Bowls: Unbeaten Wilson on top

North Harbour under-25 bowls international Doug Wilson is handily placed after three rounds of singles at the National Club Championships in Rotorua.

Unbeaten Wilson leads the six-man field and, with two rounds to play today, the national title is his to lose.

Watched by the national selectors, the Australian-born Wilson came from 13-16 down in the first round yesterday to beat Paul Baken of Nelson 21-19.

He then disposed of South Canterbury's Sean O'Neill 21-13 and Palmerston North's Grant Catterick 21-16.

His fourth-round opponent is Daryl Gordon of Counties-Manukau, who beat O'Neill 21-5 in the third round.

Gordon shared second place on two wins with Baken, and these two are scheduled to meet in the fifth round when Wilson meets Michael Carroll, of Wellington, who ended yesterday without a win.

The women's contest remained wide open after a series of topsy-turvy results.

Margaret Henderson (Paeroa) had two wins, 21-16 over Mata Frankum of Waimate and 21-15 over Kapiti Coast's reigning national open singles champion Audrey Stevenson.

Henderson then slipped to a heavy 3-21 third-round loss to left-handed university lecturer Feona Sayles of Palmerston North, to provide Sayles with her second win.

Stevenson joined these two on two wins by winning her third-round game 21-10 over Frankum.

- NZPA