On the mats

Runners-up in the “mini nationals” indoor bowls triples were (from left) Nathan Trowell, Dylan Foster and Matthew Foster. Dylan Foster was also singles runner-up, with brother Matthew third equal. Picture supplied

Gisborne indoor bowlers made their presence felt at a “mini nationals” tournament in Napier over Easter Weekend.

Dylan Foster played magnificently to reach the final of the singles.

Foster, 18, was up against South Island team representative Nicholas Sinclair, who has just moved to Wellington.

Foster led 4-3 after five ends, but Sinclair changed the game on End 6, when he picked up three shots to go ahead 6-4. Over ends 7 to 10, Sinclair and Foster picked up two points each and the score stood at 8-6 in Sinclair’s favour.

One more point on End 11 of the 12-end final had Sinclair three points ahead at 9-6.

On the last end, Foster had a chance to push a Sinclair bowl out of the scoring area and gain three shots, but he played too lightly.

Foster had comfortably beaten elder brother (and

North Island representative) Matthew Foster 14-6 in the semifinal.

In the triples, Dylan and Matthew Foster combined with their cousin Nathan Trowell, who will represent New Zealand next month.

They reached the final and led 5-2 after five ends.

On End 6 their opponents, Shaun Blackbourn, James Sullivan and Tracey Ludeman, of Waikato, picked up three shots to level the score at 5-5.

After nine ends of the 10-end final, Trowell’s team led 10-8.

Blackbourn’s team took charge on the last end when they picked up three shots to win the title.

In the open fours competition, Gisborne’s David Lynn reached the semifinals with his team of Rodney Mills (Auckland) and Lisa Gould and David Pollard (both Upper Hutt Valley). They played well throughout the day against some formidable teams.