Dark clouds gather inside hall

A trio of outsiders won the provincial Farmlands Centre Triples title in Kaitaia last month but it was something else entirely which frustrated some from the hosting party.

Spokesman Steven Joyce said the Northland Indoor Bowling Centre event held at the Kaitaia Primary School hall on Sunday, August 25, attracted teams from Whanga¯rei, Bay of Islands and Rodney and Far North associations.

Two teams from the Far North qualified from the morning session alongside four other teams from further south.

The first two games in the afternoon were ‘sudden death’ playoffs and so it turned out to be for the team of Joyce with Dot Craig and Helen Fisher and the team featuring Kenny Ashby, Leicester Budd and David Banks.

Claiming first place once the smoke had cleared after the final playoff rounds were Murray Madden, Kia Ward and John Coleman, while the runners up were Judy Bethell, Cory Armstrong and Marion Banks.

Joyce congratulated them and said third place was initially going to be decided by another play-off, only for the team of John Tierney, Lynn Brittain and Jeanette Smith to inform organisers they had more pressing matters to attend to.

“I am certain that if it were to have been a playoff for first place they would have stayed,” Joyce said.

“However, every dark cloud has a silver lining,” he said.

The default meant the other local team of McCarthy with Stephen Yuretich and Sarah Travers ended up being elevated into third place.

“Apart from the ‘dark cloud’ ending, it was a really good day and a big thank you to the sponsor,” Joyce said.

■ COMING UP: A report from the FNIBA’s Champ of Champs singles and pairs titles, played in Kaitaia last Saturday (August 30).