Bowls: Hill backs up Lawson's 'vendetta' claim

Jamie Hill. Photo / Dean Purcell

Another member of the New Zealand men's bowls four has described the match-fixing debacle as a witch-hunt.

But governing body Bowls NZ has come out in defence of its officials who reported and investigated the incident.

Gary Lawson, Jamie Hill, Shannon McIlroy and Shayne Sincock were found guilty of throwing an end during their match against Thailand at last year's Asia Pacific Championships in Malaysia. Lawson claims it is the result of a personal vendetta against him by Bowls New Zealand chief executive Kerry Clark.

Jamie Hill has backed up his skipper's assertion. He says Bowls New Zealand has been out to get the team members, and in particular Gary Lawson, from the start.

"If they could line us up against the wall and shoot us I think they would, I mean, we didn't go out there and blatantly try to lose a game - we had a bad end and then lost on a fluke".

Hill says management has treated them disgracefully. He says the witch hunt has been going for four months and Bowls New Zealand officials seem to think they can treat people however they wish without repercussions.

Hill says the New Zealand team looks like being robbed of its two best players in Lawson and Shannon MclIroy, for the Commonwealth Games. He says it is possible they could face lengthy suspensions.

Meanwhile, the Bowls New Zealand board has leapt the defence of its officials in the fallout over the match-fixing incident.

In a statement, chairman John Carter says the guilty decision of the judicial committee confirms the professional way CEO Kerry Clark, coach Dave Edwards and High Performance Manager Lyn Johnston have handled the matter.

Carter says the behaviour of the four was a terrible example to other players.

Bowls New Zealand will not be making further comment until a decision on the players' punishment is made.

- NEWSTALK ZB