Singles Play will Decide Trophy for Regions

A day of pairs bowling action greeted New Zealand's best bowlers today at the Challenge Trophy being held in Christchurch, but tomorrow's singles matches will decide which region takes the title.

Still leading the pack, despite some mixed results, is the team from Mainland who are being chased by the Southern team in second place. And with players like Shaun Scott (2011 Hyundai National Open Men's Singles Champion) and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Val Smith on the green, the pressure is on for Mainland to close the deal.

Mainland's bowlers were a powerful force in the men's, and finished the day leading the pack in game points, but the women's duos took just two games from nine today.

In the women's, skip Val Smith came through the day without a loss to put the Southern team ahead in the pairs competition. Northern came out firing as well, with Black Jack Genevieve Baildon hitting her stride in a three from three winning streak, alongside Hannah Robertson.

New combinations abound in this year's Challenge Trophy teams, and world number one Jo Edwards' pairing is perhaps the best example of the nurturing aspect of this event.

“Jo and Lauren have never even met before,” say Bowls NZ National Head Coach Dave Edwards, “but they picked up each other's traits quickly.

“We did it on purpose.... and it's a bit of a challenge for Black Jack players to nurture Talent Development players. They are really doing the Talent Development bowlers a favour, and they enter into it with the best attitude, so everyone benefits.”

Holding second place behind the Mainland team is the Southern team, followed by Central and Northern in last place. However, Jo Edwards leads a Northern crew that counts top notch singles players like Dan Delany, Monte Pawa and Jan Shirley amongst it's number.

Tomorrow's singles play begins at 8:10am, and the day's matches will decide which region takes the trophy at this year's cream of the crop event.

Day Two Standings

Mainland - 92 game points

Southern – 68 game points

Central – 65 game points

Northern – 62 game points

Northern Team

Women: Lauren Mills, Leanne Curry, Jo Edwards, Hannah Robertson, Jan Shirley, Genevieve Baildon

Men: Josh Thompson, Scott Cottrell, Tony Marinkovich, Monte Pawa, Scott Evans, Dan Delany

Mainland Team

Women: Tayla Bruce, Sheryl Pearce, Jan Khan, Brittany Tyson, Misty Arnold, Amy Brenton

Men: Josh Boyd, James Pugh, Ali Forsyth, Nathan Glasson, Greg Ruaporo, Andrew Kelly

Central Team

Women: Kirsten Griffin, Dale Lang, Mandy Boyd, Kaaren Guilford, Lisa White, Clare McCaul

Men: Tim Toomey, Chris LeLievre, Darren Redway, Euan Wong, Tony Grantham, Blake Signal

Southern Team

Women: Sarah Scott, Abbey Dugdale, Val Smith, Angela Boyd, Rachel McDowall, Serena Matthews

Men: Conor Muir, Mitchell Will, Richard Girvan, Craig Forgie, Matt Gallop, Shaun Scott