The Stoke pairing of Peter Hodson and Jimmy Pugh have muscled their way to the title at the National Club Pairs Championships, gifting Pugh his Silver Star for five National Pathways’ victories – while the Hinuera duo of Debbie White and Bev Corbett continued their stunning form to remain unbeaten and claim top honour in the women’s field.
STOKE SKIPPER PETER HODSON, A FORMER NATIONAL SINGLES CHAMPION, WAS IN FINE FORM AS HE COMBINED WITH JIMMY PUGH TO TAKE OUT TOP HONOUR AT THE
NATIONAL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP PAIRS AT BROWNS BAY.
As the sun shone down at the Browns Bay Bowling Club, crucial fixtures got underway in round four, with overnight leaders in the men’s action on a required collision course to help separate a four-way tie at the top.
Knowing exactly what was required, Hodson and Pugh got off to a strong start defeating the Whangarei pairing of Trevor Reader and Steve Smith, while the previously winless Amer brothers from Johnsonville, Logan and Brady, put paid to any late title charge from experienced southerners Bill Clements and Trevor Ludlow.
A further win to joint leaders David Clark and Roger Andrew of Counties Manukau saw them hold pace with Hodson and Pugh after round four, proving all to play for heading in to the final round in the North Harbour.
And once again it was the Amer brothers who had plenty to say, seemingly refinding their season form to dispatch Clark and Andrew, 20-18 – meaning anything, but a loss to Hodson and Pugh opposite Clements and Ludlow would be enough to clinch the silverware – with that exact scenario playing out and the Stoke duo running out the victors, 18-11.
STOKE REPRESENTATIVE JIMMY PUGH WAS ALL SMILES AS HE WAS AWARDED HIS SILVER STAR FOR FIVE NATIONAL PATHWAYS’ SUCCESSES, INCLUDING WINS AT THE NATIONAL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS AND NATIONAL INTERCLUB AND INTERCENTRE WINS WITH NELSON AND STOKE. PRESENTING THE AWARD IS BOWLS NEW ZEALAND PRESIDENT JEANETTE SINCLAIR
The win marked Pugh’s fifth national pathways success, gifting him his Silver Star in what could prove to be the final opportunity to gain such a feat – given the conclusion of these events to make way for sweeping changes on the calendar next season.
Meanwhile, the Hinuera side of White and Corbett made no mistake on day two, seemingly coasting to the title with two further wins to finish their campaign unscathed and securing the title for a second occasion to go alongside their pairs’ success in Dunedin, 2014.
A first up win opposite the Hawkes Bay pairing of Robyn Pritchard and Diana Wood moved the Hinuera ladies one step closer, with the Dunedin side of Sarah Scott and Rachael McDowall also clocking a round four win to keep pace heading into the final round.
However, a clinical display from White and Corbett saw the results pushed well out of reach as they accounted for Wanganui’s Dianne Patterson and Lesley Bourke, 20-8, while Scott and McDowall fell to the hands of former Blackjack pairing Amy McIlroy and Kirsten Edwards, 17-9.
The win to McIlroy and Edwards pushed them into second place to round out a strong day’s play in rounds four and five, while Scott and McDowall settled for third – one game ahead of Patterson and Bourke, with Pritchard and Wood placing sixth.
Next up, all eyes will now turn to the men’s and women’s triples, as the six regional champions in each field take to the Browns Bay greens in a bid for more national glory on Monday and Tuesday.
*In other news, the BPL07 is primed and ready for action at the Naenae Bowling Club starting tomorrow, with day games being streamed on the Bowls NZ Facebook page and evening fixtures televised LIVE on Sky Sport 4 from 6pm. The action will continue through until Thursday, April 26.
Results at a Glance
National Club Championship Pairs, Browns Bay Bowling Club
Men
Champions: Peter Hodson, Jimmy Pugh (Nelson)
Runner-ups: David Clark, Roger Andrew (Manurewa)
Third: Trevor Reader, Steve Smith (Northland)
Fourth: Ian Monaghan, Paul Manning (Wairarapa)
Fifth: Logan Amer, Brady Amer (Wellington)
Sixth: Bill Clements, Trevor Ludlow (Central Otago)
Women
Champions: Debbie White, Bev Corbett (Waikato)
Runner-ups: Amy McIlroy, Kirsten Edwards (Nelson)
Third: Sarah Scott, Rachael McDowall (Dunedin)
Fourth: Dianne Patterson, Lesley Bourke (Wanganui)
Fifth: Lisa Parlane, Anne Dorreen (North Harbour)
Sixth: Robyn Pritchard, Diana Wood (Hawkes Bay)