The Otago Daily Times counts downs the 150 greatest moments in Otago sport.
No 73: Dickison wins Commonwealth Games gold (1986)
He did not concern himself with the state of the game, just his next bowl and the end he was playing.
Dickison was so immersed in his task that he did not realise he had won an important game until manager Kerry Clark "tapped me on the shoulder and told me I had won the game".
The only other New Zealand bowler to win the singles title was "Ham" Pirret in Auckland in 1950.
Dickison lost only one game, and that was the last, when it did not matter because he had already won the gold medal.
He lost his concentration only once in the marathon 12-game round-robin competition. That was against England's Andy Thomson, whom he beat 21-20.
Dickison lost his concentration after a disagreement with the umpire over the use of an electronic measuring device. He let his 5-0 lead slip to 9-9 on the ninth end.
Thomson led 20-18 before Dickison, who always had the ability to produce the goods under extreme pressure, won the game with a three.
A key game came in the seventh round, when Dickison faced Alf Wallace (Canada). It caused Dickison a few anxious moments because he trailed the Canadian 19-16 at one stage before drawing level with a three.
But with the scores level at 20-20, Dickison played his trump card and his biggest gamble.
Realising that Wallace favoured shorter ends and that the rink slipped away fast at the end, he selected a long mat and tossed the jack right to the ditch. It worked and Dickison remained unbeaten.
Ian Schuback (Australia) was expected to pose problems for Dickison, but it turned out to be an easy 21-10 win.
"I put my whole game together tonight," Dickison said after that game.
"It's the best I've played at the tournament."
