Mixed progress in bowls

Press, 30 December 1988, Page 34

Mixed progress in bowls

PA Auckland The diabolical Auckland weather was not enough to stop some of the big names from qualifying on the first day of section play in the pairs at the national bowling championships yesterday. With as much time spent off the green as on it, most players in the Rothmans championships had an interrupted run with only about half the players getting through the three or four rounds they needed to qualify. Unless there is a dramatic improvement today organisers could face a massive headache in

getting the championship back on course in time for post-section play on Monday morning. Few scored four wins but among those who managed it, were the 1987 winners, Peter Clark (Whakatane) and Don McKillop (Opotiki). Playing at Homai, they scored wins of 23-6, 22-3, 17-6 and 20-11 to make certain of a place in post-section Play. Sam Kennedy and Neville Risbridge (Tokoroa) also took four wins as did Jon Barrington and Bill Smith (Te Atatu R.S.A.) John Mears and Eric Doggett, a favoured pair from the Spring-

lands Club, qualified on their fourth game. The father and son combination of Bob and Bob Bilkey (Rawhiti) lost their first game but came back to win three in a row to qualify. Among those doing some nailbiting are the Skoglund brothers, Philip and Raymond. They lost their first but bounced back to win their second, 25-7, but must win their remaining two games today to reach post-section play. In some camps though, there will be no anxiety.

Ray Boffa and Chris Wright (Waikanae), Don Munro and

George Alley (B'ucklands Beach), Bryan and Neil Camp! (Hillsboro) and the South Islanders, Bill Kane and Gary Lawson, all won three straight Wayne Nairn (Papakura) with Stoke’s Tommy James as lead also won in a canter while Ken Robinson and Wayne Wrack won their first three games but lost their last to Graham Skellern and Brett O’Riley who needed that win to qualify. Today will stretch the organisation to the limit as the remaining games from the first day as well as the full second day’s draw need to be completed.