ON THE MATS

INDOOR BOWLS

It was certainly a game of two halves in the local final of the New Zealand mixed fours competition between eventual winners Keith Setter, David Lynn, Nanette Treloar and Sara Lamont, and Jay Casey, Doc Tipene, Krystel Williams and Quaylahn Casey.

Casey’s team started the nine-end final all class, and they led 7-0 after four ends.

One of Casey’s players, Krystel Williams, hadn’t played indoor bowls before and was phoned to help out only on the morning of the competition, while Casey’s daughter Quaylahn had played only a handful of times.

On End 5, Setter’s team finally scored a point and then, as if a switch had been flicked,  it was game on .

On End 6, Casey’s team were in a spot of bother. Setter’s team held one or two shots. Casey killed the end, giving away three penalty points for the kill. That let Setter’s team back into the game, but they were still down 7-4.

One point to Casey on End 7 got his team back on track , but Setter’s team weren’t going to throw in the towel. They put pressure on Casey’s team, and Tipene killed End 8 to give away three more penalty points. Casey now led by just one point,  8-7 .

In the last end, Setter’s team put the pressure on again. Lamont and Treloar put great position bowls behind the kitty, which Casey’s team couldn’t cover. Lynn then drew the kitty back to his team’s bowls.

Casey then played up into the head, but missed his shot and picked up the kitty, killing it to give away three more penalty points to put Setter’s team in front for the first time at  10-8.

When the kitty is “killed” or knocked off the mat on the last end, another end can be played. Casey asked for this, but in a last cat-and-mouse end, Casey’s team could manage only one point. This gave Setter’s team the win, 10-9.

Setter’s team will travel to Whakatane in July to contest the New Zealand zone final against teams from Tauranga, Waikato, Thames Valley and Bay of Plenty.

This was centre title No.3 for Setter. He travels from Tauranga to play in Gisborne.

Lynn’s centre title tally is 148. Title No.150 is close at hand.

Treloar sits on 19 titles and Lamont, coming back into the game to play the mixed fours, now has four centre titles.