KEY POINTS:
National bowls representative Jo Edwards earned herself a semi-final against Malaysian ace Siti Zalina after a hard-won quarter-final victory over Nelson's Dale Bourke at the national bowls championships in Christchurch today.
Edwards, now based at the Burnside club, was pushed right to the wire by her old United club-mate Bourke, eventually taking the match 21-17.
Zalina always had control of her quarter-final against New Zealand's three-time world champion Sharon Sims, running out a comfortable 21-13 winner.
Having won the last two Commonwealth Games singles titles, as well as beating Edwards in last year's Australian Open, Zalina started the championships as favourite to take the singles title and has shown her class throughout.
Two-time national champion Marie Watson showed she is still a major force and a very real finals prospect when she rolled Caroline Downs (Kensington) 21-7 with a great drawing display this morning.
In the remaining quarter-final, Judy Howat of (The Park), scored a three on the last end to beat Lois Ritson (Inglewood) 21-18 in a very tense game.
- NZPA
