Bowls: 'Faithfuls' help Sims find form

After surrendering her singles title at the national championships in Wellington, Sharon Sims has gone back to the tried and true for the rest of the tournament.

Where she had struggled to come to terms with the breezy, hot and dry conditions in Wellington previously, Sims was a picture of confidence in post section play of the women's pairs yesterday with some sparkling shots.

She attributed the confidence to having her set of Drake's Pride Specials, the "old faithfuls", back in her hand.

She had switched to a Greenmasters set in October and had finished runner-up in the world singles champion of champions event in Christchurch in November, going down 8-6, 3-9, 1-2 to Malaysian 19-year-old Nor Iryani Azmi.

"I was using the Greenmasters at the start of the tournament but rushed home on Friday night to get the Drakes," Sims said after cruising untroubled into the last 16 of the women's pairs.

"I just felt so much more confident using the Drakes, with which I have won so many events over the years - the Greenmasters are on a shelf back home in Palmerston North."

Sims, and partner Mary Campbell, from Taupo, beat Pakuranga mother-daughter combination Marlene and Raelene Castle 17-3 and followed that with a 28-2 win over Wainuiomata's Robyn Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald had beaten defending champions Anne Bateman and Janice McLean of Kensington 18-17 in a match that went to an extra end.

Bateman wasn't dismayed at the loss, saying both sides had produced excellent bowls all round.

"We're happy - we played well."

Needing three shots, trailing 14-17 on the final 16th end, Fitzgerald sent the match into the extra end with a fine shot.

"We only came here to do our best and exceeded our goals."

The Park's Judy Howat, who is recovering from a broken ankle, dropped out after losing to Beckenham's Lorraine Davis.

In a New Zealand Commonwealth Games team showdown, Nelson's Jo Edwards and Val Smith beat sisters Jan and Marina Khan 17-14 to make the last 16, where they will play United clubmate Colleen Earl.

In men's post section singles play, defending champion Dwayne Cameron scrambled into the top 16 after mid-game stumbles.

"I just didn't play consistently - I'm used to coming from behind and I don't know what to do with myself when I'm in front," said Cameron, 39.

No Commonwealth Games team members made the top 16 of the men's singles, following Gary Lawson's exit in sectional play.

Games pairs skip Rowan Brassey was beaten by Castlecliff's Alan Dickson 21-14 in the fourth round and his Games pairs partner, Jamie Hill, of Port Chevalier, was beaten by Paraparaumu's Phil Dickison 21-17 at the same stage.

Taren Point's Richard Girvan, a member of the Games triples team, lost to Castlecliff's Chris Waterson 20-21 in the third round.

The championships continue today with day two of the men's singles and women's pairs post-section play.

- NZPA