Bowls: Former stars still showing competitive streak

By BOB PEARCE

Forty-three years ago today Roger Harris defied a strong Canterbury bowling attack to score 112 and steer the Auckland cricket team to victory at Lancaster Park.

He later opened the batting for New Zealand in two tests against England and also found time in the winter to play 14 games at first five-eighths for the Auckland rugby team.

This morning, with Wellsford clubmate Terry O'Connor, Harris will be trying to qualify for the national bowls pairs championship at the Papatoetoe RSA.

They will be among 450 pairs chasing three or four wins to move on to post-section play in the Tower-sponsored event. A total of 40 greens at 29 different clubs from Orewa to Papakura will be in use.

Former stars of other sports can be found throughout the draw. Rugby's Mackie Herewini will be with Mt Richmond clubmate Peter Clark at Glen Eden.

Bert Ormond, a legend in his soccer-playing days, links with Mission Bay clubmate Mike Rooney at Onehunga and at the same club Leo Leonard, who used to race cars around the country, has come up from Timaru to pair with David Archer from Taieri.

Defending champion Chris Waterson (Wanganui) has a new partner in clubmate Rob Robertson.

They will play at Onehunga.

At Sandringham will be the 1999 champions, brothers Philip and Raymond Skoglund, from Northern, Palmerston North. Their father, Phil, who won this title in 1972 and 1976, will play with Bruce McNish at Pakuranga.

Gary Lawson (Hornby Domain) and Andrew Curtain (Elmwood), winners in 1997, are back together as a pair and must be among the favourites. They will be at Papatoetoe RSA.

The 1984 champions, Ivan Kostanich and Pat Robertson from Helensville, are at Remuera, where the competition includes the Carlton pairing of Ivan and Wally Marsic and the perennial qualifier Graham Skellern, now at Tauranga South and paired with clubmate Merv Gibbons.

All players will have four games today, with winners of three and four games to qualify for post-section play, which begins on Sunday.

Singles qualifying will be played tomorrow and fours on Friday and Saturday. All finals are at Onehunga on January 8.