing together in this tournament since 2004," Tukiri explained.

"We've won the plate twice and the consolation twice. This year, we're going for the big one," Tukiri said.

The Manurewa team which also includes skip Karen Forrest and lead Miriam Pedley, had an impressive start yesterday. They beat a Waikanae Cosmopolitan Club skipped by Margaret Walker 21-10, a Bowls Taradale four skipped by Val Ives 27-6 and another Manurewa team skipped by Sharon Perry 15-14.

"Against Sharon's team we were always in front but they were coming back strong. Fortunately we got there and if we can get three wins tomorrow with some good scores we should make the top 16," Tukiri said.

She will have the advantage of playing at her Bowls Taradale club.

"Hopefully the home club will get behind us," she said.
Tukiri is in her 26th year of bowling and along with Forrest, Wilson and Pedley has won numerous Counties centre titles and the national sevens title. Forrest, Tukiri and Wilson finished third in the national triples one year.

Since arriving in the Bay, Tukiri has won several Hawke's Bay centre titles, including the fours with a Taradale team. However, for the North Island Chartered Fours she will continue to play with the Manurewa team for a few more years yet.

"We are excellent friends and very compatible. This week we are all staying together at my place in Onekawa so we can do some post-game analysis over dinner and a few wines each night."

Were there any major work-ons for the four after yesterday?

"We had more short bowls than we wanted. Keeping them closer is the aim tomorrow," Tukiri added.

Today's final three games of section play will determine the championship top 16, plate and consolation draws for the final two days of play. Bowls Hawke's Bay president and former New Zealand rep Colleen Ferrick has predicted Tukiri and co, as well as three Hawke's Bay teams: Louise Fitness' Taradale Club team, Liffy Law's Havelock North Club team and Robyn Wallace's Taradale RSA team to make the top 16.

Wallace and Law were both unbeaten yesterday and Fitness won two of her three matches.