Bowls: No return to NZ team despite World Cup win

Don't count on women's bowls champion Jo Edwards donning national colours anytime soon despite winning another world title.

Nelson's Edwards emerged from a self-imposed international exile from the sport that began last year to successfully defend her World Cup indoor singles title, triumphing 7-4, 8-8 over Australia's Karen Murphy in a replay of last year's final.

Edwards provided a golden finish to New Zealand's campaign at Warilla, Australia after Andrew Kelly earlier won the men's World Junior Cup and defending champion Genevieve Baildon the silver in the women's World Junior Cup.

Edwards' extensive bowls CV now includes two World Cup singles crowns, two world pairs titles (with Sharon Sims in 2004 and Val Smith in 2008) and a 2002 Commonwealth Games pairs gold medal also won with Sims.

Burnout was a major reason for Edwards seeking a break from the sport.

"She is sticking to her original plan of not being available for New Zealand until after the Commonwealth Games," her husband Dave Edwards said yesterday.

"She will have a look at things again at the start of next season."

Dave Edwards, who is also the national coach and convenor of the national selection panel, said the World Cup was just a one-off event for her.

"She has been playing hardly at all, from memory she has played only three tournaments and hasn't been in her usual full-on training regime.

"But she did train extensively for about a month to six weeks before she went to the World Cup - she didn't want to make a fool of herself, she said."

The preparations paid off. Edwards lost only her first match to Guernsey's Alison Merrian and then rolled the same opponent 6-7, 9-6, 2-1 when they met again in the semifinal.

- NZPA