Ross Haresnape, already something of a legend in Auckland and even New Zealand bowls, added to that status yesterday by skipping Wally Marsic and Tony Garelja to a remarkable win in the North Harbour premier triples at Browns Bay.
Haresnape's lineup completed a 10-match winning streak in the
tournament by taking the final 18-14 over a solid Henderson combination of Steve Cox, Kevin Craft and Win Cozens, an astonishing feat considering lead Garelja has just resumed serious bowls after a long illness.
But even more dramatic was the way Haresnape, in particular, was able to inspire his team, in the semifinal against a Northland lineup skipped by Ian Bowick, and in the final against Cox, when they looked to be on the brink of defeat.
Against Bowick the Haresnape trio only won 17-15, after securing a four on the last end.
And against Cox, Haresnape's troops, having been outbowled for the most part, came to the 13th end 14-9 down and the body language, especially Haresnape's, suggested an imminent defeat.
But suddenly on the 14th end he gained a four and from then on, with Haresnape playing some miracle shots, whether drawing, driving or trailing the jack to the ditch, the victory and the $2400 first prize was snatched from the Henderson team.
Meanwhile, the Manurewa invitation pairs continued to be a South Island benefit with Dunedin's Scott brothers, Terry and Jim, comfortably winning the final 17-10 from Canterbury's Colin Lowery and Neville Poole.
The Scotts, both former national singles champions and regular visitors to this event (Jim was a previous winner in 1996), were too good in the final despite the good form Lowery and Poole had shown in the semifinals.
