South Island bowlers roll up to play Wanganui

The Wanganui Indoor Bowls representative squad is hoping for a strong showing when the South Island team arrives tomorrow on their whirlwind tour of the north.

Starting yesterday against a North Wellington/Horowhenua selection, South Island are playing matches against nine district teams in the build-up to facing North Island in Rotorua next Saturday.

They will meet Wanganui tomorrow at Jubilee Stadium before travelling to face Manawatu in the evening.

This will follow on from playing Upper Hutt Valley and Hutt Valley today.

Wanganui selector/manager Alton Heaslip said they will play singles, pairs, triples and fours matches.

The local team is represented by 10 men and 10 women.

"The men have got a real chance of going well," said Heaslip.

They were all in the Wanganui team that did very well in the interprovincial series in Foxton winning 14 of 16 games against Manawatu, North Wellington and Upper Hutt.

However, only five of the women players were in that squad.

Appraising the South Islanders, Heaslip said there are a few familiar faces but also some newcomers, due to there being test matches on the calendar in 2013.

"This year the New Zealand players are not allowed to play [for North or South Island], so they've had a bit of a change as well."

The South Island team will want a good tour as they try to lift the Kevin Eddy Memorial Trophy from the North Island, who have won it at the past six meetings.

After hosting the southerners for an early lunch, play will get under way at Jubilee Stadium today at around midday.

The teams are:

Wanganui

Women Singles: Tina Lawson; Pairs: Maria Klitscher, Barbara Bull; Triples: Sue Hackett, Karen Lawrie, Lesley Goodall; Fours: Jennifer Sackfield, Roz Joines, Ann Kendrick, Lorna Sorenson.

Men Singles: Craig Scrivener; Pairs: Cary Pinker, Warrick Pinker; Triples: Gavin Scivener, Brendon Kenny, Les Heywood; Fours: Warren Freeman, Garry Petersen, Alan Rowlands, Lindsay Bourne.

South Island

Women Singles: Rachael Hoult (Canterbury); Pairs: Mary Jordan, Linda Carrick (both Nelson); Triples: Marie-Therese Hooper (Canterbury), Alanna Preddy (South Otago), Caroline Braithwaite (Southland); Fours: Ann Cottrell (Otago), Suzanne Mackie (Southland), Belinda Peard (Southland), Deanne Osborne (Canterbury).

Men Singles: Brent Keen (Southland); Pairs: Robert Wilson (South Otago), Robert Osborne (Canterbury); Triples: Michael Lawson (Ashburton), Stephen Preddy (South Otago), Mathew Bassett (Canterbury); Fours: Hayden Warnes, Nigel Warnes, Domenic Palumbo (all Nelson), Chris Moffitt (Canterbury).