Bowls: Kiwis bowled by Games draw

From left, Rowan Brassey, Peter Bellis and Gary Lawson. Picture / Mark Mitchell

MELBOURNE - Gary Lawson and Peter Belliss chose their words carefully, but it was apparent they are far from happy with aspects of the Commonwealth Games lawns bowls programme which rolls off on Thursday.

Lawson, back from Games wilderness for the first time since 1994, will skip the triples - a new event on the programme.

But, as a first-time competition (replacing the more traditional fours), organisers have not seeded the teams, and the random draw has the top six triples teams from the last World Bowls (in 2004) in two of the four sections.

"We have asked why they did not use results from World Bowls as a basis to seed teams here, but they could not give us an answer," said Lawson yesterday.

The team of Lawson, Justin Goodwin and Richard Girvan are in the same section as Wales and Ireland. South Africa, Scotland and England - other top-six finishers two years ago - are in another section.

"One section does not have one team from the top 10 at World Bowls in it," said Lawson.

"We are going to get on with it and play every game as though we are in post-section [knockout], but we know that even one loss in section play could end our chances, with only two teams from each section progressing to the quarter-finals."

Coach Belliss, like Lawson and pairs skip Rowan Brassey, has had his run-ins with officialdom over the years but was circumspect in aiming any criticism at the organisers.

"It seems a bit strange that the triples will be all over four days after we start," said Belliss. "It is going to be tight under this format and especially playing in sets rather than shots. You can't wear your opponents down in sets."

Lawson, asked for his preference, gave a quick "no comment", adding "we are here to play sets".

He also made the point that 48 sessions are available for the lawn bowls programme yet he and his team will be "done and dusted" well before the halfway point.

Lawson has other special reasons for wanting to bring home gold.

The death from cancer last week of former national coach Stu Buttar robbed Lawson of not only a long-time teammate but a close friend.

"It was an absolute tragedy. The world has lost a bloody good guy," said Lawson. "This is my chance to say goodbye."

Lawson rates Brassey and lead Jamie Hill as a "big chance" in the pairs, adding that all 12 New Zealanders have a "decent shot at the medals".

That has been the feeling in the past, but they have not always delivered.