Award-winning bowlers back for more in 2022

Marlborough lawn bowlers Craig MacDonell and Maurice Symes, winners of the WK Advisors and Accountants Team of the Year at the 2021 Marlborough Sports Awards, will be pushing for a second consecutive national fours title early next year.

Maurice, from the Blenheim club, and Craig, from Riverside, joined forces with Te Puke’s John Gray and Steve Beel of Mount Maunganui to claim lawn bowling’s blue riband title in Alexandra earlier this year.

The 2022 NZ champs will be staged in New Plymouth in late February and the victorious foursome will be reunited.

While Maurice acknowledged that it would be hard to back up their win in Central Otago, he noted that the same four had reached the quarterfinals in 2019 so had a pretty handy record at the nationals.

“We are all keen to give it another shot,” said Craig. He will also compete in the mixed pairs, with Kiri Bond from Picton, while Maurice will team up with his wife Val in the same event.

The vastly-experienced Maurice said that while it was great that he and Craig had been recognised individually at the local awards, it was also a big moment for their sport.

“It was a great result for bowls. The last time bowls won an award at the Marlborough sports awards was when our men won the national fours title back in 1998. So, I think it is really good for Marlborough bowls.”

This was Maurice’s second NZ crown, coming 36 years after he won the pairs title. He has been runner-up on five occasions. It was Craig's first fours title.