Top players missing in tournament

IN FORM: Pam Burgess (second from left) is in the Wanganui team to contest the Hexagonal Intercentre tournament, after she and Cynthia Adams, Dot Belliss, and Glenis Pidwell won the the Bowls NZ Women's National Fours on January 9. PHOTO/SUPPLIED 20022015WCSUPNATIONALS

Both the Wanganui men's and women's teams will have to lift themselves, player-for-player, at the Hexagonal Intercentre tournament in Palmerston North this weekend.

In the men's division, which will be played at the Palmerston North club, Wanganui are going in off the back of a successful defence of the Arnott Shield against Taranaki and Manawatu in November, as well as finishing second by only a point to Manawatu at the Hexagonal last year.

Now, they will play those sides as well as Wellington, Kapiti Coast and Hawkes Bay, but must do so without several top players.

"It will be a mammoth task to pull this off," said manager Mike Morgan.

Peter Belliss and Bruce Winterburn are unavailable from last year's Hexagonal, while former world champion Sean Johnson is also not playing. The team is strongest in the pairs with national champion brothers Cary and Warwick Pinker.

Alan Dickson partnered Belliss in the pairs and were undefeated at last year's Hexagonal, now joining the fours team with skip Ray Park, Ray Savage and Tony McCrae.

From the team of 10, a squad of seven will be chosen to go on to the NZ Intercentre championships, being held in Christchurch on March 28-29.

Morgan said with three players to be left out of the team after the Hexagonal, it will be hard decision so form will be very important in Palmerston North.

The women's team will play at the Terrace End club and coach Chris Waterson hoped certain players having tasted success in the past month will lead them through.

Pam Burgess partners Anne Loveridge in the pairs, after Burgess was part of Wanganui's winning team at the Bowls NZ Women's National Fours on January 9, along with Cynthia Adams, Dot Belliss and Glenis Pidwell.

Burgess was also won the local centre open pairs with Wanganui team mate Dianne Paterson, who then won the centre open singles crown.

Debbie Widermoth claimed the academy singles title, while last month she and Marie Klitchner won $1000 for the Shirley Cook Memorial Anniversary 3 Bowl Pairs Tournament.

Waterson said he wants to take a good team to Christchurch, where he hopes they can break into the Top 8 of the nationals.

The teams are

Wanganui Men " Singles: Clint Park, Bernard Anderson. Pairs: Cary Pinker (s), Warwick Pinker; Ian Porteous (s), Tony McCrae. Fours: Ray Park, Ray Savage, Tony McCrae, Alan Dickson. Coach/selector: Lindsay Wheeler. Manager: Mike Morgan.

Wanganui Women " Singles: Dianne Paterson, Lesley Bourke. Pairs: Anne Loveridge (s), Pam Burgess; Maria Klitscher, Liz Anderson. Fours: Debbie Widermoth, Marlene Foster, Pauline Pirere, Marilyn Constantine (s).