ROBINSON AND GRANTHAM TAKE THE CASH
Dunedin pair Ken Walker and Paul Girdler had already wrapped up the trip to the World Indoor Pairs in England on Saturday, but Waikato's Kevin Robinson and North Harbour's Tony Grantham had the last laugh for the 2008 NZ Professional Bowls Association season by taking the money winning the $2500 New Zealand Professional Bowls Association Rhind & Gardiner House of Travel Pairs at the Frankton Railway Bowling Club in Hamilton on Sunday. Despite the other three semifinalist pairs having won venue tournaments earlier in the year, and having the extra preparation of World Indoor Pairs national play-offs on Saturday morning, Robinson and Grantham were too good closing out the tournament in style.
Both their semifinal against Richard Collett and Justin Goodwin, and their final over Kevin Rice and Ross Thorn were fairly one-sided affairs with scores of 10-6, 12-1 and 10-4, 9-1 respectively. Rice and Thorn had earlier taken revenge in their semifinal for their loss the previous day at the same stage of the World Indoor Pairs play-offs on Walker and Girdler.
The Consolation Pairs event was won by Richard Woodcock and Gene Gregory over Steve Cox and Terry Johnson.
The next PBA action in New Zealand will be on New Year's Day afternoon 2009 at the Henderson club in Auckland with a pre-nationals pairs event.
Results from the New Zealand Professional Bowls Association World Indoor Pairs play-offs at the Frankton Railway Bowling Club in Hamilton on Saturday:
Semifinals: Richard Collett (North Harbour) and Justin Goodwin (NSW) bt Frances Knight and Brian Cathro (Waikato) 12-1, 12-4; Paul Girdler and Ken Walker (Dunedin) bt Ross Thorn and Kevin Rice (Wellington) 6-6, 10-2.
Final: Walker bt Collett 8-7, 10-3.
Paul Girdler and Ken Walker (Dunedin) will represent the NZ Professional Bowls Association at the World Indoor Pairs in Norfolk, England in January.
Results from the $2500 New Zealand Professional Bowls Association Rhind & Gardiner House of Travel Pairs at the Frankton Railway Bowling Club in Hamilton on Sunday:
1st round: Terry Johnson & Steve Cox bt Cathy Andrews & Dave Goode 9-4, 7-12, 2-1; Chris Lourie & Bruno Lourie bt Cliff Olliff & Robbie Marshall 9-3, 11-6; Linda Ralph & Di Major bt Chris Bryant & Frances Knight 7-5, 11-4.
2nd round: Lourie bt Johnson 12-1, 8-5; Kevin Robinson & Tony Grantham bt Ralph 10-5, 8-3; Justin Goodwin & Richard Collett bt Ben Sail & Barry Wakely 7-8, 10-4, 2-1; Phil Bennett & Alan Bowler bt Paul Freeth & Brian Wilson 12-3, 6-6; Neil Fisher & Clive Major bt Richard Woodcock & Gene Gregory 6-7, 12-3, 2-1; Ken Walker & Paul Girdler bt Don Christensen & Ian Andrews 9-5, 7-6; Rob Ashton & David Eades bt James Ballard & Raewyn Willis 11-5, 12-4; Kevin Rice & Ross Thorn bt Sue Murray & Kristin Stampa 16-6, 11-4.
3rd round: Robinson bt Lourie 9-5, 4-10, 2-1; Goodwin bt Bennett 8-6, 8-8; Walker bt Fisher 9-7, 6-8, 2-0; Rice bt Ashton 8-8, 8-4.
Semifinals: Robinson bt Goodwin 10-6, 12-1; Rice bt Walker 2-10, 11-3, 2-1.
Final: Kevin Robinson (Waikato) & Tony Grantham (North Harbour) bt Kevin Rice & Ross Thorn (Wellington) 10-4, 9-1.
Consolation 1st round: Ralph bt Faulkner 5-1, 4-2; Christensen bt Ballard 4-4, 6-1.
Consolation 2nd round: Ralph bt Christensen 3-2, 3-4, 2-0; Johnson bt Olliff 5-4, 4-2; Andrews bt Freeth 5-0, 5-5; Woodcock bt Murray 7-2, 6-1.
Consolation Semifinals: Johnson bt Ralph 6-2, 5-0; Woodcock bt Andrews 5-0, 5-5.
Consolation Final: Richard Woodcock & Gene Gregory (Waikato) bt Terry Johnson (Manawatu) & Steve Cox (Auckland) 7-2, 6-1.
Thanks to Richard Corry NZ PBA Chairman