Christmas bonus with two reports of the Southern Highland Cup and Club Championship Major Pairs results. Terry is still holidaying so thanks to Gordon Lewis and Stephen Della for the reports
Bowral. Come back from the dead to win southern highland cup.
Saturday 14 th December at Bowral bowling club.
After three days of competition Bowral won the southern highland cup by the barest of margins scoring a one point win over Bundanoon and Robertson.
On the first day after play had finished at Bundanoon Bowral lead the challenge leading after the first day.
The second day was played at Robertson and in the mist Bowral were completely out classed and there was no late come back they lost all four games and went from the top to the basement with Bundanoon Hitting the lead.
The next days play was at Bowral and Bowral had to win all the matches to have any chance .
Bundanoon and Robertson headed off to Bowral full of confidence .
Stephen Della and Dugald Braithwaite gave Bowral the perfect start defeating M.Frost and N.Acton from Bundanoon 13-9 and 10-9.
Mick Flynn Robin Staples Dave Coltman lost the first match against N.Donlan G.Anderson R.Burnham from Bundanoon 12-9 won the second game 13-5.
A three game tie breaker had to be played with Bowral winning 6-0.
Noel Fraser Jim Neely Gail Fraser defeated K. O’Shea P.New R. Johnston from Robertson 11-2 and 14-10.
Stephen Day and Alistair McGhee lost to D.Denny G.Tutt from Robertson 8-6 Won the second game 12-4.
And won the three end tie breaker 3-2.
At the end of the three day competition the points score being.
1st Bowral with 7 points
2nd Bundanoon 6 points
3 rd Robertson 5 points.
The features being good to see Bundanoon and Robertson producing excellent competition as Bowral has been dominate over the years but that gap has certainly closed which is pleasing to see and makes the game healthy in the local area.
Semifinal major pairs.
Sunday morning 15th December the resumption of the major pairs semifinal between Ashley Lewis and Mick Spong against Dugald Braithwaite and Alistair McGhee started at 10am. The match was suspended two weeks ago after rain washed out play with the scores locked at 12-12 after thirteen ends.
At the finish it was Ashley Lewis and Mick Spong moving into the final with a 22-15.
Lead. But it was skipper Mick Spong who was the star converting many shots when down.
At the time of going to press no scores on the final between Ashley Lewis mick Spong V Stephen Della Dave Coltman which was to be played Sunday afternoon.
Club News
It is that time off year to give Christmas wishes to all of you and bowlers also thank the southern highland news for the coverage of lawn bowls during the year.
We are aware of the very difficult year it has been to many people and the struggle they have faced .
those who are able to get to church on Christmas morning with family or on your own count your blessings.
We can agree or disagree but the Australian way of life That many in our society have grown up with has changed not for the better.
Once again wishing you all a fun filled Christmas time and a very happy and healthy new year.
Kind regards,
Gordon Lewis
Saturday saw the conclusion of the Southern Highlands Cup with 30 players from Bowral, Bundanoon and Robertson playing the final round at Bowral. Coming into the last round Bundanoon were on 5 points, Robertson on 4 and Bowral on 3 after losing all 4 games at Robertson last Sunday. The goal was to win all four games and get a lead in sets in case there was a tie and a countback.
Noel Fraser, Jim Neeley and Gail Fraser got the first point with a 2 sets to nil win over Robertson. Next to add to the tally was Stephen Della and Dugald Braithwaite who overcame scores of 0-5 in set 1 and 1-7 in set 2 to steamroll the Bundanoon side 2 sets to nil. Mick Flynn, Robin Staples and Dave Coltman lost the first set but won the second and dominated the 3 end tiebreaker winning 8-0 for the third point. Stephen Day and Alistair McGhee also lost set 1 and came back in set 2. They lost 1 shot in the first 2 ends of the tiebreaker but scored a 3 to take the fourth point. In the Bundanoon v Robertson games they shared a point each.
Bowral won with 7 points, Bundanoon 6 and Robertson 5 – the closest result for years.
Thank you to all the players who represented the club and thanks to Robin Staples for the photography on the day.
Major Pairs Finals
After the rain interruption 2 weeks ago the semi final between the reigning champions Dugald Braithwaite and Alistair McGhee and Ashley Lewis reached its conclusion. Starting at 12-12 after 12 ends the Lewis – Spong team drew ahead ending up 22-15 victors.
The final was a cagey affair between Lewis and Spong and the new combination of Stephen Della and Dave Coltman, with little separating the teams in the first 10 ends with Coltman leading 9-8. Outstanding draw bowls and missed drives saw Stephen and Dave score 6 and 4 on consecutive ends to jump out to 19-8 on 12 ends. When Spong won the mat he stretched it out to longer ends and they came clawing back and 2 outstanding conversion shots saw them turn 1 down into 3 up and then another 3 on the next end closed it to 22-18 after 19 ends. After the first 5 bowls on the 20th end Spong was holding 5, Doc was able to draw second and third but Spong with his last bowl could have pushed the bowls though to capture 5 but was a bowl wide and he scored 1. Needing a 3 for an extra ends Lewis and Spong held 3 after the first 4 bowls. Doc was asked to run at the head and he played the shot bowl onto the jack and the jack went in the ditch. Ashley then drew the shot and Stephen drew the absolute shot 1 foot of the ditch. Mick Spong then outdrew him but could not conjure up a 3 and the game finished 22-20 to Stephen Della and Dave Coltman. It was Dave’s first Major Pairs title and Stephen’s seventh.
They go the to Champion of Champions finals in late April.
Pennants
We are yet to hear of the allocation of grades for the 2024/25 Open Gender Pennants, hopefully some trial games can occur during January so we can find the new combinations we need given the new players we have acquired.