Darling wins

Press, 18 November 1989, Page 28

Darling wins

PA Auckland Kevin Darling (Dunedin) beat Sid Giddy (Bay of Plenty), 2521, in an absorbing final of the Epsom Bowling Club’s open invitation tournament yesterday. Darling, who will be a key player at three in the New Zealand four at the Commonwealth Games, went through the tournament in convincing form, losing only one of his 11 games. Such was his touch, many had tipped him as the Winner of the Lyte West 5000. Many times during the tournament the 42-year-old Darling, who has not worked since a back injury ended his job as a hospital orderly a year ago, called on a run shot to get out of trouble. Resisting the temptation to play a full-blooded drive, Darling rarely missed when he played with weight. Often he was under pressure, especially in the latter stages of his games, but he would then produce a great run shot to break the heart of his opponent. Yesterday was no different. In the semi-finals, against the three-time winner, Robbie Robson (Waikato), he used the shot to great effect. , ' Likewise in the final, Darling repeatedly had the pressure on Giddy by playing in that manner.