Lawn bowls: Gibson adds to singles success

Shane Gibson, the Birkenhead club bowler who had heart and kidney transplants three years ago, continued his dream run at the New Zealand Open in Auckland yesterday.

Having already qualified for today's semifinals in the singles, Gibson added to that success by making the last eight in the pairs.

Leading for his experienced clubmate, Rod Mahon, the combination scored a stunning 14-9 win over national representatives Shannon McIlroy and Jamie Hill, recovering from a 9-1 deficit after seven of the 15 ends.

It was again a day for lesser known bowlers, with Aucklander Mike Bradshaw, already in the singles semifinals, also making the pairs quarter-finals with Rawhiti veteran clubmate, Neville Hill.

And New Lynn club bowlers Paul Stier and Greg Taylor took advantage of playing on their home green to oust world champion Gary Lawson and Commonwealth Games representative Richard Collett from the pairs.

Defending champions Kevin Robinson and Justin Goodwin were beaten 15-13 by the youthful pairing of Wellington's Ryan Khan and Auckland's Scott Cottrell.

Dan Delany and Chris Le Lievre justified their national selection for this tournament by making the quarter-finals with a 20-6 win over Henderson pair Steve Cox and Tony Garelja.

Others in the pairs quarter-finals are Wellington's Rob Ashton and Auckland's Barclay Lee, Michael Farac and John Carruthers from Auckland's Carlton-Cornwall club and Waikato's Stuart Settle and Bruce Milne.

In the women's events at Henderson yesterday Waikato's Annette Bell, Doreen Schumacher and Bev Corbett started confidently in defence of the title they won last year. Also in good early form were the national selection trio of Clare McCaul, Amy Brenton and Gemma Collett.

Northlanders Anne Bateman and Patricia Murray became the first qualifiers for the women's pairs semifinals with an easy win after just 11 ends in last night's quarter-finals.

They will meet the New Zealand selection of McCaul and Adele Greenfield in one semi-final, with the other between Point Chevalier's Jenny Jones and Fay Yates and another Auckland pair of Reen Stratford and national netball chief Raelene Castle.

Stratford and Castle won a tense quarter-final against champions Jan Shirley and Raelene Peters from Canterbury.