New Zealand's bowlers were the toast of Adelaide last night when three of their teams grabbed places in next week's world championship medal rounds.
With strong wins in all three concluding rounds Shannon McIlroy has gained promotion to next Wednesday's men's singles quarter-finals, while reigning pairs gold medallists Jo Edwards and Val Smith - after showing glimpses of their undoubted greatness on Tuesday - hit top form yesterday to secure a berth in next Tuesday's women's pairs quarter-finals.
Another New Zealand team to provide 11th hour heroics were the women's triples combination of Mandy Boyd, Jan Khan and Lisa White, who thumped Holland 31-5 in the final round, then watched on grimly as a confident England line-up was eliminated after trailing all match-long against Spain. That ensured the Black Jacks would appear in next Thursday's quarter-finals.
The men's fours of Richard Girvan, Ali Forsyth, Matt Gallop and Tony Grantham, who were pursuing back-to-back gold for New Zealand, bowed out of the competition despite three blistering wins over the concluding rounds. Having defeated Malaysia 25-10 in the last match, the Black Jacks needed England to beat Wales in a corresponding rubber, however, the Welsh quartet clinched a nail-biting two-shot win which saw New Zealand finish fourth and exit the competition.
Today qualifying for the men's pairs and triples along with women's singles and fours begins.
