INDOOR BOWLS - Northern dominance secures trophy win

Whangarei were imperfect hosts on Sunday by making off with the silverware at the annual Northland inter-association indoor bowls tournament at Badminton Hall.
The Far North, Bay of Islands, Whangarei, Northern Wairoa and Rodney competed for the Ken Rogers Trophy, with Otamatea the only association not to field a team at the event.
Whangarei headed off the competition with 40 game points, 146 ends, 278 points - well ahead of the Bay of Islands team with 28, 133.5, 228 and Rodney 21, 122.5, 223.
The top singles' player was Whangarei's Noel Bailey with four wins, ahead of the Far North's Janet Sole with 3.5 wins and the group of Jim Simpson, Eryl Nolan, Lyn Brittain and Jeff Cole on three wins.
Bay of Islands' players Don Christini and Di Ross were the best prepared pair at the tournament, one win ahead of Whangarei's Judy Johnston and Kath Love, with Whangarei's Peter Dalton, Ron Diment, John Hackworthy the only unbeaten triple.
Whangarei's John Dufty, Kia Ward, Michael Riceman, Connie Cebalo were the top four with three wins.
The Northland Indoor Bowling Centre's squad was also named for the Super 12 competition to be played on May 18 against Auckland, Roskill and Districts and North Harbour at Western Hall, Auckland.
The six two-player teams are: Don Simpson and Noel Bethel (1); Lyn Brittain and Lillian Christini(2); Judy Johnston and Noel Bailey (3); John Dufty and Jeff Cole (4); Dave Ross and Chris Watson (5); Kia Ward and Trudy Watson (6); Non travelling reserves: Bob and Pauline McKinley.