Bowls: Muir might get call-up

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Ann Muir could well find herself playing a dual role when the New Zealand bowls team play England in seven tests which start in York next week.

The late withdrawal of Wanganui's Karen Coombe has pitched Muir, a former international but now team manager, into the limelight.

If injury or illness force any of the remaining seven players on to the sideline in the gruelling test schedule, Muir will step up to the mat.

Coombe's withdrawal has given Wendy Jensen and Jo Edwards a better chance of forcing their way into the five-strong team to play the Asia Pacific championships in Australia in October.

Jensen and Edwards have joined the five members of New Zealand's successful World Bowls team - Marlene Castle, Jan Khan, Patsy Jorgensen, Sharon Sims and Anne Lomas - in the team, who leave for England tomorrow.

Castle seems set to play the singles and Jensen and Edwards the pairs. The now-established combination of Khan, Jorgensen, Sims and Muir will probably comprise the fours.

Edwards and Castle will also play the August 6-9 Golden Nugget singles at Tweed Heads in a hectic off-season programme.

The New Zealand men's team will take a settled line-up into the tests against England.

Kerry Chapman is almost certain to play singles, Paul Girdler and Russell Meyer the pairs and Andrew Curtain, Phillip Skoglund, Rowan Brassey and Peter Belliss the fours. The eighth team member, Wanganui's Sean Johnson, will get game time - possibly at No 2 in the four - but he will have a tough battle to keep out the more established internationals.

The New Zealand teams will play their first test in York on Tuesday after a warm-up match on Monday.

They will play the first three tests on successive days, have a break for three days during which they will play a mixed match in Coventry, then resume the tests on July 23 at Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Men: Kerry Chapman (Auckland), Andrew Curtain (Canterbury), Paul Girdler (Dunedin), Russell Meyer (Australia), Sean Johnson (Wanganui), Phillip Skoglund (Manawatu), Rowan Brassey (Auckland), Peter Belliss (Australia). Manager: Peter Kean (Auckland).

Women: Marlene Castle (North Harbour), Wendy Jensen (Counties Manukau), Jo Edwards (Nelson), Jan Khan (Christchurch), Patsy Jorgensen (Hawkes Bay), Sharon Sims (Manawatu), Anne Lomas (Counties Manukau). Manager: Ann Muir (Whangarei).