Taranaki have come away as commander victors over Whanganui in a pre-season representative bowls fixture held in the Paritutu indoor complex on August 1-2.
Taranaki won 11 of the 15 games in the senior event, while in the development section, the hosts succeeded in 10, with two drawn.
Nathan Goodin did the best of the 36 players on display. The Rahotu/Paritutu gold star holder, who is part of the wider NZ Under-26 training squad, won five matches from as many games. That included three leading in the pairs.
Both senior sides were missing a number of leading players, many of whom are expected to feature in the big fixtures after Christmas.
Taranaki selector John Gray had in fact had only eight of his 12-man senior squad available for the weekend. He used the opportunity to give five development players the chance at the higher level.
Craig De Faria, Nigel Berry, Steve Temperton and Kelly Hill all won four-from-five in the seniors.
Of the development players, Steve Fevre, Paul Spurdle and Shae Fleming all secured four wins and one draw.
Results of the pre-season Taranaki versus Whanganui men’s representative bowls fixture held at Paritutu on August 1-2 (Taranaki names first):
Seniors, round 1: N Goodin, C De Faria 25 L Hunt, B Trillo junior 10; S Temperton, N Berry, B Colgan 29 R Terrey, M MacElvanna, T McRae 6; S Rowe, A Collins, K Hill, J Peters 10 D Mischefski, S Robinson, K Francis, R Neilson 16. Round 2: N Goodin, B Colgan 22 D Mischefski, B Trillo junior 12, S Temperton, A Collins, J Peters 22 R Terrey, MacElvanna, T McRae 9; P Spurdle, K Hill, N Berry, C De Faria 23 L Hunt, S Robinson, K Frncis, R Neilson 3. Round 3: B Colgan, C De Faria 13 D Mischefski, T McRae 20; S Temperton, A Collins, N Berry 15 R Terrey, B Trillo junior, K Francis 13; C O’Sullivan, K Hill, N Goodin, J Peters 23 L Hunt, S Robinson, M MacElvanna, R Neilson 11. Round 4: N Goodin, C De Faria 19 D Mischefski, T McRae 14; A Collins, K Hill, N Berry 33 R Terrey, B Trillo junior, K Francis 6; S Temperton, G Benton, J Peters, B Colgan 8 L Hunt, S Robinson, M MacElvanna, R Neilson 12. Round 5: A Collins, N Berry 10 B Trillo junior, R Neilson 12; N Goodin, K Hill, B Colgan 25 L Hunt, K Francis, MacElvanna 5; S Temperton, T Taunt, J Peters, C De Faria 19 R Terrey, D Mischefski, S Robinson, T McRae 9. Match points (three for a win, one for a draw): Taranaki 33 Whanganui 12.
Development, round 1: S Fevre, R Sinclair 23 R Winterburn, L Winterburn 12; P Spurdle, T Taunt, S Fleming 17 M Matson, K Sloan, T Smith 11; C O’Sullivan, G Benton, C Murray, B Clark 4 A Jid, D Wagstaff, W Johnson, M O’Leary 20. Round 2: S Fevre, S Fleming 29 A Jid, L Winterburn 9; C O’Sullivan, C Murray, R Sinclair 18 K Sloan, R Winterburn, T Smith 8; S Rowe, G Benton, T Taunt, B Clark 8 M Matson, D Wagstaff, W Johnson, M O’Leary 15. Round 3: S Rowe, R Sinclair 18 D Wagstaff, T Smith 16; S Fevre, T Taunt, B Clark 23 K Sloan, R Winterburn, L Winterburn 11; P Spurdle, G Benton, C Murray, S Fleming 16 A Jid, M Matson, W Johnson, M O’Leary 10. Round 4: S Fevre, R Sinclair 15 D Wagstaff, T Smith 15; P Spurdle, C Murray, S Fleming 14 K Sloan, R Winterburn, L Winterburn 14; C O’Sullivan, T Taunt, S Rowe, B Clark 11 A Jid, M Matson, W Johnson, M O’Leary 10. Round 5: S Fevre, B Clark 30 D Wagstaff, T Smith 12; C O’Sullivan, C Murray, R Sinclair 10 K Sloan, R Winterburn, L Winterburn 16; P Spurdle, G Benton, S Rowe, S Fleming 18 A Jid, M Matson, W Johnson, M O’Leary 8. Match points (three for a win, one for a draw): Taranaki 32 Whanganui 11.