Bowls: Whangarei fours reprise centre final

Fifty years ago to the day, two teams from the Whangarei Bowling Club skipped by Harry Ashcroft and Jack Roos met in the final of the Centre Fours at the Kensington greens. Ashcroft won the match 26 shots to 10.

Last Sunday, that result was repeated when teams from the Whangarei Club skipped by Gary Herbert and Dusty Reader met in the final of the men's Centre Fours at Kensington greens.

This time the result was a win to Dusty Reader, Ken Fitness, Laurie Reader and Steve Smith over Gary Herbert, Paul Graham, Eddie Horgan and Dave Holwell by 17 shots to 10. This was a gold star performance for Dusty.

In the women's final, the winning performance came from the Kensington combination of Sally Stirling, Marie Barrett, Shirley Holland and Margaret Gurney over the Hikurangi combination of Anne Bateman, Linda Pedro, Gwen Lawson and Savanna Lauder by 18 shots to 10. The score was 10-10 after 12 ends, but a four dropped by the Hikurangi team on the 13th end gave the Kensington combination the advantage and set them up for the win.

Pairs deadline

The Centre Open Pairs is the next event on the calendar and players are reminded that entries close today.

Title won again

The NZ Trust Open was contested, with the women's triples and singles events completed last Friday.

This competition was a great success for Northland combinations, with Anne Bateman and Nancy Jujnovich winning the pairs final from another Northland combination of Ann Muir and Jude Ganley.

The triples event saw another Northland combination of Anne Bateman, Ann Muir and Lauren Mills combine together to try and defend the title that they won last year. It was not to be this year, however, and they lost the final 13-9.

Bowlers are reminded that the finals from this event will be shown on Sky TV commencing tonight at 7pm.

Umpires' corner

All players are reminded to read the conditions of play for all Centre events that are on pages 9 and 10 of the handbook, covering topics such as playing uniforms and each team wearing the same attire. Substitutes or replacements are only accepted in certain circumstances. Please check the rules.

Coming events

Umpires' tournament, November 28; Secondary Schools NZ finals at Hamilton, December 8-10; Northland versus Far North and North Harbour at Whangarei and Onerahi clubs, December 16.