Wanganui's Peter Belliss still has his eye on another national title as the majority of the big name bowlers in the men's and women's fours made it through post-section play at the Hyundai National Open Championships.
It was an intense day yesterday on Taranaki's greens with the big casualty beingTerry Scott's North East Valley men.
Scott's side was runner-up in 2008 and 2011 and this year also had recent singles winner Shaun Scott on board. However, they lost every game to be left out of contention.
They went down 24-15 to Jim Cook (Cabramatta), 18-7 to Lou Newman (Victoria) and 26-17 to Peter Thomson (Waikanae).
Only Newman got the required four wins to qualify and he joins the top men's bowling fours skipped by the likes of Belliss, Andrew Kelly (Composite), Richard Girvan, Ali Forsyth, Rowan Brassey and Petar Sain.
Kelly completed section play with an unbeaten record and faces Rex Holmes (Paraparaumu Beach) in post-section play today.
In the women's fours, singles semifinalists Anna Davis (Northern), Wendy Mackie (Massey Avenue) and Karen Hema (Carlton Cornwall) were the most notable names to drop out of contention.
SLAM Sue Burnard's composite team of elite bowlers which includes Mandy and Angela Boyd and former Black Jack Leanne Curry made the grade and moved closer to another title chance.
The defending champions, skipped by this year by Ruth Lynch (Birkenhead), dropped just one match to also move into post-section today.
Last week, representing Aramoho, Belliss made the top 16 in the men's singles with a 21-9 win against Kevin Robinson (Maungaturoto). However, that run came to an end against fellow returning great Brassey (Cabramatta), who upended Belliss 21-9 in the quarter-finals.
Brassey was beaten by Danny Delany (Onehunga) in the semis, who lost to Scott in the final.
