Golden oldies' final

DON BATISTE is one victory away from his first island singles bowls title - at the age of 70. And in a real golden oldies' all-Northerners Elliott Singles final in a fortnight, the former Muratti footballer will line up against his regular pairs partner, 65-year-old Ricky Nash.

'I think it will be a good game and the best man will win,' said Nash, moments after edging Dan de la Mare 21-17 on rink five at the Corbet Field.

'I think I played well. In fact, played better today than for a while,' added Nash who had come under strong pressure from the favourite in the closing stages.

But from 11-17 down, de la Mare left his revival too late.

He got it back to 18-17 but Nash pulled one shot further ahead after adjudged the shot by marker Eddie Robins' tape and on the next end sealed it with a double.

Two shots down with his final bowl to come, de la Mare attempted to fire out of trouble, but the royal blue bowl was well wide of its intended mark and the retired policeman was safely through.

Batiste, in contrast, eased past Sid Le Maitre 21-3.

The latter, two years his junior and a man in form, took two shots on the opening end but then did not score again for a further eight, by which time he trailed 11-3.

It was all over in 15 ends.

Even Batiste, who had lost 21-20 to Le Maitre in a North singles match last time out, admitted that the match had been tighter than the scoreline suggested. But he was happy to get one over a player who recently put him and Nash out of contention for another island title, the Travers Pairs.