KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand bowls squad announced yesterday includes recalls for two former internationals, four young "raw talents" and a first national call-up at age 60 for Auckland's Jo Babich.
National selection convener Dave Edwards said former internationals Jamie Hill and Karen Coombe had shown renewed enthusiasm for the international scene and had worked their way back into consideration by their performances in the past year.
Babich had shown that age was no barrier to gaining national recognition for the first time. "She simply demanded selection through her results."
With an eye on the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, the two top performers from the female development squads of the last two years, Waikato's Genevieve Baildon and Wellington's Clare McCaul, were also picked.
For the men's squads, last year's Hong Kong Classic winner, Mark Watt, and Canterbury's promising Andrew Kelly were included. The most notable male omission is double world title winner, Russell Meyer, who is living in Liverpool and, as a new father, has not played much recently.
NATIONAL SQUADS
Men: Ali Forsyth (Nelson), Richard Girvan (Sydney), Tony Grantham (North Harbour), Jamie Hill (Auckland), Andrew Kelly (Canterbury), Gary Lawson (Canterbury), Shannon McIlroy (Nelson), Sean O'Neill (South Canterbury), Andrew Todd (Sydney) and Mark Watt (Dunedin).
Women: Jo Babich (Auckland), Genevieve Baildon (Waikato), Mary Campbell (Taupo), Karen Coombe (Wanganui), Jo Edwards (Canterbury), Jan Khan (Canterbury), Serena Matthews (Canterbury), Clare McCaul (Wellington), Val Smith (Nelson) and Manu Timoti (Whangarei).
- NZPA
