Matt Berry is presented with the New Zealand Men’s Singles trophy and medal by Bowls New Zealand President Piripi Huwyler. Photo / BowlsNZ
Sports fans love an underdog story, especially in an age where nothing - it seems - is left to chance.
Enter laidback 38-year-old Matt Berry - a housepainter when he is in the mood to work - who caused maybe the biggest upset in the history of New Zealand bowls by winning the men’s singles title last month.
Berry, from Henderson, beat rising Blackjacks star Keanu Darby of Dunedin in the final at Browns Bay to claim the ultimate prize.
His magical run included a 21–0 win in the round of 16, a score almost unheard of at this level.
Berry, raised in Hauraki Corner near Takapuna, had never won a big title or made a representative team before his shock triumph. Many top bowlers from around the country had never heard of him.
Yet this unknown will now represent New Zealand in the world champion-of-champion singles tournament in New South Wales, Australia, in September, and Berry hopes it leads to a full-time bowling career across the ditch.
Not that his talent had gone completely unnoticed by Auckland luminaries.
But Berry says his fondness for an ale and subsequent “antics” halted his progress.
You almost failed to even qualify for the national finals ...
My first three qualifying games were at Howick, and I lost the first two – one more loss and I was out. My last game that day was against Steve Cox, a North Harbour rep ... the wind was howling, we both bowled awful, but I won. To win the title I couldn’t lose again and won 12 in a row.
You had a tough start in post-section as well ...
I said to my partner please don’t let it be at Howick on that green I struggle on, but it was. My opponent was New Zealand representative Finbar McGuigan. I thought I was probably going to waste $30 going to Howick and back – I didn’t have any expectations. He had smashed me 21–5 in the singles a few years ago and I told him before we played, I’d be happy to get six this time. But I got a bigger and bigger lead, and from that point never felt I was going to lose a game again. I was in the zone.
Confidence is everything…
I was paying $31 to win the title at the start of the last 16. I told my dad to put some money on me, I felt so good. He says he put on $20 – I think he put on more but he’s not saying.
You are a fairytale sports story ...
Yes, people look at it like that although Aucklanders know I can bowl well. I beat Auckland representatives all the time.
But I’ve kind of struggled with booze. It didn’t get me bad ... it just interfered. Instead of going to practice, I’d rather be drinking. Since I met my partner (New Lynn club bowler Leah Morgan) I’ve cleaned up my act. She doesn’t drink or smoke, and it’s kind of boring drinking by yourself. I’ve toned it down.
Have you ever been in a representative side before?
Nah ... because of my off-field antics, whatever that means. That’s what (Auckland selector) Neville Hill told me.
I think it was just being drunk and rowdy. I played well but was just there for the beer really.
Neville said my off-field antics could be a bit crazy, but he’s watched me improve over the past two years. I used to drink and bowl a lot and get rowdy, get rude to people and stuff like that.
Now I’m practising at least three times a week. Leading up to the nationals, I bowled from December 27 to January 9 in tournaments, with only one day off.
You’ve described yourself as a bit of a gypsy bowler ...
At the nationals I was wearing a Point Chevalier hat, an Onehunga Districts shirt, I was down as playing for Blockhouse Bay, but I’m a member of Pringle Park, who I was representing. I’ve played for all those clubs – I like a change of scenery.
What has the reaction to your national victory been like?
My family is very proud – my dad is coming to the world tournament in Australia with me. My phone went off with calls for days. I was mentally drained – I tried to sleep for three days I was so tired.
Where did bowls start for you?
It was 13 years ago, when I was 25. I’d like to thank Greg Utting, my mate’s dad, who is the man who got me into the sport. I was working for him spray painting furniture and he said: ‘you should come and play bowls’. I said ‘f*** off - that’s for old people.’
But he said the beer was cheap and I said: “Mmmmm…how cheap?” I gave it a go and fell in love with it. I thought that if I got good, it was a sport I could play for the rest of my life.
Has sport been a big part of your life?
I love playing sport – I’m a competitive person.
At Takapuna Grammar, I played cricket, rugby, and golf and was good at long-distance running. I never got picked for any representative sides, but I could kick arse. I was good at sports.
Other interests?
I want to get back into video gaming. I haven’t played for years. I like the strategy games ... the civilisation-building games. They are good for the brain and for keeping dementia and Alzheimer’s away.
Do you have a bowls coach?
Within about a month of starting I asked Tony Grantham, who has won a world title, if he could help me just a little bit when he was practicing at Birkenhead.
But I’m mainly self-taught. When you start, people tell you all different things and that hinders you. I did whatever felt comfortable.
What is your style?
Maybe I look at the game differently. I play the player. An old dude told me once to play a game within a game. I try to suss out my opponent – if he finds a line quickly, I’ll target that hand, find his weakness on his strong side.
I honestly try to never use the drive – I’ve always relied on my draw. In all the national championship games, I probably only drove five times.
What are your chances of winning the world title Australia?
I’ll have an advantage over most of the field. Their greens are only two or three seconds slower than ours, and I can deal with that. In the Northern Hemisphere, the greens run at like 12 to 14 seconds and it is like having a run shot with every bowl on those slower greens. I don’t see how people even enjoy playing over there.
Where is it being held?
It’s crazy – it’s in a tiny town called Barham, population 1500, on the border of Victoria and New South Wales. I’ll fly to Melbourne and then take a three-and-a-half-hour bus ride to this place. The club has come into money somehow – whether it’s diamonds or gold or land – and they’ve bought the bowls rights for the next two years. I Googled the top five things to do in Barham and there is nothing to do. I might find some gold rivers to go panning for nuggets. It’s good though – I’ll be focused on bowls and won’t want to go out and muck around.
Is there one opponent you would love to play against?
I’d love to play against the Australian Aron Sherriff. He is a legend. I hope to get a point against him on the board. He can play every shot he wants to – he is superb and knows his bowls which is a key ... knowing and trusting your set of bowls.
You’ve clearly mastered your set of bowls…
I got my weapons brand new off a mate for $250. He got them off his old man, who runs bowls teams in Melbourne. They would normally be $750 – he still regrets selling them to me so cheaply. You need to learn what each set of bowls does, how they turn, that type of stuff. Once you’ve thrown them 5000 times, you get to know them. I’ve had these five years.
Is New Zealand bowls in a good state?
It needs improvement ... they need to look for sponsorship from different angles. All you see at bowling clubs is sponsorship signs for funeral and retirement homes. They need sponsorship that is younger and cooler.
Your dream is…
I got $2000 for winning the New Zealand title, plus flights and accommodation to the world tournament. But over here it is peanuts compared to Australia. I’d love to get paid to play in Australia, like the other top bowlers. If I win the world title, I might get some calls.
Did you have any sports heroes?
Sir Peter Blake. A true legend. He paid for entry into one of the America’s Cups by getting a mortgage on his house, and he won.
All the All Blacks. Sean Fitzpatrick, Zinzan Brooke ... that team. When I was about 7 or 8, I played in a curtain-raiser at Ōnewa Domain before a North Harbour-Auckland rugby game. We were all in our Takapuna club uniforms, all the players came through the tunnel, and it was such a cool day. I will never forget that.
You will now pull on a national uniform ...
I’ll be wearing black in Australia, which will be hot ... but I’ll feel more like an All Black wearing a black shirt, like an actual New Zealand player. The best thing is that Deb White – who won the women’s singles – and I get custom-made, one-off uniforms for this event. It’s brilliant ... oh my god, you feel like you have made it.
And you are now a national sports figure…
I’m the underdog ... the outsider winning gives people hope. I’m just a chilled-out, relaxed bloke who doesn’t take life too seriously. I don’t want to work nine to five all my life and look back and think what was the point of that?
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