Bowls: Bowlers find Ireland's measure

The New Zealand men's and women's bowls teams say they have unfinished business even though they wrapped up their three-test series against Ireland in Christchurch yesterday.

Both teams won 6-2 at the Burnside club to take 2-0 leads in the three-match series, but both were quick to add that they want to complete clean sweeps in the final test in Christchurch today.

The women were the first to win their series when Marlene Castle beat Margaret Johnston 21-17 in the singles. It was the fourth successive win for Castle against the world outdoor champion, but she said that statistic and the series win were far from her mind as she battled Johnston.

"But it was great in the end to win the series and continue with the success bowls had last year."

The women set up the series in the morning when they won the pair and triple. The pair romped away to a 38-7 win but the triple, behind for most of the match, drew level on the penultimate end and snatched the win 15-14 on the final end.

A win or draw in the afternoon would secure the series and Castle obliged by matching Johnston with some superb draw bowls.

The women's four lost 18-21, although it did not alter the test or series.

Barbara Cameron and Paula Montgomery, who were the losing pair yesterday morning, played key roles at skip and lead in the Ireland four.

Ireland's Jeremy Henry beat Kerry Chapman 21-12 in the men's singles to avenge his first test loss on Tuesday, but the New Zealand four had a comfortable 22-17 win.

With the New Zealand triple skipping away to a big lead in the afternoon the series hinged on the pairs.

New Zealand's Paul Girdler and Russell Meyer, who lost by five to Henry and Neil Booth in the first test, turned the result around yesterday. From 5-7 down they went to a 17-8 lead before winning 23-20.

"They are good players," Girdler said of the Irish.

"It didn't matter what lead we had they kept pegging it back. They're aggressive players."

- NZPA