Bowls: Revenge on mind for men's team

SYDNEY - The New Zealand men's team will be out to avenge their loss to Australia last year when the Trans-Tasman Trophy series begins in Melbourne tomorrow.

Australia won the men's section in Rotorua last year, ending a run of five successive wins by the Kiwis.

New Zealand convener of selectors Peter Shaw agreed that national pride would be at stake, but said selectors were also using the series with an eye towards next year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

"I suspect Australia is also using this as a platform for the Games next year," he said.

He predicted another tight series between two "very good teams" on what are likely to be slow greens at the Kingsbury Bowls Club, north of Melbourne city.

"Australia is the biggest bowling nation in the world and I don't have any doubt their team will be a strong one.

"It's never easy, we know that coming here and we wouldn't have it any other way."

The New Zealanders arrived in Melbourne on Saturday and were practising at Kingsbury yesterday.

"The greens are very slow after a lot of rain and are still drying out," Shaw said.

New Zealand's top bowlers had practised a lot on slow greens and they did not pose as great a problem as they had in the past.

The selectors omitted Sean Johnson and Paul Girdler from this year's team, despite their medal-winning efforts in the world championships last year.

They instead have a new triple combination in Steve Posa, Glenn McDonald and Philip Skoglund.

Russell Meyer retains the singles berth and Rowan Brassey and Gary Lawson team up in the pairs.

Shaw said Johnson and Girdler were not out of the frame for next year's Games. "It just gives us a chance to look at a few others with a view to next year."

In the women's team, reigning world pairs champions Jo Edwards and Sharon Sims have been split, Edwards moving to the singles after Marlene Castle's retirement and Sims skipping Karen Coombe, back in the national team after a four-year absence, in the pairs.

There is also a men's under-25 team and a women's development team, with points from all four categories going towards deciding who will hold the trophy.

Australia have won the past two encounters.

- NZPA