Indoor bowls: Familiarity key to wins

Pukekohe B fours team of Kevin McDowell, left, Jason Parker, Roger Andrew and Ron Blythe jubilant after stamping their supremacy on the Clubs New Zealand indoor bowls tournament in Napier. Photo / Paul Taylor

Teammates who play together almost always tend to cross the line of ecstasy on that platform of cohesiveness.

Just ask Pukekohe Cosmopolitan B team, who last night stormed to victory in the fours competition of the Clubs New Zealand Men's Indoor Bowls Championship in Napier.

"I think we've had the same players for the past few years," Jason Parker said last night after combining with skip Roger Andrew, Kevin McDowell and Ron Blythe for the last piece of silverware in the five-day tourney that was staged at the Napier centre before moving to Taradale Club for post-section play each evening.

They crushed Palmerston North A of Robert Lochrie, Tony Griffin, Garth McCormick and Kelvin Colpus 12-2 in the final.

The team of eight from Pukekohe also claimed the overall aggregate trophy for winning the triples (Andrew, Parker, McDowell) on Wednesday after McDowell and Parker were third equal in the pairs competition on Tuesday and another combination of Andrew and Trevor Coleman made the last eight as well.

"We've built up some combinations over that time," Parker said, revealing it was McDowell's fourth chartered club title and three each for Andrew and him, and Blythe's maiden one.

Parker said the results of late bode well for the Counties Federation.

The 43-year-old shipping controller said versatility was crucial in their success although they had established an order of representation in their teams that functioned well.

Regular competition on Monday nights at their club helped as well as entering numerous competitions.

"We've just come to Napier from the Federation Nationals in Timaru for a week."

The club paid their accommodation and airfares and it certainly helped that it had hosted four club nationals previously and that McDowell is the Cosy club manager.

Parker praised the Napier centre-hosted tourney this week with no qualms about shift in venues.

"Taradale club did a fantastic job in organising transport and venues and we've enjoyed our time in Napier at the motel and cafes so we can go home with some success."

Napier centre organiser Ross Hamilton said he had received good feedback with some saying "it was the best one they have ever been to".

Hornby club in Christchurch will host next year's nationals.

Hamilton said the North Island venue for 2017 will be announced at the annual meeting today.

In the fours semifinals last night, Pukekohe beat Marlborough A (Brain Stewart, Kevin Wills, Alec McFarlane and Tom Moore) 7-3 while Palmy North beat Masterton A (Donald Leighton, Kelvin Simonsen, Alex Butler and David Field) 8-6.