Sports features Youth may dominate at N.Z. bowls tournament

Press, 26 December 1979, Page 12

Sports features Youth may dominate at N.Z. bowls tournament

By

KEVIN McMENAMIN

A showdown has been looming for some time between the older wellestablished stratum of New Zealand lawn bowlers and the aspiring youngsters, w'ho have been growing in both number and reputation every year of the last decade. It is a peaceful conflict. Bowls has come to be recognised as a game for men of all ages, but although the younger players have made a big impact they have yet to dominate their elders when it comes to the winning of national titles. However, it win surprise no-one if this summer’s Dominion tournament, which begins in Dunedin on Friday, does not prove a triumph for youth. For reasons of cost, both travel and accommodation. the entries are appreciably down this year and there does appear to be a drop in the number of “social” entries, leaving the field more to the proven, competitive bowler. There will still be more than 2000 bowlers chasing the three titles at stake, but there is a noticeable gap in the front-line, caused by the closeness of the world championships in Melbourne in February. Just one member of the New Zealand team, Kevin Darling (Linwood), has entered and he will contest only the singles, not an event in which he

usually excels, and the pairs, in which he will be partnered by his father. Missing, because of their Melbourne commitment, will be Phil Skoglund, Nick Unkovich, Morgan Moffat and John Malcolm and a national tournament without Skoglund is always the poorer, and, especially, in Dunedin where he has such a good record.

But with the top-liners away it is a great chance for others to step under

the spotlight and there is no shortage of bowlers, particularly the younger ones are capable of capitalising on this opportunity-

If this should turn out to be the year of the younger players then the attack could be headed by the likes of Jim Scott (Johnsonville), Peter Beiliss (Aramaho), John Mears (Blenheim), Kerry Clark (North-East Valley), the McConnell brothers, Duncan and Stuart (both K a i k o r a i ) , Danny O’Connor (Okahu Bay) and Neville Hill (Marewa). Beiliss, in particular, will be closely watched. For some years now he has looked the best young prospect since Skoglund and later Darling, arrived on the scene, but he has still to win a Dominion title and he might be

starting to outgrow the promising label. The youngsters are unlikely to get it all their own way. “Robbie” Robson (Tokoroa), Ivan Kostanich (Helensville), Barney Spurdie and Dave Baldwin (both Paritutu), Gordon Jolly (Leith) and Bob .McDonald (Bucklands Beach) are just a few of the olders 'hatjds who are still capable of teaching their younger’ rivals a thing or two. And, as is inevitable in

a tournament of this size, there will be the surprise packages. Weight of numbers, plus familiarity with the greens, must give the Dunedin bowlers a head start and the Christchurch contingent of about 300 will also have a strbng hand to play.

The cotula and maniatoto greens of Dunedin are similar to the surfaces in Christchurch and the cost factor seems to have had little affect on the Christchurch challenge, which is weakened mainly by the absence of Moffat.

Happily for the Linwood club it now has Wally Wilkinson to skip the team that Moffat won the fours with two years ago and there are still very few better bowlers In the country than Wilkinson.

There are plenty of others, in both the singles

and the team events, who should reach the latter rounds. Travis Coup (Kaiapoi), Peter Rose (Burnside), who lost the fours final to Skoglund in Dunedin four years ago, Doug Stuart (Dallington) and Jack Dale (South Brighton) are skips with sound prospects. It was in Dunedin 12 years ago that Stan Lawson (now Papanui) struck one of the early blows for youth when, as an unknown, he won the singles. He has gone close on more than one occasion since then and could again play a leading role. Neville Poole (Sumner), Bernie Johns (Christchurch). Lyn Hanger Burnside. Roy Bailey (Mt Pleasant) and Frank Carter (Fendalton) are others who might also figure prominently. This tournament will be the last at which the section system will be used in the singles and pairs. Introduced three years ago as an experiment, it has never been popular with the players and most will be happy with a return to the two-life method in Auckland next year. But given good weather, always a matter for concern in Dunedin, the tournament promises to be another fascinating test of skill and stamina. The younger howlers should have ample reserves of the latter; they may also have enough of the former to dominate as never before.