IT IS no secret that the sporting rivalry
between Australians and Kiwis is as heated
and competitive as it has ever been.
This rivalry is set to flare once more
today, as a crack group of Queensland
lawn bowlers, travelling on P&O’s Sun
Princess, arrive in Tauranga, NZ, for a
“friendly” game of lawn bowls (yeah right)
against the local Mount Maunganui
bowlers.
The contest will pit the best four on
each side against each other in a contest
not too dissimilar to the infamous Trevor
Chappell underarm cricket delivery bowled
to Brian McKechnie in 1981 at the MCG.
Both involve underarm bowling and
possibly equal amounts of controversy.
“We’re pretty serious about our bowls
at the club, but when this sort of thing
happens it’s also a lot of fun,” club
member Don Shand said of the contest.
It’s not just for the elite, however, with
the other 43 visiting bowlers onboard also
taking part with their NZ counterparts in a
social competition.
