PROFESSIONAL BOWLS KICKS OFF RETURN OF NEW ZEALAND SPORT

Just over 18 hours after the New Zealand Government relaxed the country’s COVID-19 alert level 2 restrictions to allow indoor groups up to 100 the New Zealand Professional Bowls Association winter programme got under way at three of its seven indoor stadium venues. Play commenced on Saturday at the Frankton Railway Club in Hamilton, the Hastings Club, and the Waverley Club in Invercargill each hosting three tournaments over the Queen’s Birthday Weekend with some familiar names taking the spoils.

Dean Drummond in Hastings and Shane Elliott in Invercargill cleaned up both trips to NZ PBA Finals Weekend on offer winning their Shanghai Singles and Scottish Singles qualifiers. In Hamilton there were two winners with Counties bowler Leeane Poulson taking out the Shanghai event playing her joker to perfection to double her points scored on the penultimate end, while coordinator Chris Lourie won the Scottish qualifier.

The Shanghai is a fun three-way singles format from which the national winner will receive travel money for the 2021 Australian Open, while the NZ winner of the Scottish Singles qualifiers and finals is at this stage scheduled to compete in Perth, Scotland in November.

Former NZ number one Lourie came through an impressive draw to win in Hamilton taking out the likes of Jesse Russell, Debbie White and Taylor Horn on his way to beating Lisa Mundell 8-6, 7-5 in the final. Drummond won more convincingly in Hastings carrying on his form from winning the Victorian Open Pairs last November not dropping a set all day and was too good for Ian Mason in the final 13-0, 10-3. Elliott had to account for Sheldon Bagrie-Howley and Craig Merrilees on his journey in Invercargill and fought back after dropping the first set in the final to Simon Swale eventually winning 3-10, 10-4, 2-0.

The other four NZ venues will open their PBA events in July including the new Auckland indoor venue at the Remuera Club, the Paritutu Club in New Plymouth, the Naenae complex in Wellington, and the Dunedin Lawn Bowls Stadium. The programme which culminates in a Finals Weekend at Remuera can be found at Professional Bowls Association - New Zealand News

Article added: Saturday 13 June 2020