McIlroy the star attraction
World singles champion Shannon McIlroy, of Nelson, will be the star attraction of the New Zealand bowls championships, which start in Auckland today.
McIlroy, who holds both the world open and champion-ofchampions titles, starts as a warm favourite to claim the men’s singles crown.
Having won in 2016 and last year, he will be the player to watch. But he doesn’t have a straight-forward opening to his defence.
Needing to win three games from four, McIlroy plays highly promising North Harbour youngster, Darryl Read, and former international, Jamie Hill, in his opening two matches.
Unfortunately for the star quality, the other four male members of the Commonwealth Games team – Michael Nagy, Blake Signal, Paul Girdler and Ali Forsyth – are bypassing the championships.
Girdler has now pulled the pin on international play, while the others are taking a breather.
There are counter arguments, but given poor results from Games on the Gold Coast, the door is well ajar for players to make cases for the future.
A new national squad will be announced after the championships. McIlroy teams in the pairs with Justin Goodwin, while Gary Lawson, who won the pairs with Forsyth last season, teams this time with Hill.
Following their spectacular win in the televised Bowls3five series, Alex Reed and Aiden Takarua have formed a team. They have bright futures, as do the likes of Sheldon BagrieHowley and two singles semifinalists from last season, Caleb Hope and Seamus Curtin.
All will be looking for big championships to push their case, where several past champions will ensure they are kept honest. That group includes the likes of Richard Girvan, Dean Elgar, Tony Grantham, Petar Sain and Rob Ashton.
There will be a new women’s singles winner, with Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jo Edwards not returning from Australia for the event. Of the Commonwealth Games side, only Tayla Bruce and Val Smith are competing.
Bruce teams up with former NZ age-grade rep Clare Hendra, while Smith pairs with Lisa Prideaux, the mother of the 2013 men’s fours winner, Beau.
The smaller women’s field – there are 104 in the singles, compared to 272 in the men’s – has a number of useful provincial players in it.
A number of pairs stand out in addition to the Smith and Bruce pairs.
There is the motherand-daughter duo of Leigh Griffin and Kristen Edwards, past New Zealand representatives Selina Goddard and Amy McIlroy, and Ashleigh Jeffcoat and Dale Rayner who are seeking a thirdstraight final.
The men qualify in the singles on Wednesday and the pairs on Thursday and Friday, while the women start with two days of pairs and singles qualifying on Friday. The finals of all events are scheduled for January 8. For the first time, the fours will not be played in conjunction with the singles and pairs. Instead, that the fours will be held in early March in Wellington.