Club lures top field with bowls feast
Roast it and they'll come.
That's what Bowls Waipawa have done to lure an elite field of 16 players to their annual invitation triples tournament this weekend.
Asked what beckons former Commonwealth Games silver medallists such as Jim Scott (Dunedin) and Danny O'Connor (Auckland) to small-town Hawke's Bay, tourney secretary Marie Allerby (left) said last night it was Waipawa's hospitality and enthusiasm.
"We market ourselves as Central Hawke's Bay lamb country and it's on the menu on Saturday night," an affable Allerby replied before the two-day outdoor competition to be played at the club's only all-weather green.
The tourney is in its third year and will follow the usual tradition of picking a name of a Waipawa club member to make up each of the 16 teams.
However, 20 doesn't go into 16, so four club players will be reduced to spectators.
"They will be unhappy to miss out but they will be automatic entries next year," Allerby said, adding Waipawa transport operator Bruce Stephenson will call up on stage every invited player one at a time from 8.15am tomorrow before drawing a Waipawa name from the hat to match each team.
At the top of the list is Aucklander Tony Grantham, a national representative who will compete in Adelaide next month.
Palmerston North pair Sharon Sims and Phillip will join Bay top guns such as No2-ranked PBA player Murray Glassey (Heretaunga), fresh from matches against Australia at Tweed Heads last month and also Angela Boyd (Bowls Taradale), who is in the New Zealand Under-25 team.
Tony Terry, Peter Keighley (both Heretaunga) and Mary Clews (Waipawa) won last year.
