Layout change frustrates rep bowlers

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The Wanganui men's representative team bowed out in the quarter-finals of the Bowls NZ Intercentre championships in Wellington at the end of last week.

Playing at the Johnsonville and then Naenae greens, the team of Sean Johnson (singles), Peter Belliss and Alan Dickson (pairs), and the foursome of Bruce Winterburn, Ray Park, Ray Savage and Bernard Anderson finished top of Section 4 in qualifying.

They made 25 points (+86 differential) ahead of Taranaki, West Coast, Waikato, Counties Manukau and Dunedin.

Johnson won four of five games, Belliss and Dickson were unbeaten, while the Winterburn-skipped fours had four wins and a draw.

However, for the quarter-final against North Harbour, Wanganui were beaten in the singles and the fours.

Manager Mike Morgan said that both teams were frustrated the layout of the green had been moved over by a half from the day before, and the Wanganui team struggled to find their line after playing great bowls the two days before.

North Harbour went on to beat Taranaki two games to three in the semifinal, but lost to Canterbury for the championship.

"The team performed at the highest level during section play with outstanding results," said Morgan. "Remembering that the standard of play was as good as it gets with the top bowlers from around the country representing their province.

"It was a great effort by our players who were beaten by the team who made the final," Morgan said.

Skip Bellis and Dickson also won all six of their tournament games.

In the women's competition, the Wanganui team competed in Section 2 against Far North, Bay of Plenty, Wellington, West Coast and Marlborough.

They did not progress to the finals after finishing third with 18 points (+44), behind Wellington with 24 (+118) and Bay of Plenty 18 (+77).