Bowls: Fine year for a roll-up

In a quiet year on the international scene, New Zealand bowlers consolidated on the rich pickings of the previous 12 months against some major rivals.

The old and new joined forces to maintain the high profile attained in 2000.

It was a tough act to follow.

The women had won the triples and fours gold medals at the world championships in New South Wales and the men harvested similar reward in the triples and took bronze in the fours and the pairs in the men's equivalent in Johannesburg.

There were still some noteworthy efforts last year as the development work employed by Bowls New Zealand, after an increase in funding in 2000, continued to pay dividends.

New Zealand were the most successful nation at the Asia Pacific championships in Australia, in October. They scooped the men's and women's team trophies, and the side won eight medals, one from each of the eight disciplines.

Diminutive Orewa bowler Marlene Castle continued her strong presence on the international scene by winning gold in the women's singles, a feat matched by Jo Edwards and Sharon Sims in the women's pairs and Russell Meyer and Paul Girdler in the men's pairs.

Sean Johnson won the silver medal in the men's singles, with the same result for the women's triple and the four. The men's triple and four won bronze.

New Zealand had the wood on great rivals Australia in most of the important match-ups last year.

There was the successful defence of the Trans-Tasman Trophy, made all the sweeter because it was achieved on Australian soil.

After beating their counterparts for the first time in four years in 2000, the men had to rally from 0-1 down to win the next two matches in Sydney and get one hand on the silverware in May.

The women excelled themselves, not only beating Australia for the first time, but scoring a 3-0 whitewash.

New Zealanders had more success in their neighbours' backyard in August when Rowan Brassey won the Golden Nugget invitation singles on the Gold Coast.

Two weeks later, New Zealanders dominated the Kingscliff pairs, in NSW, providing all four teams - eight players - in the men's and women's finals.

Edwards and Wendy Jensen came from behind to beat Sims and Castle, and Meyer and Girdler took the men's title in a cliffhanger over expats Brian Baldwin and Gary Mounsey.

In other international series, New Zealand beat the visiting Irish, who included the men's and women's world singles champions, 3-0.

In a tougher overseas assignment, the men overcame the slow greens in a whirlwind seven-test series to hold a decisive 5-2 edge over England. The women were pipped 3-4.

Rain curtailed a visit by Scotland's under-25 men's and women's teams. The first test was abandoned, but the New Zealand development teams won tests two and three by good margins.

Board shorts, spiked hair, shaved heads and body piercing replaced the more conservative dress codes on the greens for the national secondary schools championships last month.

The development of bowls in schools is part of a drive by the governing body to attract more numbers and has been a huge success story for the sport.

- NZPA