Bowls: Singles double will test stand-in

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Doreen Schumaker has big bowling shoes to fill at this week's national interclub and intercentre bowls championships.

The former Hunua and Counties player will play singles for Matamata and then Waikato in a hectic four-day schedule at the Palmerston North Bowling Club.

Millie Khan will miss both championships because she and Marlene Castle will be in Belfast preparing for the world indoor singles.

Matamata have won the interclub title three times and finished second once in the four years of the competition.

Val Smith will play singles for Nelson's United Club tomorrow and on Friday, but will lead for Jo Edwards in the Nelson pair for the intercentre championship on Saturday and Sunday.

World Bowls double gold medal winner Anne Lomas will skip the Counties four in what promises to be a keenly contested event.

The men's interclub features top singles player Rowan Brassey, who leads the challenge by the Avondale Club for the men's title.

Brassey's main opposition is likely to come from Tokoroa's Kevin Robinson and former national singles champion Kelvin Scott, who leads the challenge by Christchurch's Belfast Club.

Ross Haresnape will lead for Neville Hill in what promises to be a tough Avondale pairing and Hill's son Jamie will play at three in the Mike Reid-skipped four.

The Auckland club will face tough opposition from Tokoroa, Belfast and, in particular, Palmerston North's Northern Club, who have in-form Ian Meyer playing singles, Peter Shaw as skip of their pair and Phillip Skoglund as skip of the four.

Skoglund will switch to singles for the intercentre. His father, Phil, will come into the Manawatu side as skip of the pair, with Meyer as lead.

Sid Giddy, who skipped the Mt Maunganui four to their second successive national title in January, will skip the club's pair in the intercentre, with Lance Tasker as lead.

The men's intercentre championship will be hard-fought, with strong teams from Northland, Bay of Plenty, Manawatu, Wellington, Nelson and Dunedin.