Crehan wins delayed title

Paritutu’s Amanda Crehan won the Taranaki bowls first-year singles title in Waitara on Sunday.

The Paul and Sharon Spiers-sponsored event drew 24 competitors on Saturday after it had been delayed in March.

After Saturday’s rounds at Waitara and Inglewood, the top two competitors out of each section advanced to the money rounds on Sunday.

Crehan, pictured here with Taranaki president Ian Andrews, ousted Waitara’s Jenny Newton 16-11 in one semifinal, while Tower’s Grant Crawshaw defeated Waitara’s John Strong 21-18 in the other.

Crehan started the final impressively, racing ahead 10-0. However, Crawshaw rallied to 11-9 behind, before Crehan settled the issue 17-12.

Meanwhile, several Taranaki players took part in the annual Paraparaumu Beach three-day invitation pairs. West End’s Dean Elgar repeated his 2017 triumph with Manawatu’s Craig Gush.

The duo beat Manawatu’s Mark Noble and Wellington’s Ken Brown 15-13 in the final on Sunday.