Bowls: Linn claimed another title at centre fours

Grant Hassall

West End’s Jordan Linn rose up the history ranks in Taranaki bowls when he claimed his 10th centre title at Manaia on Saturday.

Linn and his regular team mates Dave Wilson, Steve Walker and Craig De Faria carried off the Metcalfe Real Estate centre fours for a fourth time and with it the additional accolade for Linn.

De Faria’s side emerged 17-10 victors over Inglewood’s Peter van Dyk, Chris Gyde, Steve Sabine and Paul Howell in the final, with the last of the scheduled 15 ends left unplayed.

After a relatively even opening, three consecutive ends to West End took the score from 6-4 to 12-4, with De Faria’s attacking game converting the head on each occasion.

But aided by a four on end 12, when Howell pushed through the closest West End bowl, Inglewood were back in the hunt trailing by just two shots.

However, a single and a four, when Howell narrowly missed the jack on both ends, ensured West End’s win.

Windy conditions again may play difficult. Walker was the most consistent of the performers in the decider, improving many heads for West End. Sabine, his opponent, gave a reasonable account of himself as well.

In addition to the centre fours wins, Linn, in his 15th season, has previously won the open fours twice, as well as the Christmas pairs, open triples, champion-of-champion pairs and champion-of-champions fours.

In the semifinals, De Faria’s side trounced Paritutu’s Eddie Betts, Kevin Gledhill, John Zittersteijn and Trevor Johns 24-4, while Howell beat Tower’s Mike Werder, Paul Werder, Chris Solomons and Ian Busby 19-10.

Meanwhile, Paritutu with an unblemished six-from-six, won the Vospers-sponsored women’s division one interclub title at West End on Saturday.

Paritutu held a three-point lead over New Plymouth heading into the final round and confirmed its dominance by posting three comfortable wins from Tina Atkinson-Watt (singles), Bridget Fletcher and Hether Johns (pairs), Gaye Holub, Marlene Barrowman, Gale Fache and Cathy Andrews (fours).

Paritutu finished on 25 points, ahead of Fitzroy (19) and New Plymouth (16).

Paritutu’s cleansweep on Saturday was achieved without Briar Atkinson. Atkinson was in Hong Kong, competing in the International Classic, where she was placed third-equal in both the singles and pairs.

In the Summerset-sponsored men’s interclub on Sunday, four city clubs emerged as the qualifiers to dispute the issue at Paritutu on December 1 – Paritutu, West End, New Plymouth and Fitzroy.