Bowls: Outstanding finish on opening day of bowls

Grant Hassall 

In a grandstand finish, Opononi’s Pania Roberts clinched a dramatic 21-18 first-round win in the 72nd Devon Hotel Taranaki women’s Open fours at West End yesterday.

Roberts and her side of Tanya Harris, Linda Fowlie and Francis Hau were locked in a tense clash with Coral Lukies’ Kia Toa team, which is being skipped by Lyn Bowcock.

After Roberts had shot out to an 8-1 lead after seven ends, Bowcock roared back to take the advantage at 11-8. From then on it was nipand-tuck.

At the commencement of the final end, Roberts led by two shots. But Bowcock held two, possibly three, until Hau produced a couple of beauties into the wind, which had gathered momentum by the early afternoon.

That put Bowcock in a tough position. She sat on the first shot to take one, and then moved the jack a little to hold three and the game with her second delivery.

However, Roberts, pictured, who was recently named as the Far North intercentre singles player, brilliantly drew down and sat on the shot bowl to take the victory. It was a superb conclusion to the match. Roberts’ side was skipped last year by Mary Korewha.

They made it all the way to the quarterfinals. But with Korewha playing this time in a Papakura side — skipped by Senara Watt, they won twice yesterday — Roberts is skipping this time, with Hau the newcomer to the team. Roberts made opening day perfect by notching up win No 2 in the afternoon, 27-13 over Carol Pearce (Lepperton).

All is not lost for Bowcock, though, her side edging Irene Poletti (Levin) 22-21 after lunch. The only other side from Roberts’ section four to finish the day with two wins was the respected Bridge Park side of Lesley McLinden, which also made the last eight in 2023.

Anne Lomas (Hunua) was another of 24 teams to win both games. But her side had to survive a large scare in the morning round against Alison Winter (Central Cambridge) 26-25 after an extra end. Lomas led 16-4, before Winter came back.

However, at 25-19 with two ends to play, Lomas still appeared safe. But Winter claimed a two and then a four to force the game into overtime.

Lomas, with Ann Muir leading, had a second hard-fought win in the afternoon, 23-18 over Tower’s Jane Augustine.

The luckless Winter had to endure a second one-point defeat, 23- 22 to two-winner Chris Telford (Hastings).

In the same seventh section, defending titleholder Denise Te Momo (Pirongia) and Marlene Foster (Wanganui East) but notched up two victories as well, but Gale Fache (Paritutu), the joint player of the Dominion in 2010, and Pauline Davy (Opunake) both went down twice.

Te Momo just sneaked past New Plymouth’s Liz Corbett in the first round 23-19. Te Momo led by one shot playing the penultimate head.

Corbett held the shot there, and in endeavouring to add another shot, turned in a Te Momo bowl to drop a single. Te Momo then beat Diane Smith (Te Puke) 38-24 after lunch.

*The death of Bowls Taranaki Life Member Brien Bennett QSM was acknowledged with a moment silence at all greens yesterday. Bennett, 86, died in New Plymouth on Monday.