By BOB PEARCE
When Pakuranga bowler Wilson McLennan conceded a six on the first end of his fours game with Gary Lawson yesterday, he feared the worst.
But from 1-10 down after four ends, his team clawed back to beat Lawson's composite four 27-20 and reach the last eight of the national
championships at Onehunga.
Lawson (Hornby Domain), four times a national fours champion, skipped a formidable lineup of Peter Shaw (Northern), Kelvin Scott (Belfast) and Andrew Curtain (Elmwood), all but Scott veterans of Lawson's wins in 1996 and 1997.
But they were outplayed by McLennan, who reached the last eight of last year's nationals in the Bay of Plenty.
John Simons was steady at three, Mike Vine was a master of the draw and lead Vinko Kuzmicich, a late replacement, continually put Lawson's men on the defensive.
And when the pressure came on, Lawson and Shaw were unable to drive themselves out of trouble.
In contrast, McLennan stifled a Lawson revival at 20-16 with a bouncing drive which an onlooker described as "a bit of a dambuster."
The 19th and 20th ends decided the issue, with McLennan scoring a two and a three.
Defending champion Sid Giddy's Mt Maunganui four were convincing 27-10 winners over Pat Campbell (Rawhiti), while Peter Belliss steered his composite four past Ron Blucher (Rawhiti), whose team included Auckland president Robin Ellery.
Others to reach the last eight are David File (Te Karaka), Richard Girvan (The Entrance), John Mears (Canterbury), Doug Parlane (Glen Eden) and Lou Newman (Victoria).
The fours quarter-finals and semifinals are played at Onehunga from 9 am today. The pairs semifinals will be at Onehunga tomorrow at a time to be decided. All finals will be on Monday.
