Bowls: Consolation silver for NZers in world champs

5.30pm

New Zealand won the triples silver medal at the men's world bowls championships at Ayr, Scotland, today.

Sean Johnson, Rowan Brassey and skip Gary Lawson lost 11-15 to Scotland in the playoff for the world title, with the host nation's skip David Peacock proving the difference between the teams.

With yesterday's pairs bronze to add to the equation, the New Zealand team have the consolation of heading the Leonard Team Trophy standings at the halfway stage of the championships.

They are equal on points with Scotland and Ireland, but are ahead on total shots scored.

Manager Peter Shaw must now lift the team quickly, as attention switches overnight to the singles and fours events.

"As a manager you share the disappointment the players are feeling," Shaw said.

" We didn't come here to come second, and it will take a few hours to disappear.

"But the nature of this tournament is that we must bounce straight back. We will deal with our disappointment and show the strength we have developed as a team to move straight into next week."

In a tight final New Zealand briefly silenced a partisan crowd by taking a 5-1 lead after the opening exchanges.

But Scotland dominated the second stanza, winning the next six ends to lead 11-5.

Lawson rallied thanks to an excellent shot under pressure when he found down on the head but dragged the jack back into the ditch for the shot.

That sparked a mini revival as New Zealand closed to be 10-11 down with four ends to play.

But with Scotland's Jim McIntyre and veteran Willie Wood keeping up the pressure, New Zealand were again on the defensive on a rink over which only Peacock could claim any mastery.

And when he converted yet again, two down to two up, it was 15-10 playing the last, a mountain the New Zealanders were unlikely, and ultimately unable, to climb.

The opening matches in the singles will see Russell Meyer play opponents from Canada and Samoa, while the four, skipped by Lawson, play Samoa and Kenya.

- NZPA