Bay of Plenty had one of its finest fortnights on the bowling green, capped off by the impressive run from Dan Dickison and Sue Hodges to win the national mixed pairs title.

Bay players figured prominently in the national fours and mixed pairs championships at Christchurch from February 20-27, and the weekend before the Bay premier men’s team won the Octagonal in Auckland, with the development women finishing third.

Dickison and Hodges, the reigning singles champions, have dominated Bay centre events in recent times, and they carried that hunger and experience to the national level, beating former internationals Lance Pascoe and Mandy Boyd 11-7 in the final.

It was a tight drawing match on the slick Fendalton green with the score tied at 5-all. But the Bay pair picked up a crucial three and edged ahead 8-5 – a lead they never relinquished.

Pascoe and Boyd clawed back to 7-9 on the final end, but Dickison and Hudges dew two more shots. When Pascoe missed wide with two run shots, the two happy Bay bowlers flung themselves in each other’s arm. It was a well-earned hug.

Hodges had earlier beaten Boyd in the semi-finals of the women’s four on her way to finishing runner-up.

“I didn’t want to lose two finals in seven days so I am absolutely stoked,” Hodges said. “It is a dream for me. Something I have always wanted. To play with Sue and get through 270 other teams feels awesome,” said Dickison.

Dickison and Hodges worked their way through post-section in convincing style. They beat the Bay’s national under 26 representative Caitlin Thomson, playing with Logan Clark, 18-12 in the last 64.

Then it was Shaun Scott and two times national champion this season Debbie White 18-11 in the last 32; Ruth Williams and Adam Yaxley 16-8 in the last 16; and the young classy combination of Kaylin Huwyler and international Briar Atkinson 13-6 in the quarter-finals.

Dickison and Hodges were in a semi-final battle with Christchurch juniors Rod Hooper and Jude Main but they pulled away over the final ends to win 19-9.

Hodges joined Mina Paul and two players they met for the first time at the tournament, Julie Adams and Kate Newton, to power through to the fours final, losing to retired international Val Smith, Debbie White, Ashleigh Jeffcoat and Kimberley Hemingway 19-12.

The Hodges-skipped team had a meritorious semi-final victory over Mandy Boyd, Kirsten Edwards, former international Amy McIlroy and world singles champion Taylor Bruce 19-14.

Paul Anderson and Nathan Arlidge, playing with South Islanders Steve Lilley and Gary Stubbs, went to an extra end in the last eight of the men’s four before losing to eventual winners, for the second successive year, Aucklanders Michael Galloway, David Clark, Martin Dixon and Steve Fisher 17-16.

Alvin Gardiner skipped Mark Noble, David Eades and Merv Brown to the last eight, falling to the power-packed team of former international Andrew Kelly, Seamus Curtin, Nathan Glasson and Kelvin Scott 18-10.

In the last 16 Anderson and Arlidge withstood a late comeback from the dream team of Gary Lawson, Jamie Hill, Raika Gregory and Tony Grantham to win 19-18. And Gardiner’s side pushed aside Sheldon Bagrie-Howley, Keanu Darby, Jesse Russell and Taylor Horn 16-11.

Octagonal delight

The weekend before the start of the of the nationals, the Bay premier men won five and drew one of their seven matches to win the Octagonal at the Browns Bay club – a fine dress rehearsal for the national inter-centre championship in Wellington.

They clinched the title with a crucial 2-1 victory over Auckland in the final round to finish with 16.5 match points and 14.5 rink points, ahead of Auckland on 13.5 and 13.

Anthony Ouellet lost his singles to New Zealand representative Tony Grantham 21-8. But the pair of Paul Anderson and Nathan Arlidge completed an outstanding tournament by beating Nick Thompson and Mike Bradshaw 18-11.

It was left to the four of Dan Dickison, Alvin Gardiner, Dave Jones and Nick Tomsett to despatch the Auckland combination of Adam Blucher, Liam Hill, Gavin Brown and David Motu 17-8.

The Bay had earlier beaten North Harbour 2-1, Waikato 3-0, Counties Manukau 2-1, and Northland 3-0; drawn with Thames Valley 1.5-all; and lost to the Pacific Barbarians 1-2.

Anderson and Arlidge had six wins from seven matches, and Ouellet and the Bay four had four wins.

The Bay premier women’s team fought back from a poor start to finish fourth with 9 match points and 10 rink points, behind North Harbour 19.5 and 17.5, Auckland 18 and 14.5; Waikato 12 and 12.5.

The Bay lost their first four matches 1-2 against Auckland, Counties Manukau, Waikato and North Harbour. But they were more convincing on the second day, beating Pacific Barbarians, Northland and Thames Valley 2-1 to climb the ladder.

Sue Hodges again led the way, winning six of her seven singles games; the pair of Kaye Bunn and Mina Paul had two wins and a draw; and the four of Raewyn Willis, Charlene Beckett, Angel Stephen and Caitlin Thomson had one win.

The Bay women’s development put in a good team effort to finish the Octagonal third with 12 match points and 13 rink points, behind Auckland 19.5 and 14.5; and Waikato 16.5 and 14.5. North Harbour was fourth with 9 and 11.

The Bay beat Thames Valley 3-0, Northland 3-0, North Harbour 2-1, Counties Manukau 3-0 but lost to Far North 1-2, Waikato 0-3 and Auckland 1-2.

The pairing of Venita Smith and Rachelle Morrison had five wins; and singles player Katarina Stepec and the four of Patricia Andrews, Amanda Woods, Janet Barnard and Kate Robbie completed four wins.

The Bay development men finished sixth with 7.5 match points and 10.5 rink points, won by North Harbour on 18 and 14.5. The Bay singles player Michael Staite performed well with five wins from his seven matches.

The Bay’s two wins were 3-0 clean sweeps over Waikato and Northland. They drew with Thames Valley and lost 1-2 to Auckland, North Harbour, Counties Manukau and 0-3 to Far North.

Article added: Saturday 01 March 2025