Bowls: Powerful start helps seal title for Farac, Cox

By LINDSAY KNIGHT

Mike Farac and his Henderson club partner Steve Cox each collected $1200 for winning the inaugural Rawhiti 10,000 pairs bowls title yesterday.

But for Farac the prize money meant little in motivation.

These days, rather than any tangible prize, Farac plays in dedication to his late older brother, Morris.

He had been chiefly responsible for Mike taking up bowls 20 or so years ago after he had achieved plenty of sporting distinction as a Blockhouse Bay National League soccer player.

"Morris and I played a lot together and won centre titles together," Farac said. "I'm sure he is round somewhere keeping a close eye on us because he was very competitive."

Winning against a field of top quality also exceeded for Farac the pleasure of a handsome cheque.

"There were some very good players here and the standard was high," he said. "It's always good to win in good company."

Farac was also chuffed for his partner Cox who, he felt, had made another valid point to Auckland centre selectors.

In Farac's view they have not given Cox's form enough recognition this year.

"Steve has been in and out of rep teams and, incredibly, he has been left out this year, even though he has been playing some of the best bowls of his life," Farac said.

In yesterday's final, Farac and Cox beat Tony Holdsworth and Brett Proffitt (Onehunga) 15-11.

The scoreline perhaps flattered the losers, even if they played strongly over the final ends.

After five ends Farac and Cox had a 10-0 lead in the 16-end match and the result was just about assured from then.

Holdsworth and Proffitt battled back well to 13-6 afer 11 ends, but a two on the 12th effectively took the game away from them.

Ironically, because of the big early lead, Farac and Cox were not happy with their form in the final.

"We got away to a flier,"Cox said, "but after that became overly defensive and started playing the board."

Holdsworth and Proffitt, who won $500 each as runners-up, beat the host club's Pat Campbell and Barry Greer 15-10 in one semifinal.

Cox and Farac beat North Harbour's Brent Turner and David Eades 15-13 in the other.

Cox and Farac, though, got their biggest fright in section play when beaten by Howick's Ivan Agnew and Syd Campbell.

They drew the same pair in the knockout post section stage and struggled to win narrowly.

* In the semifinals today of the Auckland region's other high-profile pairs tournaments, at Manurewa, Tony Andrews and Mark Hall, of Avondale, will carry local hopes against a trio of top national champions and former internationals.

Andrews and Hall meet Waikato's Kevin Robinson and Neville Risbridge in one semifinal, and Duendin's Ken Walker and Blair Barringer and Canterbury's Maurice Symes and Kelvin Scott meet in the other.

* Birkenhead's Randel Watkins, Rod Mahon and John Grantham won the Browns Bay triples yesterday, beating Northland's Wintle brothers, John, Willie and KD in the final.