DUNEDIN PAIR FACE TOUGH OPPOSITION TO RETAIN TITLE
The Dunedin pairing of Ken Walker and Paul Girdler face tough opposition at the Frankton Railway Bowling Club in Hamilton on Saturday morning as they go about defending the New Zealand Professional Bowls Association qualifiers spot for the World Indoor Pairs in England. The southerners have won their way to the world event at the Potter's Leisure Resort in Norfolk, England for the last two years, and are eighteen matches undefeated in New Zealand, but this weekend's field of four venue winning combinations is as tough as any other year.
Walker already has one trip to the UK in the bag this season having won the Dunedin qualifier for the International Open Singles and will be playing in Sussex, England in November. Although ranked number three in New Zealand mid-season, he enjoys an unassailable lead to become the new national number one ranked player replacing Jamie Hill after this weekend's playoffs.
The biggest threat on paper to the Dunedin pairing retaining their title, are the Pukekohe venue champions Justin Goodwin and Richard Collett. Both are former top ten ranked players and Goodwin is the only other player in the field with big-time World Bowls Tour experience, having made three appearances in world events in the UK.
Skip of the Hastings venue champion pair, Kevin Rice, has made an impressive impact on the NZ PBA in the two seasons he has played, coming runner-up twice in singles events just failing to win trips to the northern hemisphere. Rice had PBA experience in his native Scotland before moving to Wellington, and will be teaming up with his club-mate Ross Thorn.
And home-town hopes will be with Brian Cathro and PBA rookie Frances Knight. Cathro has had an outstanding season already securing two singles berths on the World Bowls Tour and will appear in the Scottish International Open Singles in November in Scotland, and the World Indoor Singles in England next January. Cathro also won a trip last year only to have to pull out due to health reasons. With four wins already in the Hamilton venue pairs qualifying tournament, his partner Knight, new to PBA this year, is an outside chance to capture an invite to the Ladies Invitational Match-play Singles also to be played in England in January. The best performed women players in PBA qualifiers around the world get invited to that event which runs concurrently to the World Indoor Pairs and Singles.
The draw for the semifinals will be made on Saturday morning at 8.30am prior to play commencing. The final will follow the semifinals to find New Zealand's representatives for the World Indoor Pairs by lunchtime at the Frankton Railway Bowling Club in Hamilton.
The four pairs competing in the New Zealand Professional Bowls Association World Indoor Pairs play-offs at the Frankton Railway Bowling Club in Hamilton from 9am Saturday morning:
Pukekohe winners: Richard Collett (North Harbour) and Justin Goodwin (NSW)
Hamilton winners: Frances Knight and Brian Cathro (Waikato)
Hastings winners: Ross Thorn and Kevin Rice (Wellington)
Dunedin winners: Paul Girdler and Ken Walker (Dunedin)
Draw for the $2500 New Zealand Professional Bowls Association Rhind & Gardiner House of Travel Pairs to be held at the Frankton Railway Bowling Club in Hamilton 30 & 31 August from 12.30pm Saturday:
1st round: Cathy Andrews & Dave Goode v Terry Johnson & Steve Cox; Chris Lourie & Bruno Lourie v Cliff Olliff & Robbie Marshall; Linda Ralph & Di Major v Chris Bryant & Frances Knight.
2nd round: Kevin Robinson & Tony Grantham v Bryant or Ralph; Ben Sail & Barry Wakely v Justin Goodwin & Richard Collett; Paul Freeth & Brian Wilson v Phil Bennett & Alan Bowler; Neil Fisher & Clive Major v Richard Woodcock & Gene Gregory; Ken Walker & Paul Girdler v Don Christensen & Ian Andrews; James Ballard & Raewyn Willis v Rob Ashton & David Eades; Sue Murray & Kristin Stampa v Kevin Rice & Ross Thorn.