Bowls: Load of talent made selectors' job tough

L-R: Black Jacks, Richard Girvan, Head Coach - Dave Edwards, Val Smith and Lyn Johnston. Photo / Steven McNicholl

New Zealand Bowls has named a strong team to contest the Asia Pacific championships in Adelaide in November and December which are also doubling as the qualifying event for the 2012 world championships.

There are three changes from the team who beat Australia in March's transtasman test series, with Leanne Curry, Tony Grantham and Dan Delany coming in. Curry and Grantham will be making their debuts.

The rest of the squad is stacked with experience and they are aiming for gold in Adelaide.

Ali Forsyth won gold in 2009 and will be hoping for a similar performance this time.

Jo Edwards will be riding high after her third consecutive World Cup victory and Val Smith will also be one to watch after winning a silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

They will be joined by experienced campaigners Richard Girvan and Jan Khan.

"This is the toughest team I've been associated with selecting since being appointed national coach," Dave Edwards said.

"All the players have really put their hands up over the past 12 months or so and all definitely did at the camp in Adelaide.

"So this has proved a very challenging team for us to select, however that's also a real positive for us as it proves we have some real depth in the squad.

"For Leanne and Tony it's exciting times making their debuts, however they've both really stuck their hands up and fully deserve their selections.

"Naturally there are some players who are desperately unlucky to not be in the team and this is very tough on them, and on us as selectors, as the squad is such a tight unit - we're all feeling for them.

"A key objective was as selectors, we were able to utilise the camp to assist us in selecting the Asia Pacific team and in this regard we werereally pleased because the squad members made our job extremely difficult."

The squad recently returned from the 10-day training camp in Adelaide and were able to experience the same greens to be used for both the Asia Pacific and world championships.

Two full days of training were followed up with six days of unofficial matches against South Australian selections.

GOING FOR GOLD

Women's Black Jacks

Singles: Val Smith. Pairs: Val Smith (lead), Jo Edwards (skip). Triples: Leanne Curry (lead), Genevieve Baildon, Jan Khan (skip). Fours: Leanne Curry (lead), Genevieve Baildon, Jan Khan, Jo Edwards (skip).

Men's Black Jacks

Singles: Shaun Scott. Pairs: Dan Delany (lead), Richard Girvan (skip). Triples: Tony Grantham (lead), Shaun Scott and Ali Forsyth (skip). Fours: Tony Grantham (lead), Dan Delany, Ali Forsyth, Richard Girvan (skip).

Coaching team - National: Dave Edwards. Assistants: Terry Scott and Raelene Peters.