Ces wins again after 24 years

Some 24 years after he last won the title with Aramoho, Taradale skip Ces Bell, left, again claimed the Taranaki Open men's fours crown, teaming with Frank Grantham, Ken Smith and Fred Ellison.

Whanganui's two remaining teams were eliminated in the semifinals of 12th TSB Bank Taranaki Open men's fours bowls tournament on Sunday, however an old Aramoho team mate won the title again after a 24 year interlude.

Ces Bell skipped the Taradale four of Frank Grantham, Ken Smith and Fred Ellison to a 27-15 win after 23 ends in the final at the West End green against a Carlton Cornwall team.

Bell had previously won the title with the Aramoho club in 1992, partnered with Peter Belliss, having been a long time member of Aramoho before moving to the Hawke's Bay.

His team were more consistent in the final during the heavy weather conditions which blighted the weekend.

Earlier, the Belliss-skipped Aramoho team of Selwyn Prescott, Phil Corney and Keith Slight were beaten narrowly 25-24 in the semifinals by Carlton Cornwall, skipped by Dan Delany.

Cartlon got out to a 17-0 lead after five ends, before Aramoho narrowed the gap to 23-11 and then dominated the latter ends, although they could only get one point on the last end when trailing 25-23.

In the other semifinal, Bell's team defeated the Wanganui BC four of skip Cary Pinker, Warwick Pinker, Doug Baty and Lindsay Bourne by 25-19.

Wanganui went out to a 13-3 advantage, but Taradale came back to lead 17-13 after the 13th end and could not be headed after that.

Earlier on Friday, four Whanganui teams made it through to post section play.

The Kevin Coombe-skipped Aramoho team were narrowly beaten by a West End team 25-22 in the morning, while the Pinker team had a bye to the second round.

Bellis's four beat the Paritutu four on their home green 24-13 and the Wanganui BC team of skip Ray Park, Ron Hutchison, Bernard Anderson and Ian Porteous won their first round matchup with an Alton four 29-9.

Moving onto the afternoon and Park was eliminated by the Hillcrest team 22-21 at West End, while Pinker's team beat the Paraparaumu Beach four 26-17 and over at Paritutu the Belliss four won 27-26 over Ian Monaghan's Palmerston North team.

On Saturday morning in the Last 16, Pinker's team beat the Gary Lilley-skipped West End locals 25-17, while Belliss took on the four from Australia, skipped by Gary McKay, winning 25-9.

Both Whanganui fours kept their momentum going in the quarterfinals that afternoon when Pinker ended Taranaki's hopes of a local winner by beating Garry Murfitt's sole remaining West End team 21-18, while Belliss's four thrashed the Ray Hudson-skipped Central Levin 28-9.

The TSB Bank Taranaki women's open fours starts today.