Bowls: Leading players bowled over in qualifying rounds

By GRAHAM SKELLERN

The Auckland Hillsboro father and son bowlers, Nick and Neven Grgicevich, were playing miles apart at the national championships in the Bay of Plenty yesterday.

And not even some sort of family telepathy could save them from crashing out of the singles qualifying.

Nick Grgicevich, a former fours winner, was in the section of death at Omokoroa, just out of Tauranga, and he lost his second and third games to the talented youngster Cory Carroll (Wellington) 21-20 and Northland representative Murray Le Prou 21-13.

Neven Grgicevich, a semifinalist in Wellington a few years ago, was cruising along at Whakatane after winning his first two games.

But he struck trouble losing to the local greenkeeper, Wayne Phillips 21-17. Then in a do-or-die match for both players, two-times fours winner Mike Soloman (Wellington) beat Neven Grgicevich 21-14.

Back at Omokoroa, the singles hopes of defending fours champion Nick Krajancic (Carlton), North Harbour representative Gary Muriwai and Carroll were also extinguished.

Krajancic lost his last two matches to Carroll 21-19 and Warren Field (Nelson) 21-19. Muriwai dropped a game to Krajancic 21-19 and then 21-18 to Counties Manukau representative Richard Collett.

In this topsy turvy section, Nick Separovich (Henderson), who has lived on the Gold Coast, lost his first game to Krajancic 21-18 but then bowled superbly to win his next three matches and qualify for Thursday's post section phase of 159 players.

Separovich's final 21-15 victory cut out the dangerous Carroll. The young Papakura player Collett performed creditably by winning his first three games over Field, Carroll and Muriwai.

Experienced Northland representative John Dunn was another surprise casualty - losing 21-16 to the unbeaten wily campaigner Pat Robertson and then to Wellington's Anton Ferrari 21-18.

Robertson's Helensville mate, the 78-year-old Ivan Kostanich - the singles winner in 1993 - pulled off a magnificent fourth-round win to qualify in the Tower-sponsored tournament.

Kostanich, beaten by Waikato representative Neville Risbridge 21-16 in the first game, used all his big-time experience to secure a 21-9 victory over Hamilton's Kevin Boothby, who reached the last 16 last year.

One of the tournament favourites Kerry Chapman (Glenfield) had to get his magic green bowls moving in his fourth match, after being thrashed by national trialist Rob Ashton (Wellington) 21-9 in the third game.

Chapman, the New Zealand Superbowls champion, got back into full stride by beating Henderson's Bob McKendry 21-9.

Ashton made light work of his tough draw after also beating Waikato representative Murray Glassey, 21-11 and former fours winner Barry Greer (Silverdale) 21-15.

Two former singles winners Peter Shaw (Palmerston North) and Petar Sain (Carlton) easily made the post section with three straight victories - Shaw beating top Bay of Plenty player Lance Tasker 21-9 in his first game.

The 1998 singles winner, Kelvin Scott (Christchurch), had to go a fourth game before qualifying after surprisingly dropping his third to Keith Walker (Cambridge) 21-15.