Bowls: Khan inspired by mum

Jan Khan joined her late mother Millie as a national singles bowls champion with a clinical 21-5 win over fellow Cantabrian Jan Shirley in the women's final at the Hutt Bowling Club in Lower Hutt yesterday.

There was another first-time winner in the men's singles, with Sydney-based Andrew Todd holding off a staunch fightback from Fairfield's Ken Walker, 63, gunning for a second title 23 years after his first.

Todd won 23-20 but not before an undaunted Walker chipped away at a 6-17 deficit to draw level at 20-20 before his momentum tailed away in the deciding end.

Millie Khan, who died in 2003, won 12 national titles, including four in the singles, and Jan Khan said afterwards that her mother had been the inspiration behind her win.

"Mum has been here several times and I was thinking of her, and how lovely it would be to do it [today] for myself and my whanau," Jan Khan said.

On a blustery day in Wellington, Khan - who has also won three national fours titles - overwhelmed Shirley with her game plan.

"The plan was not to drop any numbers. Jan is a tough competitor and very consistent.

"Playing in the wind, I just worked with the wind to put the bowls around the clock, play my length and keep the pressure on."

The strategy worked like a dream as she built up her lead to 16-1 while waiting for an expected comeback from Shirley, which arrived too late.

Shirley picked up four shots at the end to trail 5-19 but Khan calmly secured the title with a two-shot advantage on the final end.

"I was disappointed to go wayward near the end but I could not believe how I got away and I just kept the pressure on.

"It was real tough out on the green today, and I was happy I found my rhythm early on and got out to a comfortable lead.

"Jan is a steady player, but I just knew if I had bowls on the head throughout the game I would take the pressure off myself and I did that today," Khan said.

Walker, who entertained the crowd with his light-hearted approach in the final - once pulling out his hanky to jokingly wave the white flag in the face of some withering drives from Todd - said it had been great fun to play in such a keenly contested final.

"I don't think I have drawn so many shots and not got them counted - Andrew was superb with the running shots - he was killing me."

Todd hoped his first national singles title in his fourth nationals would seal him a spot in the New Zealand team for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi this year.

The champs continue today with the men's and women's fours.

- NZPA