Pennants Roundup by Lindsay Knight

 A premiership double for Takapuna and equally memorable performances by Helensville, Beach Haven and Orewa in the other divisions highlighted Bowls North Harbours’ pennants finals day at Browns Bay on Sunday.

 Takapuna’s strong line-ups in both men’s and women’s premier divisions saw them take both finals despite spirited opposition by Birkenhead in the men’s and especially by Orewa in the women’s.

 Helensville won the mixed division final from Mairangi Bay, Beach Haven the men’s division one final from Orewa and Orewa’s second women’s team won the women’s division one final from Browns Bay to provide some consolation for the loss of the premier final.

 The successes of Helensville and Beach Haven were especially satisfying as these are two small clubs. But each has a good sprinkling of solid performers who enable each to perform above its weight.

 In the Helensville team, for instance, were two centre title-holders in Deb Presland and Rick Howe and stalwarts like Ian Little, Morrie Pita and Roy Parker provided Beach Haven with its hard core.

 While both premiership finals were clear-cut in Takapuna’s favour, all of the other three divisions were hotly contested and were decided on the points differential because each of the two matches was shared.

 Mairangi Bay, in just missing out to Helensville, was especially unlucky as it actually headed off Helensville in being the top qualifier.

 In winning the men’s premier final Takapuna’s Ryman Health Care team was comfortably the top qualifier and carried that ranking and form into the final against Birkenhead.

 The triple of Graham Skellern, Trevor Forward and Ray Skoglund took an early 11-0 lead and was never in trouble against the Randall Watkins-skipped triple and another Takapuna triple of Simon Poppleton, Norm Scott-Morrison and Bevan Smith was also too strong for John Hindmarch’s line-up.,

 Nigel Drew’s triple did gain a Birkenhead win over Takapuna’s third grouping of Jeremy Brosnan, Brett O’Riley and Jerry Belcher, but by then the title had already been decided in Takapuna’s favour.

 There was a little more tension in the women’s premier final with Elaine McClintock’s Orewa Dolls team made a spirited recovery on the last end to secure a four but falling one shot short of the five needed to force a draw against Takapuna’s Selina Smith, Adele Ineson and Robyne Walker.

 However, the powerhouse combination of Lisa Parlane, Wendy Jensen and Anne Dorreen, had edged out Orewa’s other triple skipped by Maureen Howden.