It was a night of firsts this past Wednesday at Royal Oak Bowls, as the 1–5 Winter Quad squad invited likely opposition in Maraetai and Pringle Park Bowling Clubs for a friendly hit out ahead of next weekend’s fixture.

Competing across singles, pairs, triples and fours, a 10-player side from Pringle Park took on the 1–5 Men’s squad, while Maraetai challenged the Women’s squad.

A determined Pringle Park four made an early statement, racing out to a 7–0 lead over the reps inside the first three ends. However, the reps found their composure and rhythm, turning the match around to lead 15–7 after nine ends before closing it out 15–12 at the bell.

It was the opposite story in the men’s pairs. The reps led 10–3 after nine ends and looked comfortable, before a string of exchanged singles and a poorly timed four saw Pringle Park edge in front with two ends to play. Despite the reps’ best efforts, including a near miss to trail for four and the win, Pringle Park closed out the pairs 15–13.

The rep men’s triples side enjoyed a comfortable 26–15 win, which included several counts of three, four and even a five. Pringle Park dominated the singles, with Andy Kemp producing what he proudly described as the performance of a lifetime to win 21–8.

On the women’s side, the rep triples and fours teams shone brightly, both opening their matches with counts of three on the first end. Both teams looked comfortable in their game plans and executed effectively, with the triples claiming an 16–11 win and the fours securing a 16–5 victory.

The Maraetai pairs combination opened strongly with a four, putting the rep side on the back foot early. The rep pair responded with 11 unanswered shots, including a five, to take the lead before Maraetai hit back with a four of their own. From there, a hotly contested battle unfolded. Locked at 13-all after 13 ends, Maraetai edged in front. With seconds left on the clock, and a potential count of four available for the draw, the reps managed three on the measure to go down by one. Final score, 17–16.

Women’s singles player Lilly Wesche fought gallantly against Maraetai bowler Jim Drake. Drake, identified by selectors as one to watch this coming season, put together a masterful performance, testing the young rep with consistent draw bowls and effective run shots. The match remained in the balance after 12 ends, with Drake holding an 11–7 advantage, before his consistency saw him pull away to take the match 21–9.

All in all, it was a successful hit-out for the 1–5 Winter Quad team. Both men and women had a 2-2 result. Facing a mix of junior and more experienced players from the wider bowls community gave the squad a valuable opportunity to test themselves under pressure, and will provide plenty of material for discussion, debrief and reflection at next week’s session.

For Maraetai and Pringle Park, the evening also gave club leaders the chance to bring along junior bowlers, encourage participation and place some of their promising players directly in front of selectors.

From the rep squad, we would like to sincerely thank Maraetai and Pringle Park for giving their time to come and challenge the squad. As always, a huge thank you also goes to Royal Oak for hosting. The rep squad travels to Te Aroha on Saturday 4 July, to face Waikato, Thames Valley and Counties Manukau.