Bowls: Gold in Men's Pairs for Blackjacks

Shannon McIlroy competes at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Photo / Getty Images

The teams adjusted well to the conditions on the last day of the Six Nations bowls tournament in Christchurch. While many teams travelled to Christchurch to gain experience on the greens, many will leave having gained much experience with the ever changing
weather.

The three men's pairs play offs were the first of the finals games with the New Zealand pair Mike Nagy and Shannon McIlroy playing against Malaysians Muhammad Hizlee and Fairul Izwan for the gold medal

The New Zealand pair got off to a slow start losing one on each of the first four ends before starting their comeback. It then became a close battle with the scores at 5 all on the 8th end, 9 all on the 12th end. In the 14th end, skip Shannon McIlroy had two down on the head, he drove, hit a short New Zealand bowl and his shot then took the jack into the ditch followed by the short bowl. This gave New Zealand a two shot buffer. At 14-11 on the penultimate end New Zealand was looking more secure but two shots to Malaysia on the final end wasn't enough to deny New Zealand the Gold.

Winning by the slimmest of margins, 14-13.

In the Bronze playoff Wales and Australia had a very tight game with scores level on the 8th, 11th and 13th ends. Wales score four shots on the 15th end but Australia struck back picking up a two on the 16th end. Wales scored one on the 17th and saw all their good
work undone with the final end going to Australia by three shots to make a final score of 16-15.

The Women's Signals medal finals games were a showcase of some of the world's best on the last day of competition.

New Zealand collected Bronze in the Women's third and fourth singles play off defeating Malaysia 21-13. Jo Edwards got off to a blinder and was 7-1 after four ends. Edwards continued to score well and after the eighth end was 10-3 ahead. Two dropped threes in the next three ends allowed Malaysia's Siti Zalina back into the game, edging closer to the lead 11-9. Edwards sat on 11 for the next four ends to give her opposition the lead 12-11. However Edwards drew well in the blustery conditions to take five of the last six ends to clinch the game, 21-13.

In the gold medal clash, South Africa took on Australia and South African Colleen Piketh drew blood early. It was the fourth end before world champion Karen Murphy hit the scoreboard. By the seventh end Murphy lead 5-4 but when Piketh picked up a three on the eighth end Murphy reacted by taking the next three ends and the lead 9-7. Piketh replied with nine unanswered shots to lead 16-9. Murphy is not a world champion for nothing, she brought the score back to 16-12 before Piketh closed out the game
21-14 to take the top prize.