Bowls: Winning combination strikes double

SYDNEY - Compatibility and teamwork were the foundations underlying New Zealand's winning two gold medals at the women's world bowls championships, according to skipper Anne Lomas.

Lomas led the triples and the fours to titles at Moama, Victoria, with the fours being decided in a tense final against Scotland when an extra end was needed before New Zealand prevailed 18-17.

"It was just a team effort," Lomas said of the past 21/2 weeks.

"We all had our moments. We all had our good games and our not so good games. If one couldn't do it, the next one did.

"We all just got on really well. It was great."

Ten days ago, Lomas (Counties Manukau), Patsy Jorgensen (Hawkes Bay) and Sharon Sims (Manawatu), in their first world championships, beat England in the triples final to give New Zealand their first gold at this level for 23 years.

With the addition of fellow tournament debutante Jan Khan (Christchurch), they repelled a determined Scottish fightback to claim the fours crown at the weekend.

Against Scotland, who had to play with borrowed bowls when their own failed to pass testing, New Zealand opened a 16-4 lead midway through.

But the Scots, with former two-time world champions Sarah Gourlay at No 2 and Joyce Lindores at skip, slowly pegged back the margin. Down 12-17 with two ends to go, they gained the necessary five shots to tie the match.

Proceedings were delayed for several minutes as officials debated whether ends differential - whoever had won the more ends - should decide the result. Scotland were ahead on that score 11-10. But the tournament's jury of appeal decided that the deadlock would be broken by an extra end.

After play resumed, New Zealand found themselves two down before Sims, at No 3, managed to draw the shot bowl. Lindores made a game effort at dislodging it but just failed.

Sims said she knew she had to make her bowl count because otherwise the Scots would have put a block in and the opportunity would be gone.

"I just took my line and concentrated on getting the bowl away as good I could," she said. "It was marvellous to see it pull that jack out of there. When it was still there at the end, I just burst into tears. "

Sims said that winning the fours was "probably an even bigger buzz" than victory in the triples.

In the singles, New Zealand's Marlene Castle finished seventh after beating Swaziland's Karin McGarvie 21-16. The title went to Ireland's Margaret Johnston, who downed Rita Jones, of Wales, 21-14.

The Taylor Trophy for overall team performance was won by England ahead of Australia and Scotland, with New Zealand fourth among the 34 nations. - NZPA