Another centre crown to greens machine Whiteman

LAWN BOWLS

Glenys Whiteman recorded her 76th centre win when she skipped a Kahutia team to her 14th Ella Gibson Open Fours title at Gisborne Bowling Club.

Five teams entered the Te Karaka Meat Traders-sponsored tournament — two from Poverty Bay Bowling Club, and one team from each of Kahutia, Gisborne and Te Karaka bowling clubs.

All teams had to play three games on the Saturday and two on the Sunday.

In the first round, Te Karaka’s Del Tamanui (skip), Jasmine Merrick (director), Janet Baty (two) and Erica Thompson (lead) beat Poverty Bay’s Anita Vaotuua (s), Jessie Davis-Law (d), Olivia Scott (2) and Kathy Carroll (l).

Kahutia’s Whiteman (s), Dayvinia Mills (d), Dianne Phillips (2) and Karen Pinn (l) had a slow start against Poverty Bay’s Kathryn Flaugere (s), Norma Miller (d), Win Baker (2) and Ngawai Turipa (l). Flaugere led 5-0 after two ends but then Whiteman’s team took flight and, with six shots on the last end, the Kahutia four won the game 18-9.

In the second round, Whiteman beat Tamanui 21-11. Meanwhile, Vaotuua had a draw with Carol Hawes (s), Tanya Harrison (d), Donna Smith (2) and Ginny Sherriff (l) of Gisborne. Flaugere had the second-round bye.

In the third round, Tamanui beat Hawes by two shots, and Flaugere beat Vaotuua by one shot, while Whiteman had the bye.

In the fourth round, Whiteman had a comfortable 14-shot victory over Vaotuua, while Flaugere won by the same margin against Hawes. Tamanui had the bye.

In the last round, Tamanui beat Flaugere by nine shots. Whiteman had an exciting game against a Gisborne team who changed their order of play to Harrison (s), Sherriff (d), Hawes (2) and Smith (l).

Playing in the rain seemed to be quite a challenge but some good bowls were still played.

On the last end, Whiteman’s team led 9-8 but Harrison’s team held two shots on the head. Whiteman did a run shot and took out one shot. However, her second bowl was a tad heavy and moved her first bowl, giving away another shot to Harrison, who then won the game 10-9. It was the Gisborne team’s only win of the weekend.

However, the Kahutia team of Whiteman (s), Mills (d), Phillips (2) and Pinn (l) won the Ella Gibson Women’s Open Fours Trophy with six points and a plus-32 differential for the tournament.

Runners-up were Te Karaka’s Tamanui (s), Merrick (d), Baty (2) and Thompson (l), with six points and a plus-three differential.