Bowls: Bester four make the early running

Young Canadian Ryan Bester has been wowing bowls fans at the national championships in Wellington with the power and accuracy of his driving but hardly needed to use it yesterday as the fours competition began.

Bester, rated one of the best drivers in the world by New Zealand legend Gary Lawson, is skipping a four of his pairs partner, Christchurch's Colin Lowery, and Commonwealth Games team members, Justin Goodwin and Jamie Hill, both of Auckland.

The Bester four breezed through three rounds yesterday, not needing to play the final ends after building comfortable leads.

The four players had failed to make the final stages of the singles and pairs competition, completed on Tuesday. But after yesterday's performance, Bester, 21, said he thought they would be among the frontrunners.

"It's the first time we have played as fours and we seemed to gel pretty well," he said. The team line-up - Lowery leading, Goodwin at two and Hill at three and Bester skipping - fell into place because he had been playing skip for the past decade. The were no major upsets on the first day of section play in the men's and women's fours.Besides Bester, Bowls NZ chief executive and 1974 Commonwealth Games fours medallist, Kerry Clark, of Epsom, and his team sit on two wins, as well as Aussie-based New Zealand Commonwealth Games team member, Richard Girvan, of Taren Point.

The Christchurch four from the Hills - Lawson, Glen McDonald, Andrew Todd and Rowan Brassey - are also on two wins.

Pairs champions Rex Holmes and Brian Howman, of Paraparaumu Beach who have teamed up with fellow pairs finalists Peter Petherick, of Central Levin, and Jim Vevers, of Kia Toa, won just one match.

Of the women, Commonwealth Games pairs skip Jan Khan, of Beckenham, and her team of sister and Games pairs partner Marina Khan of Tokoroa, and Ngongotaha's Mina Paul and Mere Eden won three matches.

After winning the pairs yesterday, Palmerston North's Sharon Sims' winning streak continues, taking three wins.

Sims and pair partner Mary Campbell, of Taupo, have teamed up with Taupo duo, Lynne McIntosh and Wendy Green, who beat Asia Pacific pairs bronze medallist, Val Smith, in the first round of singles post section play. Reigning champions Judy Carson, Ann Muir, Carline Downes and Nancy Jujnovich, all of Kensington, won two games and need two more to make post-section play. Teams need four wins to advance.

- NZPA