KEY POINTS:
Nelson bowler Marie Watson has a shot at a fifth national championships singles bowls title after superb quarter-final and semifinal outings in Christchurch yesterday.
The United club veteran, one of the best women to grace New Zealand greens over the last decade, will meet world class Malaysian Siti Zalina in the final on Friday.
Zalina accounted for two of New Zealand's world championships bowls representatives, Sharon Sims and Jo Edwards in her quarter-final and semifinal respectively.
It won't be the first time the finalists have met.
Watson was beaten by Zalina in a Malaysian invitation tournament earlier this year and she vowed then that she would love to meet her under her own conditions.
On that occasion, they played indoors "on a carpet", according to Watson.
"She beat me hollow. I didn't have any idea on the carpet but I said to her then, that I'd really like to play her under New Zealand conditions," Watson said.
Watson came full of confidence, having won her centre singles title two weeks ago.
That confidence was justified as she swept aside Monday's hero Caroline Downs of the Kensington club, 21-7 in her quarter-final and then Judy Howat of The Park in the semifinal.
Watson and Howat combined to win pairs gold at the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games.
Friday will be Watson's eighth national singles final. She has won seven national titles, twice in the pairs and once in the fours.
It will be a challenge to topple Zalina, who was convincing in ousting Sims and Edwards.
Meanwhile, Canadians Ryan Bester and lead Mark Sandford were surprisingly toppled by Putaruru skip Kevin Robinson and his Steve Posa of Belfast, as the last 32 combinations in the men's pairs were whittled down to the semifinalists.
Bester had survived a tough day by beating Maurice Symes and Kelvin Scott of Belfast, and the Munros - John of Fairfield and Ross from the Forbury Park club.
So the ease with which Robinson thrashed the Canadians 21-3, was surprising.
Doug Wilson and his lead Justin Goodwin have progressed to the semifinals, as have Black Jack Andrew Todd, with lead Ross Bell, and the pre-championship favourites, Andrew Curtain and Gary Lawson.
- NZPA
