Format changes to club lawn bowls

Press, 19 July 1988, Page 32

Format changes to club lawn bowls

There have been big changes made to the format of Canterbury club lawn bowls for the coming season. The main change is the introduction of a “Super Sevens" competition, comprising singles, pairs and fours in two sections of eight with a round robin draw. Each club in the premier fours from last season is expected to provide one team of sevens, the balance being made up by inviting leading teams in lower divisions which do not already have a team in the sevens. No club will be allowed more than one team in the competition. All super sevens games will be played to their conclusion with no draws and no aggregate points awarded. The three fours competition has

also had a shake-up. It will now be a four fours competition to be played in four divisions with 32 teams, each in sections of eight with a round robin draw.

Relegation and promotion will remain the same as last year but no aggregate points will be awarded and there will be no draws.

According to the Canterbury centre’s publicity officer, Mr Peter Morel, there are obvious advantages with the new format. Each four fours team entered require only two rinks at home and will play two away. Clubs with a sevens team and one fours team will require only five rinks at home, thus allowing room for junior play. He said more members

who are leaving the junior competition will now be able to play in the senior competition under the new format.

At the centre’s annual meeting, Mr Jack Brunton was elected as the new centre president.

He is the first president of the centre from his club, Riccarton, which celebrates 25 years of existence this year. On the national scene changes have taken place also.

In a bid to bridge the gap from representative bowls to New Zealand level, an emerging players team of seven will be selected. The team will make a tour of North Island centres this year and South Island centres next

year with an Australian trip a possibility.

Other changes include increased player allowances a day and an extended prize list for all tournaments including the national championships.

Officers elected for the Canterbury centre are: patron, Tom Bisman; president, Jack Brunton; past president, Frank Mugford; senior vice-president, Ted Spicer; junior vice-president, Bill Fiecken; executive members, Tony Bradshaw, Graham McJarrow, Stan Cretney, Ted Turland; secretary, Pat Ambrose; treasurer, Jim Martin; auditor, Alan McCormack; match committee, Jack Gillespie, Warwick Bain, Bill

Bodger, Vic Triggs, Warwick Graham, Fiecken, Cretney, Spicer; selectors senior, Ken Perry, Travis Coup, Mugford; junior, Les Woodhouse, lan McAllister, McJarrow; publicity officer, Peter Morel; handbook committee, Jack Thiele, Peter Gardner, Jim Martin; constitution and rules committee, Arch Murrav, Howard Smith, Mugford; bowl testing committee, Howard Smith, Ray Forsyth; official bowl tester, Arthur Wilkinson; turf research representatives, Warwick Graham, Doug Wood; representative on Bowling Umpires Association, Ray Forsyth; centre life members; Tom Bisman, Dave Martin, Bill Cole; N.Z.B.A. councillors: A. G. Murray, K. Perry, J. Gillespie, F. Mugford.