Sports

2021 Yamba Major Fours Champions (front) Jake McHutchison and Graeme Brown; (rear) Dave Atkinson & Don Plummer (skip). Image: Contributed.

Yamba Major Fours Championship

The club’s Major Fours Championship was decided on the weekend with the semi-finals and final played in almost perfect conditions on Sunday.

The semi-final between the team of Jake McHutchison, Dave Atkinson, Graeme Brown and Don Plummer who were up against Cliffe Vagg, Steve Jackson, Marty Wood, and Ian Parker was a contest of two halves. After 11 of the required 21 ends of play Don’s team led comfortably by 13 shots to five and looked as if they would stroll into the final. However, Ian Parker motivated his side with some brilliant play. and they responded to produce some of the best bowling of the day in the second half of the match and with two ends to be played, the game was locked at 20 shots each. But it was Jake, Dave, Graeme, and Don who managed to take the victory by 22 shots to 20.

The second semi-final between John McGovern, Mark Bilton, Bill Andrews and Steve Butler and the quartet of Steve Cassidy, Tom Cross, Tracey Jenner and Peter Forrester also had its moments of drama and brilliance. Steve and his team likewise led by 13 shots to five after eleven ends of play and looked home for all money. However, as is the case in many finals, Peter and his team clawed their way back into the contest and progressing into the definitive end of play trailed by 16 shots to 13. John, Mark, Bill and Steve managed to preserve their advantage and took the game by 17 shots to 13.

The final was a real tussle with neither side managing to gain an early advantage and following 13 ends of play the scores were locked at 12 shots each. However, answering the call for effort from their skip, Don Plummer, team-mates Jake McHutchison, Dave Atkinson and Graeme Brown responded positively to capture six of the final eight ends. The final score of 26 shots to 17 was not an accurate reflection of the closeness of the game, but when it was all said and done, it was Don’s party.

 

 Don Freeman