Bowls: Shrewd veteran leads the way with close wins

Photo / Thinsktock

Veteran Lou Newman (Victoria) is a wily opponent with a shrewd tactical sense that is able to swing games in his favour.

He demonstrated this during the first day of section play in the men's fours at the national open bowls championships in Dunedin yesterday.

He led his Victorian club team of Laurie Guy, Richard Corry and Raymond Martin to three wins.

They beat Keith Ellwood (Kaikorai) 18-13, Gilbert Watt (Balfour) 17-12 and Rodney Fleming (Forbury Park) 17-11.

All the games were tight but the Wellington team had the ability to apply extra pressure in the vital final few ends.

They did this in the third-round game against Fleming, when they led 14-11 after 15 of the 18 ends and then played defensive bowls to shut out the Forbury Park team and add three shots on the last three ends.

The first-round game was the toughest for Newman, whose team took time to read the pace of the green and trailed 3-10 after six ends.

They finally hit the front on the 15th end, 14-13, and then scored twos on the next two ends to consolidate their position. Newman made the critical call to hold on to the jack rather than have the last bowl when Kaikorai held the advantage.

"It helped the young lead to settle down," Ellwood said. "We only scored off the last end when we were given the jack."

Newman used his vast experience to change tactics and win the game.

"We were stronger over the longer ends than they were and it made a big difference," he explained.

The weather was cold and there was a tricky wind on the Wakari green.

But this did not deter the composite team of Shayne Sincock, Ryan Bester, Dan Delany and Gary Lawson from notching three easy wins.

They beat Rodney Fleming (Forbury Park) 21-3 after just 14 ends in the first game, toppled Alan Reid (Tainui) 17-8 in the second round and outclassed Graham Bishop (Ashburton) 26-10 in the third game.

The young and talented composite four of Nick Buttar, Chris Le Lievre, Andrew Kelly and Shannon McIlroy lifted their game up another notch to beat Bob McAuley (Kaitangata) 15-11 in its first game and Murray Grant (Milton) 21-15 in the second round before being beaten by Ken Walker (Fairfield) 18-12.

The Mackay team from North Queensland of Ray Kurtz, Alan Howard, Chris Gee and Dennis Mills won their three games, beating Murray Grant (Milton) 17-12, Ken Walker 20-19 and Rex Calder (Outram) 18-12.

Teams need four or more wins from six games to qualify for post-section play.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES