Bowls: Kiwis on form

Jo Edwards lines one up in the pairs. Photo / APN

The New Zealand men's and women's fours teams produced a powerhouse result in the quarters and semifinals of the Asia-Pacific Bowls Championships in Adelaide yesterday.

Having each secured a medal the two sides will be fighting for gold over the weekend when they come up against Australia in both disciplines.

The USA went down first to the Black Jacks' men's fours side 18-9 before brushing aside Malaysia in the semifinals, 21-8.

A dominant Australian side will put the Black Jacks to the test in the finals.

"Strategically and tactically, they were out in front," Bowls New Zealand coach Dave Edwards said.

"They were leading throughout most of the match."

In the women's fours, the same match-up will apply as the team crushed a tame Canadian crew 30-4 for a chance at the gold against Australia.

But the men's and women's singles players fell under the wheels of the Australian juggernaut.

Dunedin bowler Shaun Scott was forced out by world singles No 2 Brett Wilkie 21-8 while Val Smith was downed by world No 8 Kelsey Cottrell 15-21.

The men's and women's triples and pairs will have their chance to make the grade today.

In the men's pairs, Danny Delany and Richard Girvan (skip) will face the Philippines in the playoffs, and Val Smith and Jo Edwards (skip) have to contend with the Norfolk Island team in their playoff match.

After blazing through section play undefeated, Leanne Curry (lead), Genevieve Baildon and Jan Khan (skip) will play the winner of the Philippines versus Norfolk Island playoff in this afternoon's women's triples semifinal.

Also unbeaten throughout section play, Tony Grantham (lead), Shaun Scott and Ali Forsyth (skip) will face the winner of the Hong Kong versus Fiji playoff in the men's triples semi-final.

Men's singles:
Brett Wilkie (AUS) defeated Shaun Scott (NZ), 21-8

Women's singles:
Kelsey Cottrell (AUS) defeated Val Smith (NZ), 21-15

Men's fours:
New Zealand(T Grantham, D Delany, A Forsyth, R Girvan) defeated USA (I Ho, J Regan, L Dion, M Siddall), 18-9

Semifinals: New Zealand (T Grantham, D Delany, A Forsyth, R Girvan) defeated Malaysia (M Jabal, M Rais, M Shuhaimi, M Rusli), 21-8.

Women's fours:

Semifinals: New Zealand (L Curry, G Baildon, J Khan, J Edwards) defeated Canada (A Berg, J Foster, H Pituley, M Lepere), 30-4.