Bowls: Aramoho victory upholds a bowling tradition

Wanganui bowlers Sean Johnson and Phil Corney yesterday revived a proud tradition for their Aramoho club in the prestigious Manurewa pairs tournament by taking the title from the defending champions, Canterbury's Maurice Symes and Kelvin Scott.

In winning the tense final 10-9, Johnson and Corney placed their names alongside two other great Aramoho products, Peter Belliss and Keith Slight, who between 1981 and 1994 won the Manurewa title six times and finished runners-up twice.

Johnson was the hero yesterday with his powerful, accurate driving. On the 15th and final end Symes was holding the win but with his last bowl Johnson drove out the shot.

Last year Johnson was in the New Zealand world championship bowls team and was only playing at Manurewa after being axed from the national squad for this week's Transtasman test series in Australia.

He emphasised that he had not been trying to make any personal points, but was delighted to take the chance of reminding the national selectors he was still about.

"Not coming to the nationals in Auckland over Christmas and New Year may have cost me," he said after his win. "But I'd had 10 weeks off work last year to play world bowls and couldn't afford the time.

"I just wanted to play well up here and I've been happy with my results lately. Last week I made the semifinals of the Burnside pairs in Christchurch."

Ironically, Corney got his chance to be Johnson's partner only when Manawatu's Philip Skoglund, with whom Johnson was supposed to be playing, was promoted to the Transtasman team in Johnson's place.

A 40-year-old who is little known outside Wanganui, Corney battled at times yesterday at the front against the accuracy of Scott. But he recovered over the final, crucial ends and showed himself to be a competent bowler in his own right.

But it was the power of Johnson's drives which was the big difference in the final. It was a frustrating result for Symes, who has won this event three times, and Scott.

In the final four ends they were on the verge of winning, only to be frustrated, mainly by Johnson.

And on the 13th end Symes all but claimed four or five shots, only to just clip a wide bowl of Johnson's onto the jack.

For their win Johnson and Corney won automatic entry into Australia's Warilla pairs this year, plus $500 spending money each.

Johnson rated yesterday's win as his best achievement next to his two national titles.

In the semifinals Symes and Scott comfortably beat Dunedin's Ken Walker and Canterbury's Peter McLean. Johnson and Corney had a tighter battle over another Wanganui pair, Slight and Ray Park.

The father-and-son duo Maurice and Paul Hickey won the plate final from Aucklanders Ivan Marsic and Neal Fisher.