Early bowls exit for Jean Lash

Press, 3 February 1987, Page 34

Early bowls exit for Jean Lash

By KEVIN McMENAMIN Jean ’ Lash (Rocky Nook), the beaten finalist in the singles at the national women’s bowls tournament in Christ-

church four years ago, has fallen a long way short of a comparable effort this time. Lash’s failure to get past the qualifying rounds was the main surprise when the Bell Tea-spon-

sored championships began In the city yesterday. * In the first of the four

rounds Lash was beaten, 19-10, by Mary McConnell (Kaikorai), whose two sons, Duncan and Stewart, have both represented New Zealand at bowls.

In the second round Lash only just got home, 20-18, but her chance of qualifying went in the third round when she lost 16-22 to another prominent Aucklander, Elsa Granich (Carlton).

Granich’s delight was short-lived, though She too was beaten l 'for a second time- in the final

round, 25-12, by Mary Flewellen (WoolstonW.M.C.), and this was only her second win. Apart from Lash and Granich, other prominent players not among the 215 who will go into postsection play this morning are Zelda Clements (Matamata), Judith Marra (Mission Bay), Thelma Coveny (Waikiwi) and Peg Woodfield (Linwood), who recently won the Christchurch champion- > of-champions singles. Margaret Cole (Lepper-

ton), Millie Khan and Jenny Simpson (both Matamata) and Lex Kimber and Denise Page (both Linwood) were leading hopes who had a loss before reaching the qualifying mark in the final round. Cole was beaten, 21-20, by Ann Kendall (Woolston Park), Khan, 23-0, by Glenys ‘ Tozer (Mairangi Bay), Simpson, 19-13, by Jean Ryan (Carlton), Kjjpber, 22-16, by Noel Burn (Waikanae) and Page, 16-15, by Dot

Howarth (Fitzroy). Of these winners, Burn and Kendall were the only two, not to qualify. Another strong local hope, and former singles champion, Altha' Triggs (Riccarton Women’s) was beaten 19-10 in the third round by the former Linwood player, Gwen Kelly, who is now with the Riverside club in Gisborne. The defending champion, Vera Bindon (Rocky Nook), qualified ' with three comfortable wins, as

did Joyce Osborne (Manawatu), the winner in Christchurch four years ago, and other strong contenders, Barbara Kunicich (Bayswater), Daphne Le Breton (Upper Hutt), Mary Collins (Palmerston), Rhoda Ryan (Matamata) and Ann Katavich (Port Wells). But today the competition will get a lot tougher and by the end of it the field will be down to 32. The full list of qualifiers, and today’s draw, appears on page 33.