Update 28th
April 2015.
Comment on
Bowls by Denis Duffy.
As usual, the balmy days of Autumn have arrived with the Bowls
season virtually over. Hopefully, this won’t be the case next season though,
with the excellent initiative to play all Champion of Champion events in April.
This will significantly ease any pressure on Clubs to complete Championships
when the wild Spring winds are in full force and greens not at their best. Tony
Woodley’s Manawatu Centre executive has built wisely on the solid foundation
left by those who preceded them. Where things have gone slightly awry in terms
of playing conditions, they have listened to the players and made sound
adjustments for next season. Entries are showing an upward trend and the Under
Five Years Singles was an outstanding event, showcasing the talents of a large
group of newer players who are keen to get involved.
I’m going to copy an idea From Wisden’s and the NZ Rugby Almanac
by naming some Players of the Year and also one Promising Player. On the
Women’s side, the seven players who travelled to the Christchurch Inter-Centre
together with Selector Eric Watson deserve congratulations. Mere Fryer turned
her Singles record around in spectacular fashion and the whole team performed
above expectations. The power-packed Nelson side had to really front up to deny
them a chance of a famous victory. Among the Men, the Horgan/Gilshnan Pair
excelled both in Christchurch and at the Tauranga Club Nationals. Despite being
cruelly denied first place in the latter only on differential, they proved
themselves the equal of any Pair in the country. It’s intriguing to wonder what
chance Dean Gilshnan might have of attracting the eye of the National
selectors, as he has already done many times indoors. He may need to earn the
Inter-Centre Singles spot and show his class there to clinch the deal. Despite
finding little form in Christchurch, Ross Ellery earns a slot for turning
things around in Tauranga, where his Club Singles victory gives him a third
point towards a National Silver Star. Ross coped successfully with foul weather
forcing players to transfer to an indoor venue in Hamilton where play continued
into the small hours. Philip Skoglund has to be a Player of the Year, not for
anything special this season, but for continuing to provide the glue of skill
and experience that holds the Inter- Centre side together year after year.
Philip has been doing the business for Manawatu at top level across all three
disciplines for a very long time. My last Player of the Year is Shane Rogers,
mainly for his spectacular early season form when he plundered two Centre
titles from under the noses of the top Wanganui bowlers. The Wanganui
performance at Christchurch showed that winning in the River City is a
big ask for an outsider. I continue to hope that somehow Shane can be brought
inside the selectorial tent in future years. He’s simply too good to not be
involved. My Promising player of 2014/15 will make his mark in the
big-time before very long. Phil Austin, ex-Dunedin and now at Palmerston North,
won two Centre Underage Singles events this year without a loss. He comes
highly recommended by Dunedin’s Ken ‘Stalker’ Walker, and is
playing P.B.A. events through the Winter to gain invaluable further experience.
Brian Gemmell was ‘fizzing’ after running fifth nationally in the
Corner to Corner finals held recently at Birkenhead. This is a novelty event
which is great value for both clubs and individuals, being open to non-bowlers
to have a go.
Final results from the Skoglund Triples provided by Stan Goston
show both Northern teams occupying the top places in the main event. Foxton and
Beach takes out the Jack Griggs Cup for Division 2, and Ashhurst the MacKenzie
Cup for Division 3. It’s unusual to see the strong and usually well performed
Palmerston North Club in the bottom half of all three events.
Thanks Denis.
