Skipper Out To Impress National Selectors
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday February 24, 1994
Belrose international, 43-year-old Rex Johnston, is highly motivated this week to impress the national selectors, who will view the interstate sides championship at Yokine, Perth, WA.
Johnston skippered the NSW side for this event in 1988, scoring six wins from seven matches with a shots differential of plus-42.
The wheels fell off his machine the next year but, with a fresh team, he surged back at Hobart in 1990 with six wins (plus-35) and continued with five wins (plus-34) at Darwin in 1991.
With the same supports: Dennis Cottome (Merrylands), Jim Swan (Park Beach, Coffs Harbour) and Dennis Harmer (Mlds), Rex netted six wins (plus-60) at Canberra in 1992 but fell away the next year at Holdfast Bay, Adelaide, where his team could manage only 3 1/2 wins.
There are two fresh faces: Glen Brown (Hamilton) and Wayne Lambourne(Maitland City).
Since Joan Bluett transferred from Mackellar Women's Bowling Club five years ago, she has noticeably strengthened her new club, Seaforth, and at the same time enhanced her own standing in the bowling world.
Joan captured the State singles championship in 1989 and State fours championship in 1991.
Last week at Harbord she skipped the Seaforth team, Jill Jenkinson, June Leahy and Halina Wuro, who took out the Manly Warringah District section of the highly rated Headquarters Trophy, skittling the Narrabeen Memorial quartet, Olive Bennett, Janet King, Margaret Ardill and skip Joyce McCann 27-14.
The first half of the Zone 9 segment of the NSW men's No 1 pennant competition on Saturday should see four clubs established as favourites to qualify for the round robin post-sectional rounds.
Belrose in section four shared the six points with a weak Turramurra side in the first round but flattened North Manly 6-0 last weekend to set them up as likely winners.
Mona Vale, with a 6-0 whitewash of Seaforth and 56, 5-1, walloping of West Lindfield are a short-odds bet for section seven.
While Auburn should take out section eight, the leadership of section three will be decided on Saturday when Merrylands meet West Epping.
© 1994 Sydney Morning Herald