Belliss, Edwards win fours crowns

Two of New Zealand’s greatest bowlers, Peter Belliss (Aramoho) and Jo Edwards (United), added to their illustrious careers when they skipped their sides to victory in the finals of the fours at the national championships in New Plymouth yesterday.

Belliss, skipping Lance Tasker, Blake Signal and Richard Girvan, was too strong for Dean Elgar’s Taranaki side, winning the men’s final 23-9.

Edwards produced a top shelf performance as she skipped Tayla Bruce, Kirsten Edwards and Val Smith to the women’s crown, beating Wellington’s Lisa White 22-11 in the final.

Elgar’s side of John Garrud, Neil Candy and Gerry O’Sullivan struggled from the outset. While Elgar drove the jack into the ditch on the second end to make the score 2-2, he failed narrowly to alter the third head, a six to Belliss giving him a buffer which the now eight-time national champion never looked like conceding.

There was still hope of a hometown victory with a score of 14-7 at the game’s mid-point, but the greater consistency of the Belliss side proved too much. And when the Taranaki side did look like scoring, Belliss drew superbly.

With a scoreline of 19-9, but four down, Belliss produced a front toucher which extinguished any hopes for Elgar’s side.

The victory was extra special for Tasker, who gained the advantage in the lead battle. It was his fifth national title, thus qualifying him for a gold star. Tasker’s other national titles came in the pairs (1995) and the fours (2000, 2001 and 2015). Signal now has four national titles and Girvan three.

After conceding one on the first end, Edwards drove the jack into the ditch for three shots on the second end and then added the bonus with her last delivery. It set the tone for the rest of the match.

White’s side of Kimberley Hemingway, Natasha Russell and Jessie Macaw led 8-5 after seven ends. But the class of Edwards, who like Smith now has four national titles, could not be denied.

For much of the match Russell, an Australian, would draw the shot, only for Edwards to convert the head. Edwards posted a three on the ninth end to take the lead 10-8.

Bruce, who claimed her first national title, and Kirsten Edwards, who now has two successive national fours titles, joined the party. A four on the 13th end carried the score to 17-9 and the result became inevitable.

Also yesterday, the finalists were found in the men’s pairs and women’s singles. Reen Stratford (Aramoho), who accounted for Catherine Bien (St Heliers) 21-15, will play Selina Goddard (Carlton Cornwall), who beat Katelyn Inch (Oxford WMC) 21-18.

The men’s pairs final will feature defending champions Ali Forsyth (Nelson) and his father Neville (Stoke), against Gary Lawson (Sumner) and Neville Rodda (Victoria). The Forsyths beat Ray Park and Alan Dickson (Wanganui) 17-14, while Lawson and Rodda accounted for Colin Gawith and Karl Garrett (Coromandel) 21-9.