Dean Drummond, Alex Jones and Pam Rowland may be travelling to Naenae as the tournament underdogs, but the Hastings trio can’t wait to foot it with some of the country’s best as they take to the green for the Bowls3Five National Playoffs.

Though with five centre titles to his name just this season alone, few will take Drummond lightly – as the Hawkes Bay representative continues to emerge as one of the nation’s brightest young prospects, repeatedly impressing on his local circuit and racking up high profile results at every opportunity.

Also a key player in the New Zealand PBA rankings, Drummond’s carpet-playing ability has been a standout feature of his game, previously featuring in the New Zealand PBA side and appearing on the famous portable blue rink at the World U25 Championship Singles at the Potters Leisure Resort in the United Kingdom.

“It’s certainly been a fantastic season and a massive year for our club, but we know as a team we will be up against it in Wellington.”, Drummond said.

“Alex has been playing for about three or four years and more recently Pam doesn’t play much at all, so we are definitely going in as underdogs. (But), we are definitely not letting that stop us having a crack . . . as we know, anything is possible with this format and we’re all keen to get out there and enjoy the moment.”

Winning the local competition qualified the Hastings trio for a regional play-off opposite Gisborne qualifiers, though with no representation put forward by the Gisborne centre – a winner takes all hitout opposite Wairarapa hopefuls Lansdowne loomed large.

Following their win, the Bowls Hastings club faithful are spurring Drummond, Jones and Rowland on, dubbed the Bowls Hastings Hornets and aptly sporting a distinctive black and yellow uniform.

“For the small amount of bowls Pam has played, she has been our shining star off the front and has been laying the platform well for us. Everyone is really looking forward to it, seeing us out there, wanting us to do well and with the end dream to feature a team on TV,” Drummond explained.

“It’s been said before, but when it comes to the Bowls3Five format, all it takes is for something to go your way and it can suddenly turn the game on its head. Like everyone else, we’ll be out there giving it our best shot and trying as hard as we can with every bowl . . . we can’t wait.”

So with the Open Centre Singles, Pairs, Triples and Champion of Champion Singles and Triples silverware already secured in his trophy cabinet, can Drummond continue his scintillating form and lead the Hornets to the national Grand Final come June 12 & 13 at Naenae?

Underdogs or not, you surely wouldn’t bet against it.