Down on the up at national bowls championships

New Zealand development representative Bradley Down has already experienced a number of high points in bowls despite being just 19 years old.

He received another big buzz when he skipped a side comprising his father, Graham, Finbar McGuigan and Caleb Hope to the biggest upset of the New Zealand bowls championship to date when they beat Ali Forsyth’s dream team in the opening round of section play in the fours in Dunedin on Monday.

Down junior, who has already won three Wellington titles, plays for the Victoria club in the capital these days, but Plimmerton is home and still the base for his father and McGuigan. Hope, from Gore, joined the trio in their outstanding 16-12 victory over Forsyth’s dream team of Justin Goodwin, Shannon McIlroy and Gary Lawson. A four on the sixth end gave Down’s side the edge and, aided by two threes during an otherwise low scoring match, that advantage remained three shots when the hooter went on the 16th of the scheduled 18 ends.

Forsyth had a chance to remove Down’s closest bowl to score a three and force the game to an extra end, but missed with his runner. Down continued with a powerful 27-8 win over William Clarke (Hinds) and Forsyth also got up for a win in the second round, 17-13 over former NZ rep Shaun Scott.

It was not before a few anxious moments, however, with Forsyth and Scott locked at 9-all after 11 ends. But seven shots over the next three heads gave Forsyth’s side the breathing space required.

Elsewhere, defending champion Peter Belliss faces a tough ask to qualify after he dropped two matches – 19-10 to Lance Pascoe and 15-14 to Joko Susilo. His side needs to win all three games on Tuesday.

Leading the charge of those sides winning three games were two-time champion, Andrew Kelly, Michael Kernaghan and Sheldon Bagrie-Howley.

In the women’s fours, Sandra Keith, who failed to qualify in the singles, lost in the second round to Reen Stratford, and therefore must win two matches on Tuesday to get through.

Dale Rayner ended the day, like Keith, on two wins, after her side was well beaten 20-9 in the last round by a team from the greater Auckland area skipped by last year’s singles semifinalist, Catherine Bien. Bien also had two wins, her loss coming against Sarah Scott’s strong composite unit that was unbeaten.

Stratford recorded three wins, while other powerful teams headed by Mandy Boyd and defending champion Jo Edwards also made bright starts.