Bowls: Champion beaten during day one of Open
Tuesday, Jan 28 2025

Grant Hassall
The double defeat of four-time champion Dan Delany (Royal Oak) was the main talking point among the performances of the leading teams on the first day’s play in the Taranaki Open fours (20 Jan).
Delany’s side, which was skipped in the opening round by Teo Turua, was beaten by Colin Christie (Fitzroy) 24-23.
Delany took over the skipping in the afternoon, but things didn’t improve, with the side being walloped by Dave Walker (Tahunanui) 19-1 in a game limited to just 13 ends.
All is not lost for Delany, though, who illustrated earlier in the season that he can still bowl when he won the Auckland open fours.
His side does need to win the rest of its games, something Delany is not unfamiliar with. In his first Taranaki Open, in 1998, his side lost its first two qualifying games, but won the next six to make it through before falling in the semifinals.
The following year, Delany again lost his opening two games, before winning the next six sectional matches and all six post section games to take the title for the first time.
While Christie didn’t manage to back up the morning’s effort, losing 29-16 to two-winner Wayne Te Huki, skipping a Okaihau side, Walker’s side did — but only just. In the only morning round game not completed, Walker and Takapuna’s Gerry Belcher, fresh from competing in the Burnside Pairs, were locked at 26-all after the regulation 25 ends and the 1.30pm time limit had expired.
The two teams returned after the completion of their round two games, with Walker getting the nod. Belcher did have some consolation by then, however, having won in the afternoon round.
Another past winner to also suffer double disappointment was Phil Corney (Durie Hill), whose side was skipped by the 2019 Dominion fours winner, Gavin Scrivener.
The Whanganui side rattled home from 23-12 down against Steve Cottam (Paritutu) in the morning but still fell short 26-23. In the afternoon the team let a handy eight-point lead disappear on the home straight, losing to Trevor Johns 28-27.
Another of the upsets on day one was the 25-8 afternoon defeat of three-time winner, Craig De Faria (West End).
De Faria fell to David Ball (Carlton Cornwall). Ball had lost 24-23 to Upper Hutt’s Alan Child on an extra end in the morning, while De Faria had beaten Russell Terrey (Aramoho) 28-16.
Another leading Taranaki side, Grant Anderson (Tower), also finished with a 50% record. His side lost 27-21 in the afternoon to Regan Larkin (Fairfield) after earlier squeaking through on the last bowl 20-18 over the luckless Phill Chisholm (Takapuna).
It was a much-needed victory for Larkin’s Dunedin side after it had lost 33-20 in round one to John Garrud (West End).
Larkin was in touch at five behind with four ends remaining, but a five on the next head sealed the result in Garrud’s favour.
Defending champion Darren Goodin was required to produce two excellent pressure draw shots to get home 21-19 in the first round against Allan Sandercock (Sunshine Coast). Goodin led by three playing the last end.
Two down, he drew second shot with his first bowl.
Sandercock in turn sat the bowl through to lie three. However, Goodin cooly drew second shot to take the win. Goodin then beat Frankton Junction’s Brian Osmond 24-7, after the latter had lost on the last bowl of an extra end to Piripi Huwyler 28- 27 in the morning.
Elsewhere a number of teams eased into the competition with two strong wins.
That included Aramoho’s Peter Belliss who was playing on the Stratford-Avon green that same rated as the finest they have enjoyed in years. In the same section Gavin Brown (Royal Oak) also made a positive start as did home town hope Paul Digby.
Simon Poppleton (Takapuna) also ended the day unbeaten, but it was close. His side needed an extra end to pip Ash Paul (Darfield) 28- 26 and then edged Child 24-23.
Don Parker, skipping Roger Sutton’s Carlton Cornwall side produced a brilliant last bowl to win in the morning. The side then made it two in the afternoon.