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Pennant bowls

Tatura

In Division-two a win in the penultimate pennant season match, over a much lower placed East Shepparton, could well have placed Tatura’s division-top team in guaranteed finals pennant action. But with an insipid performance on Saturday it could only come away with four of the 14 points available and could well have jeopardised its final four position.

When a good showing could have made certain of finals action, the side folded and were well held throughout the day’s play on the East Shepparton synthetic greens. At the break, not one Tatura side was leading its opponent and overall was down by 17 shots.

Peter Wallis and Brian Nisbet, his East Shepparton opponent who was very often converting down shots to up when he hit the mat, were having a very tight game. Wallis and his rink managed to hang on to a four-shot win, 25-21. Peter LeSueur and Gino Cervi were also having a very tight struggle with LeSueur trailing for the majority of the day. But with a motivational chat at the break and a more aggressive approach to the game they started to overcome their formidable opponents. Scores were tied 19-all on the 21st end and with either side a winner, LeSueur scored six to three over Cervi to come home by three shots, 25-22, and more importantly considering the Tatura club’s finals aspirations, the two points for a rink win. John Attwood versus Stan McIntosh saw the Tatura side in all sorts of trouble when down on the 11th end 9-19. But a comeback saw them only one shot down on the 20th end 21-22. However, the adrenalin that had got them back in the game had dissipated and McIntosh resumed control, running out a seven-point winner, 29-22. Barry Parker and his rink seemed to have no answer to counter the opposition in Noel Cosson and with only six winning ends for the day, were thumped by 20 shots, 13-33. Final score 85-105.

Division-four hosted East Shepparton and a dismal day’s results for the team saw a 86-102 loss and only two points gained. Nick Tziros (s), Charlie Morritt, Ben LeSueur and Ken Tee played Lyell Kay and were the only side to come home with a win, outscoring their opposition 33-20 for a 13-shot win. Two of the opposing sides managed to outscore their Tatura opponents by the same margin of 13 shots when Geoff Pieper lost to Reg Hewlett and Bob Bordett lost to B. Burnett. Tatura’s Terry Gale and Gilbert Dallenagore were absorbed in a tough encounter, with very little separating the sides through much of the day. In the end, Gale’s rink just failed by three shots, 18-21.

By John Crilly

Hill Top

For Division-one, it was a must win game this week against Euroa, a chance to salvage a little pride and get out of the bottom-two. By smoko, it all looked like it was going to plan with three rinks up, but then it happened, that shift of momentum which has been indicative of the season to date. As the match drew to its completion, Murray Stark’s rink had battled out a draw and the omnipotent Mick Hooper and his team supplied the only winning rink.

Murray Stark and his team had a strong start and had a four-shot lead on the 11th end. The lead changed several times on the run home and eventually ended in a draw.

Rod Werner’s rink had a disappointing day, with nothing going right for them. They trailed all day and did little to worry the opposition, losing by 10 shots.

Jock Hicks also started well and had worked hard to be in front by four shots on the 16th end. It went downhill from there as they lost the next five ends, conceding the lead and the game.

Mick Hooper’s team combined well and had a cracking start and nearly scored at will during the first half. They were a little more reserved in the second half but still ended the day with a 13-shot victory.

Results

M. Stark, D. Hicks, L. Thomson and T. Downie 21 drew with L. Cocking 21. R. Werner, J. Flanagan, J. Trevaskis and A. Cross 15 lost to P. Naughton 25. J. Hicks, R. Evans, J. Kriesfeld and N. Mulcahy 21 lost to G. Beaton 27. M. Hooper, R. Coulston, J. Spedding and B. Moroney 30 defeated K. Suttcliffe 17.

Division-two had a nail biting clash with Shepparton Park this week. It really came down to the wire and when the dust settled it was Hill Top who were left disappointed with a one-shot loss.

Graham Smith had a hard day at the office as his rink trailed all day, although a stronger second half reduced the margin to nine.

Barry Semmens and his team produced the only winning rink of the day and had the lead all day, finishing strongly to post a nine-shot victory.

Jeff McNaughton’s rink started with a flourish gaining a five on the first end. Then in a tight match the lead changed several times before the opposition won the three final ends gaining the ascendancy by just one shot.

Graeme Wheelhouse’s team had a strong first half and a healthy seven shot lead on the 12th end. They increased this lead before losing seven of the final eight ends to post a draw.

Results

G. Smith, T. Deane, R. Sellwood and G. Holmes 17 lost to J. Ross 26. J. McNaughton, A. Willaton, K. Cornell and J. Perry 22 lost to G. Flanagan 23. B. Semmens, K. Parks, B. Ibbott and M. Anderson 25 defeated G. Edwards 16. G. Wheelhouse, K. Maynard, J. McCormick and J. Freudenstein 23 drew with R. Phillips 23.

Division-four travelled away to face Euroa and came home with three winning rinks and, as the competition moves into the final round, the team has moved up to third on the ladder. There was one big winner on the day and it was Ron Cronyn’s rink who amassed an amazing 24-shot victory.

Cronyn’s team had a great day and in an incredible 10 straight ends they scored 27 shots.

Ivan Pogue’s rink decided to take a harder route and was 13 shots down on the seventh end. A little bit of resolve saw them back in the game and they went on to win by one shot.

KA also had a tight match, with the lead changing several times. By the 22nd end the team was trailing by four shots, but an impressive five on the 24th end saw the team take the lead and the match.

Bill Woods had a hard day although his team kept in touch through the first half. Euroa proved to good at home running out easy winners at the final siren.

Results

R. Cronyn, M. Shay, G. Chessells and A. Cross 36 defeated R. Cooper 12. I. Pogue, A. Barry, S. Cowan and G. Russell 26 defeated N. Harris 25. K. Smith, J. Harford, A. Serra and F. Niglia 24 defeated E. Harrison 23. B. Woods, R. Ferguson, M. Trevaskis and B. Maher 19 lost to G. Andrews 33.

Division-five was the only one of the three divisions playing at home this week to secure a win for the day. Ron Alper’s team had a great 10-shot win, which proved enough to get them over the line in what was a close match against Stanhope.

Alper and his team took control of their match at the seventh end, taking the lead and not relinquishing it and cruising to an easy 10-shot victory.

John Clement’s rink had a tight battle all day and after scoring a five on the 20th end, the team was in the lead. Alas, the team could not keep it and lost by three shots in the end.

Paul Newman also had a close match and once again a six on the 16th end saw his team draw level with Stanhope. It was touch and go from there, but winning the final two ends saw the team draw them the game.

Results

R. Alper, G. Trevaskis, K. Grumley and K. Gray 27 defeated R. Tuhan 17. J. Clement, P. Kerrins, R. Flett and L. Langley 22 lost to A. Nelson 25. P. Newman, B. Banford, V. Newman and T. Moreton 23 drew with D. Stephens 23.

Don’t forget bowlers it’s Gold Watch Day this Sunday, so come down and support the club and see some fantastic bowls in the process. Also on a special note, a training night for the club’s new defibrillator is being held on Monday, February 27 at 7.30 pm and I would urge anyone who can attend to do so as the more members who are conversant with this life saving device the better.

By Justin Spedding

Tuesday bowls

Hill Top

Division-one defeated Mooroopna 64-79. S. Clement (s), N. Brisbane, D. Downie, H. Donaldson defeated B. Nichols 25-22; M.McGurgan (s), D. Corrigan, P. Moroney, B. Moore defeated W. Graus 29-15; M. Moore (s), B. Smith, J. Overall, P. Anderson lost to L. Nicholls 25-27.

Division-three defeated Shepparton Park Green 88-55. S. Nihill (s), K. Cornell, A. Heathman, M. Cronyn defeated B. Durston 31-23; J. Tavener (s), L. Dennis, D. Clement, M. Krause defeated W. Holland 29-19; G. Smith (s), K. Smith, D. Ferguson, V. Maynard defeated F. Holland 28-13.

Division-four defeated Avenel 49.75-42. G. Gillis(s), G. Meneilly, P. Parks, M. Grumley lost to M. Dawson 15.75-27; C. Reilly(s), C. Popple, Bernie Maher, B. Nation defeated M. Wilson 34-15.

Tatura

Division-one defeated Rushworth 84-75. D. Best (s), W.Ewert, J. Attwood, M. King defeated S. Perry 40-15; F. Clement (s), P. Cohen, R. Normington and N. Boyd lost to J. Sprague 23-30; F. Attwood (s), P. Boyd, B. Curtis, R. Ewert lost to S. Jacobson 21-30.

Division-four defeated Nagambie 53-41. V. Plant (s), L. Noonan, V. Williams, B. Le Sueur defeated V. Reidy 37-8; J. Cohen (s), C. Morritt, P. Crawford, K. McDonald lost to Sharon Hall 16-33.