Bowls: McLachlan Otago’s leading light at intercentre sevens

Wynette McLachlan (South Otago) won her six singles games and was the best-performed Otago bowler at the New Zealand intercentre sevens in Auckland at the weekend.

There were seven unbeaten teams at the four-day championships but McLachlan (68) was the only Otago bowler to win all her games.

She joined an elite group that included Nelson Black Jacks Jo Edwards and Shannon McIlroy in the singles, the winning Auckland men's pair of Peter Sain and Rob Ashton and the four of Jordan King, Monte Pawa, Dan Delany and Richard Girvan.

McLachlan helped South Otago finish runner-up in section play behind Counties-Manukau to qualify for post-section.

In her final game, McLachlan beat Elaine McClintock 25-18, but the South Otago women lost the quarterfinals to North Harbour 2-1.

Central Otago finished third in section play with the pair of Gillian Stewart and Christine Buchanan winning four of their five games. Dunedin finished fourth.

Northland beat Nelson 2-1 to win only its second women's title in 23 years. The last time was in 1993.

The Dunedin men's team won its section with 37 points to qualify for the quarterfinals. Canterbury was two points behind in the second place.

When the teams met again in the semifinal, Canterbury turned the tables to beat Dunedin 2-1.

International Mike Kernaghan beat Kelvin Scott 24-17 in the semifinals but the pair and four lost narrowly.

The pair of Shaun Scott and Paul Girdler lost 16-14 to Canterbury's Tony Andrews and Kerry Becks. Dunedin had the shots on the head on the final end but Canterbury skip Becks killed the end.

On the replay, Scott drew the shot but Becks won the game for Canterbury when he ran out the shot bowl.

The best-performed Dunedin team was the four of Craig McCaw, Andy McLean, Rodney Fleming and Terry Scott, which won six of eight games.

Scott has won nine intercentre titles.

Kernaghan won four of his eight singles and drew the shot with his last bowl to draw with Kelvin Scott (Canterbury) 24-24 in section play.

Shaun Scott and Girdler won five of their eight games in the pairs.

South Otago finished second to Auckland in section play to reach the quarterfinals.

Robert Wilson won three of his four singles games in section play, his only loss being to Scott Cottrell (Auckland) 25-20. He lost to Cottrell by the same score in the quarterfinals.

Auckland beat Canterbury 3-0 to win its fourth men's final. The New Zealand team for World Bowls is expected to be announced later this month.

 


Fact file

NZ Intercentre Sevens

Finals:

Men: Auckland beat Canterbury 3-0.

 

Women: Northland beat Nelson 2-1.

Otago placings:

Men: Dunedin lost semifinal to Canterbury 2-1. South Otago lost quarterfinal to Auckland 3-0.

Women: South Otago lost quarterfinal to North Harbour 2-1.

 

 

 

 


 

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