Bowls: Walker up for first singles bowling title since 1987

Ken Walker hopes to step back in time on Hutt Valley's lush greens as he looks forward to achieving his first national singles bowls title since 1987.

Walker, from the Fairfield club, won through to today's grand final by eliminating Kevin Robinson (Putaruru) 21-14.

He will face current international Andrew Todd, who clawed back from a 2-10 deficit to beat Northern's Phillip Skoglund 21-15.

The Australian-based Todd, from Christchurch's Burnside club, was the NZ Open singles champion in 2007, 20 years after Walker first experienced success.

Earlier during a busy schedule, reigning champion Richard Collett had his campaign ended by Skoglund in the quarter-final stage.

Collett (Stoke) joined a growing list of defending champions denied an opportunity to repeat the feat and was philosophical after being comprehensively outplayed by one of the enduring names of New Zealand bowls.

"I'm not disheartened. I just played poorly and Skog played really well, so full credit to him," he said.

Todd, who started the day by beating former singles champion Kelvin Scott 21-13, was also responsible for ending the title bid of another prominent campaigner when he edged out Peter Belliss 21-16 in their quarter-final.

Ryan Bester, Danny Delany and David Eades were other high-profile players to bow out before the semifinals.

Bev White (Omanu) is a surprise contender for the women's pairs crown after she rolled New Zealand representative duo Karen Coombe (Wanganui) 17-12 in their semifinal.

She faces Reen Stratford (New Lynn), who squeezed to a 17-16 triumph over Helen King in the other semifinal.

Four finals are staged today, with the women's singles and men's pairs decided at the Hutt Bowling Club.

The women's singles is destined for Christchurch, where Jan Khan and Jan Shirley both live.

Wellington-based Cantabrian Gary Lawson and partner Delany meet Sean O'Neill and Lance Pascoe in the pairs' showpiece. Should Lawson prevail, he will equal the late Nick Unkovich's record of 10 national titles.

- NZPA