New selectors tweak NZ bowls squad
Blackjacks squad
THE INCOMING Bowls New Zealand selection panel have named their first Blackjacks squad with recalls and a debut being the talking points.
Sharon Sims and Peter Belliss, who took over from longtime selector Dave Edwards after the recent Bowls World Championships, have named a 15-strong national squad that will remain intact through to the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
All of the squad members who represented New Zealand at the World Championships remain in the team but are joined by five additional players.
North Harbour’s Tony Grantham and Dunedin’s Paul Girdler come in to the men’s squad, along with world champion singles player Shannon McIlroy, Ali Forsyth, Mike Nagy, Mike Kernaghan and Blake Signal.
Mandy Boyd, who missed the World Champs due to personal reasons, returns — as does recently crowned national champion singles player Selina Goddard, while promising youngster Tayla Bruce has been named in the Blackjacks for the first time.
They join existing Blackjacks Jo Edwards, Val Smith, Kirsten Edwards, Katelyn Inch, Angela Boyd, Mandy Boyd, Tayla Bruce, Selina Goddard, Shannon McIlroy, Mike Kernaghan, Mike Nagy, Ali Forsyth, Blake Signal, Paul Girdler, Tony Grantham. Angela Boyd, Kirsten Edwards, Jo Edwards, Val Smith and Katelyn Inch.
“While this is our squad for the upcoming events, the door is far from shut,” Sims said. “We saw some performances at the recent Heartland Bank Open in New Plymouth that show there are several players knocking at that door and, if their form continues to demand selection, changes will be made.
“As a team, we had a great World Championships but there is room for improvement.
“Beating the Australians on their own greens will be tough. We did it here so we know it can be done, now with some slight changes and improvements we can do it there, too.”