Wales May Hold Key To N.Z. Bowls Win

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32358, 25 July 1970, Page 16

Wales May Hold Key To N.Z. Bowls Win

The New Zealand bowling pair, R. L. McDonald and H. J. Robson, although now supremely in control of their own play, have to look to England’s last opponent, Wales, for them to have a chance of retaining their Commonwealth Games title.

This morning, fn their penultimate matches, New Zealand beat Zambia, 19-15, and England defeated Canada, leaving England holding a two-point lead. If the English pair lose to Wales and the New Zealanders can beat Kenya, their last opponent, the gold medal would go to McDonald and Robson as they have more shots in hand than England. In pouring rain, the New Zealanders slogged their way to victory over Zambia. They were 3-4 down after six ends, 9-4 ahead after eight, and commandingly 18-11 ahead by the eighteenth. Yesterday the New Zealanders beat Wales, 28-24, in one of the best matches played on the Balgreen rinks since the competition began. Despite downpours that left the greens soggy, McDonald and Robson poured on enormous pressure uver the last three heads for victory. McDonald is playing as well as he ever has—and that is as well as anybody at this tournament. Robson, too, has conquered the slow running

greens and his advice to McDonald when the skip is bowling is invariably brief ind correct. In the afternoon game the Kiwis beat Papua-New Guinea 26-11.