Bowls: Family affair as father and son combos win fours

The Park and Gush households had plenty to celebrate after the final of the 100th Taranaki Open fours in New Plymouth yesterday.

The Parks - father Ray and son Clint - and the Gush's - father Barry and son Craig - from the Northern club in Palmerston North beat Rodger Hassall's team from Paritutu 23-20 in a tense final.

Wanganui representative Ray Park skipped the winning team, with Kapiti representative Clint at three. Manawatu representative Craig Gush played at two and his father Barry at lead.

"What can you say, it was a great game. It could have gone either way," Ray Park said afterwards.

For Hassall and two of his team - Bryan Sanger (three) and Terry Muir (lead) - there was bitter disappointment. It was the third time in five years the trio had made it through to the final only to be beaten.

When play was suspended just over an hour into the final because of steady rain, Northern led 9-6. But back came the Paritutu side after the 15-minute break to lead 15-11.

The visiting four hit back, winning four ends to lead 20-15, before Paritutu threatened to steal the show, levelling the scores at 20-20 with two ends to play. A single on the 24th end gave Northern a 21-20 win.

Hassall had the chance to level the scores again and send the final to five extra ends. But his final two bowls were wide.

- NZPA