Chris Rattue: Unkovich a legend on the greens

New Zealand sport lost a great character with the death of bowler Nick Unkovich last week.

Unkovich had a character that mixed the rascal with the irascible. He was highly competitive and intimidatory at times, but you suspected that he just loved to make mischief. A leading official once called him "the biggest baddie on the greens".

My dealings with him were limited, although memorable. On the first occasion, he happily plied me, by telephone, with critical comments about the surface for an indoor tournament at Royal Oak.

But on turning up at the tournament, the "Beware of Nick" sign went up from other bowlers, who reckoned the old bugger was less than impressed with the story outcome.

Unkovich himself scowled, so I kept a distance.

And at a national tournament in Lower Hutt in the late 1990s, he decided on an intermission during a major fours match, sending his team's young lead off to collect a tray of top-shelf drinks.

It was part of a vintage Unkovich performance. Despite not skipping that Rawhiti team, the 75-year-old still ran the show - as well as needling opponents and playing up to the crowd.

"You could have had the shot with a bit more weight," he rasped to an opponent.

Nick Unkovich - a bowls legend and unforgettable character.