Glassey Wins Two from Two; Mclean and Kelly Win Southern Derby

GLASSEY WINS TWO FROM TWO; MCLEAN AND KELLY WIN SOUTHERN DERBY

The indomitable NZ Professional Bowls Association number one Murray Glassey made it two from two from Finals Weekend at the Dunedin Bowls Stadium collecting his second title in two days winning NZ’s berth in the International Singles in Blackpool, England in March 2017. Fresh from winning the Scottish Singles entry the day before, the Hawkes Bay champion once again survived a third end tiebreak in his semifinal before taking the final in a more comfortable fashion. Dunedin’s Paul King pushed him all the way with a superb display and held match on the last end, however Glassey knowing he had both side spots covered, drove at the jack and King’s back toucher, without nominating a kill, hitting his target resulting in the jack spewing back up the green to one side and snatching another win. The NZ PBA has become accustomed to the ‘meerkat’s’ coolness under pressure and ability to find a way out of trouble time and time again which sees Glassey continue to extend his lead at the top of the rankings. Once again, Glassey was too steady in the final accounting for Taranaki rookie Hamish Simpson 9-5, 10-5. This was the first time in five years since Jamie Hill won two World Bowls Tour NZ playoffs in the same season.

The NZ PBA’s first representation in seven years in the World Indoor Pairs to be played in Norfolk, England in January was decided by a southern derby with Andy McLean (Dunedin) and Andrew Kelly (Canterbury) overcoming the Southland duo Shane Elliott and Craig Merrilees in a see-saw game 1- 10, 10-6, 2-0. McLean will resurrect a tradition of Dunedin players taking the NZ Pairs slot with the previous five times a NZ pair has played all featuring a player or pair from the southern city. The visit to the Potter’s Leisure Resort in Norfolk will be the first of two jaunts for Kelly in 2017 as he also collected airfares and accommodation to the Gold Coast and entry into the Kingscliff Invitation Pairs for winning the novelty Shanghai Singles event earlier in the weekend.

The well-organised and supported NZ PBA Finals Weekend culminated in a service for the loss of enthusiastic Dunedin PBA member Aidan Lusby who took his life a week ago and will be missed by all.

GLASSEY TOO GOOD IN SCOTTISH FINAL; WILFORD RETURNS TO INTERNATIONAL PLAY

New Zealand Professional Bowls Association number one Murray Glassey showed his class again today winning the national play-offs to advance to the Co-operative Funeralcare Scottish Open Singles in Perth, Scotland in November. Southland’s Sheldon Bagrie-Howley had looked assured in his earlier two matches with some great play but appeared increasingly frustrated resorting to his drive as he fell further behind Glassey eventually falling 7-2, 9-3. The Hawkes Bay player came into the weekend already assured of retaining his year end number one spot and continues to widen the gap at the top. He did have to overcome a very determined effort from Auckland’s Rob Ashton in the semifinal in a pulsating match that went to the third end of the tiebreak. Ashton remains locked in a four-way battle for the three remaining spots for next year’s NZ PBA team to play the Australian PBA.

The second ranked player in that race Bart Robertson had a chance to secure his spot in the final of the World Indoor Singles playoffs but also came unstuck at the hands of Taranaki’s Debbie Wilford. Wilford was steady on the draw throughout the final and looked in control opening a lead in the second set before Robertson scrambled back some points with some crucial saves but ran out of ends. Wilford’s 7-4, 7-5 win earns her a spot in the lucrative World Indoor Singles at the Potter’s Leisure Resort in Norfolk, England in January where the top prize is over 50,000 GBP. The former Norfolk Island international came into the weekend already crowned as the top ranked woman in the NZ PBA and with the win in the final is now the top ranked player in the New Plymouth sub- branch. Wilford has medalled in the Asia-Pacific Games twice for Norfolk Island in 2007 and 2009. Natarsha Grimshaw is the only other woman to have won a NZ berth on the World Bowls Tour two seasons ago but chose not to travel.

Earlier in the day the NZ PBA Rookie of the Year award was decided in favour of Dunedin’s Ross Stevens when Richie Muir (Central Otago) fell to Bradley Down (Wellington) and Down in turn lost to Wilford.

NZ International Andrew Kelly comfortably won the Henselite Shanghai singles earning himself airfares and accommodation on the Gold Coast as preparation for his play-offs tomorrow.

NZ PBA FINALS WEEKEND RESULTS at DUNEDIN BOWLS STADIUM

Henselite Players Drawn Pairs: Final: Rhonda Adams (Taranaki) & David Eades (North Harbour) bt Bradley Down (Wellington) & Marty Kreft (Central Otago).

Henselite Shanghai Singles Semifinals: John Roberts (Taranaki) bt Andrew Kelly (Canterbury) & David Eades (North Harbour); Richie Muir (Central Otago) bt Paul Sorensen (Hawkes Bay) & Coryn Huddy (Dunedin). Final: Andrew Kelly (Canterbury) 31 Richie Muir (Central Otago) 20 John Roberts 16

Scottish Singles Quarterfinal: Sheldon Bagrie-Howley (Southland) bt Stephen Zino (Wellington) 7-5, 8-6. Semifinals: Bagrie-Howley bt Craig Merrilees (Southland) 9-2, 8-6; Murray Glassey (Hawkes Bay) v Rob Ashton (Auckland) 6-5, 3-8, 2-1. Final: Murray Glassey (Hawkes Bay) bt Sheldon Bagrie-Howley (Southland) 7-2, 9-3 Murray Glassey represents the NZ PBA in Perth, Scotland in November.

World Indoor Singles Quarterfinal: Bradley Down (Wellington) bt Richie Muir (Central Otago) 6-5, 8-3 Semifinals: Debbie Wilford (Taranaki) bt Down 9-8, 9-3; Bart Robertson (North Harbour) bt Doug Thomas (Dunedin) 8-3, 6-7, 2-0 Final: Debbie Wilford (Taranaki) bt Bart Robertson (North Harbour) 7-4, 7-5 Debbie Wilford represents the NZ PBA in Norfolk, England in January.

Sun 11 Sep

International Singles Quarterfinal: Murray Glassey (Hawkes Bay) bt Rob Ashton (Auckland) 9-9, 12-6 Semifinals: Glassey bt Paul King (Dunedin) 6-7, 11-5, 2-1; Hamish Simpson (Taranaki) bt Brad Allan (Southland) 6-7, 9-5, 2-0 Final: Murray Glassey (Hawkes Bay) bt Hamish Simpson (Taranaki) 9-5, 10-5 Murray Glassey represents the NZ PBA in Blackpool, England in March. World Indoor Pairs Quarterfinal: Andy McLean (Dunedin) & Andrew Kelly (Canterbury) bt Roger Stevens (Southland) & Phil Austin (Manawatu) 8-2, 7-6 Semifinals: McLean & Kelly bt Gary Brecken & Bart Robertson (North Harbour) 8-3, 9-8; Shane Elliott & Craig Merriless (Southland) bt Rhonda Adams & Kristin Stampa (Taranaki) 4-7, 9-3, 2-1 Final: Andy McLean (Dunedin) & Andrew Kelly (Canterbury) bt Shane Elliott & Craig Merriless (Southland) 1-10, 10-6, 2-0 Andy McLean & Andrew Kelly represent the NZ PBA in Norfolk, England in January.

Aidan Lusby's PBA career profile:

Joined PBA: 2009 Current Race to Oz Position: 6th Career High Rank: 5th (2014) Career PBA Singles Record: 63 wins 33 losses Career PBA Pairs Record: 18 wins 9 losses Career Highlights: 2012/13 WBT International Singles in Blackpool (beat Thomas, Watt, White, Walker, Merrilees and Glassey to get there; lost to Andy Thompson ENG 9-6, 5-5); Winner 2015 Dunedin International Singles qualifier (beat McCallum, Kelly, McLean and White in successive games; lost to Glassey 7-8, 6-5, 2-0); Winner 2 Dunedin Ranking tournaments.