Bowls: Brassey through to final 16

Defending champion Rowan Brassey and his Avondale team have won through to the last 16 of the fours at the men's nationals in Wellington.

A 31-7 win over Dan Dickison, of Johnsonville, and a 24-13 victory over Naenae's George Benvenuti earned the titleholders a match against former international David File at the Hutt club at noon today.

File has travelled from Gisborne to play with three Naenae players - Eddie Irving and youngsters Cory Carroll and Dwayne Cameron.



In another top match, this one starting at 8.30am, the North-East Valley four under Terry Scott will meet Carlton's newly-crowned pairs champions Petar Sain and Wally Marsic.

Andre Smith's champion 1998 team from Marlborough also won through after beating Mt Maunganui's Chris Smith 31-12 and Canterbury's Kelvin Scott 25-12.

Smith now plays Phil Edwards, of Paekakariki, upset winners over 2002 semifinalists Alvin Gardiner, from Halswell, in the morning round.

Nick Grgicevich, of Onehunga, earned a last-16 place and will meet Tawa's Wayne Mather. Tawa are also represented by Ted Richardson's four, who face Silverstream's Mark Noble.

Noble stunned the fancied Rob Ashton team with a last-end run shot trailing the jack to count four and claim a 28-26 win after Ashton appeared in control, 23-13 up at one stage and still two up playing the last.

Favourite Gary Lawson met stern resistance from Eastbourne's Gary Ruane before edging away to win 27-20, and will now meet Ken Paget, of Havelock.

Kevin Robinson, of Tokoroa, will play a catch-up round against Wilton's Howard Ivory. The winner clashes with Te Rangi's evergreen Dave Burgess, who defeated Raika Gregory's all-teenage quartet.

Gregory, of Frankton Railway, had earlier come from 10-16 behind to beat Victoria's Lou Newman 27-20.





Completing the last 16, Terry Lynch, of Naenae, lines up against Beckenham's Ray Hunt.

In the morning matches (last 64), Colin Love of Titahi Bay stayed in the hunt for 80 minutes against Lawson.

That's how long it took for the first point to be registered because ends were killed, neither skip wishing to concede an early advantage.

But once on the board, Lawson gradually pulled away to win 23-9 in a match that proved the longest of the morning.