Gore Rams look to continue impressive run

SHELDON BagrieHowley says the point behind putting forward a Gore Rams team to compete in the televised Bowls3Five competition was to provide an added opportunity to impress on the national stage.

The 23yearold national development representative will not get a better chance to do just that than the semifinal fixture against the Stoke Thunder, which rolls around tomorrow night.

BagrieHowley will skip the Rams team against a Stoke Thunder team which will be skipped by the world’s No 1 player, Shannon McIlroy.

BagrieHowley’s Rams have already beaten Stoke twice in roundrobin play, and the semifinal gives them the opportunity to make a statement with a third tomorrow night.

When BagrieHowley and fellow Gore Bowling Club member Caleb Hope got wind of Bowls New Zealand’s plans to launch the televised Bowls3Five event, they went about trying to ensure they would be part of it.

‘‘Moving forward, in the case of trying to play nationally, we felt like we had to be part of it.’’

The pair roped in another promising player, Ashleigh Jeffcoat from Hamilton, to make up the youngest trio taking part in the competition.

Bowls3Five is a shortened bowls format competition; with music blaring during games, it has its own rules, including power plays and shot clocks to speed up proceedings.

If the Rams can pick up a win tomorrow night in Auckland over

Stoke, they will advance to Wednesday night’s final against the Point Chevalier Pirates.

BagrieHowley felt if the Rams trio could find form at the same time, they were a chance to win the inaugural Bowls3Five title.

At the end of the tournament BagrieHowley’s focus will switch to January’s nationals.

BagrieHowley has been a regular in the national development programme over the past five years, but wants to put his best foot forward in an attempt to crack the New Zealand team.