Written by Tony Smith for Stuff.co.nz

Ace bowler Gary Lawson has crowned his golden year by helping Canterbury win the national men’s inter-centre teams title.

The two-time world champion collected a record 11th national open title in New Plymouth in January and has now added the inter-centre trophy after Canterbury’s weekend win in Wellington.

Lawson teamed with Stephen Ditfort to win all eight of their pairs contests.

Former Blackjack Andrew Kelly was Canterbury’s singles star while Lance Pascoe (skip), Kelvin Scott, Nathan Glasson and Richard Hocking (lead) formed the four.

Canterbury topped their section with 12 wins and a draw from their 15 pool matches.

Skip Lawson and Ditfort went five from five in the pairs, Kelly had four wins and Pascoe’s four had three wins and a 12-12 draw with Bay of Plenty.

Canterbury struck an in-form Marlborough in the quarterfinals at the Wilton Bowling Club on Sunday with Lawson and Ditfort having a close tussle with Andre Smith (s) and Lloyd Gallop before winning 15-12 after Kelly lost 25-16 to Matt Gallop. The Canterbury four won  16-8.

The red and blacks won all three contests in their semifinal against Dunedin.

Kelly scored a fine win over Blackjacks world champion Mike Kernaghan, 18-12, the pair won 19-11 and the fours edged out their Otago rivals, 20-19.

The final produced another 3-0 whitewash with Canterbury too strong for North Harbour in all disciplines.

Kelly won the battle of the Blackjacks, beating Harbour’s Tony Grantham 25-17.

Lawson and Ditfort had a commanding 19-6 win over Bart Robertson and Wayne Wrack while Pascoe and his cohorts toppled the North Harbour four of Randall Watkins (s), Scott Evans, Scott Mouton and Rory Soden, 16-9.

Meanwhile, Bay of Plenty won the women’s title with a 2-1 decision over Counties Manukau in the final.

BOP’s  Sue Hodges won the singles contest 25-12, Wendy Green and Lynette McIntosh lost to Karen Forrest and Natasha Grimshaw in the pairs, 17-10, and Mere Eden, P K Tamehana, Mina Paul and Mary Campbell won the fours, 16-9.

Meanwhile, the Canterbury women’s team failed to qualify for the post-section phase after finishing fifth in their pool.

They had five wins and a draw from their 15 qualifying round matches.

Singles exponent Sandra Keith had three wins from five while Ann Simpson (s), Rachel Davies, Sheree Cottle and Kay Wallace won two games and also drew 14-14 with South Canterbury.