Bowls: Disaster continues for NZers

The results got worse for the New Zealand bowlers at the Commonwealth Games today.

Singles players Russell Meyer and Jo Edwards both lost their third round matches, again succumbing to the New Zealand bogey at these championships -- the tiebreaker.

Meyer lost to Asia Pacific gold medallist Canadian Ryan Bester in his match, while Jo Edwards lost to Fijian Litia Tikoisuva.

That result has almost spelt the end for Edwards, who lost yesterday to the Cook Islands' Tangata Tokorangi. She plays the renowned Northern Ireland bowler Margaret Johnston tomorrow and has to beat her in straight sets and pray that Tokorangi downs Tikoisuva in straight sets if she is to go through to the quarterfinals.

Meyer was cruising against Bester this morning. He won the first set 12-4 and led 5-0 and then 5-2 in the second before dropping four shots on the fifth end.

The Canadian edged ahead 8-6 on the penultimate end, but Meyer was holding three shots on the final end only to see Bester better him with his final drive and send the match into a tiebreaker.

Again Meyer was on top in the first end of the tiebreaker before Bester came with a late bowl to deprive him and the Canadian was too good on the last end.

Meyer now has to beat the highly rated Englishman Stephen Farish tomorrow to make it through to the quarterfinals.

The best performed New Zealand bowlers so far at these championships, Marina and Jan Khan, play Jersey to decide the bronze medal in the women's pairs this afternoon.

- NZPA