High hopes for young Gore player in PBA competition

Caleb Hope.
Caleb Hope.
Promising bowler Caleb Hope is one of several young and talented bowlers expected to make their mark at this weekend's PBA competition at the Dunedin Bowls Stadium.

Hope, a storeman at Goodman Fielder in Gore, caught the eye of national selectors Sharon Sim and Peter Belliss at the national championships over the new year when he all but eliminated world champion Shannon McIlroy in the semifinals of the singles.

With the match tied at 19-19, it took a miracle bowl from McIlroy to win 21-19 and seal a place in the final, which he also won.

After claiming the scalps of many of the top players in the country, including Black Jacks Richard Girvan and Tony Grantham, Hope (19) admitted at the time he was far from disappointed with his semifinal result against the world champion.

Hope was also a member of the only men's fours team to defeat the Ali Forsyth-skipped four in section play. The Forsyth four ended up winning the national title.

Joining Hope for the weekend's competition, which gets under way tomorrow night, are seven first-year PBA bowlers, who may all feature at the business end of the weekend's competition.

Among them is Doug Coombes, of South Otago Town and Country, who is marking a return to the sport after 28 years.

Coombes (51) had a promising future in the sport when a youngster and, since his return, appears not to have lost any of the old magic that enabled him to rise through the ranks and win the centre triples last year.

Coombes will be joined by fellow newcomer and Dunedin centre singles champion of champions Grant Simpson (Andersons Bay).

Other first timers contesting the prize for PBA rookie of the year are Jeff Cantwell (Mornington), Rik Moss (St Clair), Louise Natta (Fairfield), Marshall Stoddart (Temuka) and Jason Hand (Wakari).

An early favourite to win the Scottish International Singles Dunedin qualifying stage on Saturday is Andrew Kelly (Canterbury).

A Waitaki Boys' High School old boy, Kelly (29) is a former world junior champion. He skipped composite fours teams to national titles in 2012 in Auckland and 2014 in Dunedin.

Earlier this year he eliminated six-time world champion Alex Marshall (Scotland) in the first round of the World Indoor Bowls Championships in England.

The winner of the Dunedin qualifying round of the Scottish singles will progress to the national final in Hastings in early September. The winner of the national final then goes on to contest the world final in Perth, Scotland, in November.

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