Bowlers arrive for tournament

Press, 13 October 1982, Page 44

Bowlers arrive for tournament

PA Auckland Two top bowlers. David McGill, of Scotland, and Mai Hughes, of England, have arrived in Auckland to prepare for the $25,000 Countrywide International which starts on the Onehunga greens on Fridav. McGill played for Scotland in the 1978 Commonwealth Games and the 1980 world championships in Melbourne, where he won a silver in the triples and a bronze in the singles. Hughes played for England in Melbourne'and was fourth in the pairs and fifth in the fours. Both players were absent from the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. After playing in South Africa last year they ended up on the United Nations blacklist and were also blacklisted by their national asociations. As a result they turned professional.

But McGill has no regrets about going to South Africa: "Bowls is integrated over there. ” he said. "I don’t agree with political blackmail in sport." ' The Onehunga tournament offers the largest amount of prize money anywhere in the world so far. but the winner, who could expect to take home about $BOOO if he goes through the tournament unbeaten and collects a reasonable amount in bonuses, will not receive as much as the 85000 that has been available in recent British tournaments. Ten bowlers, including the New Zealanders, Peter Beiliss. Nick Unkovich, Bob McDonald and Phil Skoglund—all playing as professionals—have been divided into two sections for roundrobin competition on Fridav and Saturday.