Sargeant To Lay Down The Law

Illawarra Mercury

Wednesday November 19, 2008

By JOEL RITCHIE

DEFENDING South Pacific Bowls Carnival champion Matt Sargeant has a familiar goal for the event's 50th anniversary - maintain the mortgage on the pairs title he holds with best mate John Green.

Sargeant (left), who plays for Thirroul Bowling Club and Green, from Corrimal, have won the past three South Pacific pairs titles.

Last year's triumph led to Sargeant securing his second player of the carnival award, to go with one he won in 2006.

That year, Sargeant came the closest any bowler has to scoring a clean sweep of all three events when he won the singles and pairs.

Sargeant said he was entering all three competitions - singles, pairs and fours - in the 2008-2009 edition which starts on December 27.

He will team with Green again in the pairs and Green, Windang's Brett Pieper and an unnamed lead in the fours.

Sargeant is one of five bowlers to have won multiple player of the carnival awards.

Troy Somerville, Brett Duprez, Shane Garvey and Edward Walsh complete that list.

"It was really good - I looked through the whole list and it is something special," Sargeant said.

Sargeant, who combined with clubmate Clarke to win the NSW Champion of Champion pairs title earlier this month, said being named player of the South Pacific Carnival rated among his career highlights.

"To win it on the 50th anniversary would make it even more special," he said.

"It is an event that goes for nearly two weeks, to get player of the carnival you have to do well in more than one event. I would like to win the pairs again to make it four in a row - player of the carnival would be a bonus."

© 2008 Illawarra Mercury

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