Bowlers prepare to tackle world’s best

Press, 11 July 1984, Page 72

Bowlers prepare to tackle world’s best

From

DIANA DEKKER,

London correspondent

The New Zealand bowls team has been practising for five hours a day in readiness for 2% weeks of competition with 22 teams in the world championships in Aberdeen. The five — Peter Beiliss, Phil Skoglund, Morgan Moffat, Jim Scott and Rowan Brassey — face the immaculate greens of Westburn Park, with steady hands and no pre-play nerves.

“The objective wasn’t to come here early for a holiday — it was to become acclimatised,” said the manager, Kerry Clark.

“We’re starting to pick the pace of the greens and to play the kind of bowls we played back in New ZeaThey were aware that they would be playing on greens that were four to five seconds slower than those to which they are used. They have already met some tough competition. In . Edinburgh they were pitted against a number of top Scottish players the day after their arrival in the United Kingdom. In an invitation pairs event, Skoglund and Beiliss were beaten by three shots and put out in the first round.

Moffat and Scott were beaten on an extra end in the first round and Brassey and Clark went out in the quarter-finals. The brush with the Scots was a good introduction to the championships, for Scotland came third last time, behind England and Australia. After 10 rounds of section play, the winners of each section meet to decide the gold and silver medals while the section runners-up play off for the bronze. The championship will start with the pairs and triples, which will occupy the first week. The singles and fours will be decided between July 19 and 28.