Bowls: 'Queen of the Green' Millie Khan dies

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Millie Khan's sudden death in Rotorua yesterday has robbed New Zealanders of one their most loved and successful sportswomen.

The 65-year-old "Queen of the Green" died of a heart attack at one of her six daughters' homes.

After swapping golf clubs for lawn bowls and joining the highly successful Matamata Club, Khan quickly showed she was a better than average bowler.

She won the first of 12 national titles - only dual world champion Cis Winstanley won more - in 1989 when she surprised many with victories in singles and fours leading for the Rhoda Ryan-skipped Matamata team.

Most gracious in defeat or victory, "Magical" Millie Khan was one of sport's great characters.

In one of the most dramatic stories of the 1990 Commonwealth Games, Khan won silver - beaten 25-18 by Papua New Guinean Geau Tau - in the final of the singles at Pakuranga.

Khan was unaware that her 10-month-old grandson, Brad, had died just outside the gates of the bowling club earlier in the day.

Compatriot Marie Watson recalled the "worst day of my life".

Watson was told of the tragedy but then had to keep the news from Khan.

"Team management didn't want Millie to know," said a devastated Watson yesterday.

Khan was shielded from the media and public and learned of the tragedy only after she had finished her battle with Tau. "I don't think she ever forgave team management for not telling her," Watson said.

Although the Matamata connection remained strong, Khan, who always put family first, was at the forefront of the move for women to follow the men in allowing composite teams to play at the national championships.

Fittingly, the first composite team to win at that level was the Millie Khan-skipped four which included daughter Jan.

Jan Khan followed her mother into the New Zealand team as did another daughter, Marina. Jan Khan flew back to New Zealand yesterday from Australia where she was preparing to play in this week's Asia Pacific championships.

Paying tribute to Millie Khan yesterday, Marie Watson said: "She was a wonderful bowler. I looked up to her. She was my idol.

"It did not matter whether you played a good shot or a shocker, she was always supportive. If you were playing terribly, she would go out and draw the shot. She was a brilliant player. A joy to play with, and against."

Though they were often team-mates, Khan and Watson rarely shared a room.

More often than not, Khan would be with Judy Howat. Both smokers, they were the perfect room-mates.

Khan would go to bed early and sleep through anything. Howat, a night owl, would retire after midnight and sleep late - long after earlybird Khan would be up and on to her second or third cup of the dozen "cuppas" she would drink every day.

After winning Commonwealth Games bronze (again in singles) in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, Khan quit the international scene.

"Like me, she became frustrated at having to deal with things like sports psychologists and filling out forms," said Watson.

Khan's tangi will be at the Waiteti Marae, Ngongotaha, on Thursday at 11am.

* An obituary will appear on Saturday.