Poverty Bay

Poverty Bay Bowling Club’s open triples were held in ideal conditions on Saturday and Sunday

The women’s draw had five teams and the men’s section, four.

The team of Lesley Seymour (skip), Val McGreevy and Marion Jones went into the women’s final with two lives intact.

The other finalists were Joy Davis (s), June Stichbury and Cheryl Jenkins.

This game was a great tussle, going point for point over the initial ends. On the final end, Seymour’s team held Davis to one point, giving the Seymour team a 12-8 win.

In the men’s section, Steve Berezowski (s), Andrew Ball (director) and Bruce Ball (lead), played Dave Hooper (s), Ian Carroll (d) and Bruce Gledhill (l) in the semifinal and then again in the final, winning that game 12-7.

In the final, Berezowski’s team got the early jump, but Hooper’s team reeled them in and got close, but Berezowski’s team pulled ahead again and couldn’t be caught.

It was a fine display of bowling from all the teams.

The winning men’s and women’s teams now go on to represent the Poverty Bay club at the champion of champions tournament.

The club’s junior triples were played at twilight on Tuesday last week in near-perfect bowling conditions.

A small crowd of spectators supported the players and saw some fine bowling.

It was a small draw, only two teams contesting the men’s competition.

Les Whittington (skip), John Andrews (director) and Jack Clark (lead) played Andrew Ball (s), Otto Louw (d) and Dusty Miller (l).

Their first game was a close battle, won by Whittington, Andrews and Clark.

They also won the second game, which gave them the outright win.

Two teams also contested the women’s section.

Anna Colvin (s), Joan Gledhill (d) and Win Baker (l) played Diane Doyle (s), Krystel Williams (d) and Jude Hall (l).

Doyle’s team won the first and second games to gain the outright win.

Both the men’s and women’s winning junior teams now go on to represent the Poverty Bay club at the champion of champions tournament.

Well done, all bowlers.

Gisborne

It was a scorching hot day for the Gisborne Bowling Club’s junior fours championship tournament but that did not stop the players showcasing some brilliant bowls.

Only two teams contested the junior women’s section — Karen Pinn (skip), Adrienne Torrie (director), Libby Clay (two) and Joy McFarlane (lead) were up against Diane Oates (s), Margot Willock (d), Nanette Treloar (two) and Anne Ward (l).

Both teams played some awesome bowls. Pinn’s team won the first game 10-9 after taking two shots on the last end.

In the second game, Pinn’s team led 16-8 after 11 ends but Oates’s team made a comeback in the next three ends.

On the last end, Oates’s team held three shots but the jack was moved, which cut the shots down to two. That state of affairs favoured Pinn, who opted not to deliver her last bowl, and her team won the game 16-15. Pinn, Torrie, Clay and McFarlane won the club championship junior women’s fours with two lives intact.

The junior men’s section also had two teams — Geoff Pinn (s), Peter Ferris (d) and 10-year-old twins Kyle Pinn (two) and Liam Pinn (l) were up against Hona Huriwai (s), Steve Ward (d), Roger Dymock (two) and Hugh Trafford (l).

Pinn’s team won the club championship junior men’s fours with two lives intact, and the twins played some awesome bowls.

Pinn’s four won the first game against Huriwai’s team 13-11.

In the second game, Pinn’s team led 13-7 after 12 ends but Huriwai’s team made a comeback in the next two ends to close the score to 13-11.

On the last end, Pinn’s team took two shots. Huriwai tried a run shot but missed, so Pinn decided not to deliver his last bowl and his team won the game 15-11. — by Crackerjack

An entry of 42 players filled seven rinks at the Gisborne club for the midweek Alex White Triples.

It was great to have bowlers from all the town clubs and Tolaga Bay despite the forecast, which suggested a scorching hot day. It was hot, indeed, but several teams played some excellent bowls and were well rewarded by sponsor Kiri Te Kanawa Retirement Village for their efforts.

First were Don Green (skip), Rex Richardson and Joy McFarlane; second were Harry Jackson (s), Ray Young and Karen Pinn; and third were Lyn Truman (s), Geoff Pinn and George Tamahori.

Weather caused the Gisborne club men’s singles championship to be delayed till after Christmas, but that didn’t slow down the action.

Tim Sherriff lost to Ricky Miller with two lives in the first round, 21-14, while Charlie Ure defeated Robin Jefferson 21-9.

Miller then had a 21-13 win against Steve Goldsbury, who had the first-round bye. Goldsbury then had to front up to Ure to see who would play Miller in the final.

Goldsbury found it hard to get into the game, while Ure drew beautifully to reach his first final at the Gisborne club with a 21-13 win.

It was also Miller’s first singles final and both left-handers were keen to win. Ure eventually took out the title with some tight bowling and an amazing ability to play the perfect draw shot when he faced going down by two or three.

Congratulations to the players who fronted up during the festive season and put on an excellent display for those watching. — Ginny Sherriff

Kahutia

Brightness was a virtue on one day in particular at Kahutia Bowling Club this month.

The Bright Colour Mitre 10 Tournament on Wednesday, January 5, drew a good muster of bowlers from both Kahutia and Poverty Bay bowling clubs.

Conditions were ideal for the Kahutia club’s first tournament of the year.

Play started at 9am to avoid the worst of the heat of the day, and players were in the clubhouse by 1.30pm for prize-giving and cold refreshments.

The winners were Alastair Macpherson (skip), Joyce Wagner (director) and Tony Dobson (lead).

Runners-up were Kevin Barrett, Marion Jones and Pat Murton

“Brightest” players were Marion Jones, Noel Dunn and Bruce Gledhill.

The prizes were presented by Mitre 10 hardware and building representative Wayne Morrell, an exceptionally handy bowler who enjoys taking part in this tournament in any position.

Kahutia Bowling Club’s Boxing Day Tournament was played in perfect conditions.

Why run a bowls tournament on Boxing Day? Coronavirus, that’s why. We remain in our Gisborne bubble and stay safe.

The format was 2-3-5 — two bowls, three in a team, five ends with power play, and three games, short and sweet.

The winners were Bruce Ball (skip), Marilyn Knowles (director) and Ray Young (lead), with three wins.

Runners-up were Hona Huriwai, Marty Ryan and Cheryl Jenkins.

It was a close contest. The top two teams met in the last game having both had two wins.

On the last end, Ball’s team pipped their opponents at the post to win 11-9 — a good game, well enjoyed by all.