Sports

Yamba Triples title not decided until the very end

Capture   The final of YWBC Triples Championship went down to the wire last week, in a thrilling game between victors, Val Terry, Denise Collier and Monica Conlan and runners-up Helen Scott, Joan Scadden and Chris Cole. Early on, Chris’s team was playing more consistently and skipped away to a handy 7-4 lead by the 8th end. But then Monica’s team picked up a 6 and it was game on, with scores at 10-10 on 10. Then on the 12th, great bowling again saw Chris’s team gain the ascendancy with a 5 to lead 16-10. They continued to apply the pressure and held 3 on the next end, but in what proved a possible game saver, Monica took out the shot bowl and converted a 3 down to 1 up in a decisive move. Her team followed this up with a 3 and 4 to lead 18-16, till Chris herself came up with a 6 shot turn around when she was 3 down and played a terrific yard on shot to pick up the jack to make 3 on the 16th end, and take a one shot lead, 19-18. Another shot on the 17th saw Chris’s team steady to lead by 2 going into the last end. Monica’s team persisted, though, and in a tight head managed to hold one shot when the skips went to the mat, but with Chris’s team still in control. In a tense finish to a wonderful final, Monica’s team had bowls in the head in the danger spots and two were promoted to decide the game. Hearty congratulations to all players on a fine game played the best competitive spirit. The Minor Singles competition also got underway last week. In the only game of the first round, Pam Conley had a comfortable win over Maria Sakac, and then Pam backed up in the second round to win a tough encounter with Raels McKibbin to become one of the favourites to take out the comp. Also in contention is Ros Dickson after she had a convincing win over last year’s runner up, Wynn Bell, while new bowler, Cheryl Deveney also threatens after a narrow 2 shot victory in an oscillating match with Ruthie Fletcher. Unfortunately for her, Judy Sinclair had to forfeit her game in round 2, and so the dangerous Bev Shatte has also progressed. Semi-finals in the Minor Singles are set down for August 13, and should prove very interesting. It is very encouraging to see a number of our newer bowlers performing creditably in this singles competition, and gaining valuable experience. With the Major and Minor Consistency Singles yet to be played, it is hoped that even more of our large contingent of newer bowlers will enter. In social bowls on Tuesday 28 July: M Cameron, H Atkinson & W Bell (Winners) d S Seily, B Mills & J Sinclair; J Ridgway, S Dorman & J Button (R/U) d H Biggs, C Deveny, D Frazer; J Robertson, M Sakac & K Pedder d C Beard, A Cook & D Burey (Cons); G Hoskin, V Pate & R Fletcher d K Schubert, J Pearson & R Moore; S Owen, B Neilsen & C Casement d J Corr, R McKibbin & G Davis. Thursday 30’s social bowls lucky winners were M Sakac, S Graham & B Evans who defeated S Seily, B Neislen & K Pedder; Runners up H Atkinson, R McPherson & M Thompson d M Biggs, L Olsson & C Casement, who won the consolation prize. Other results were: D Brittian, B Shatte & D Collier d F Stephens, M Stone & D Frazer; B Grimes, B Lawson & C Aitchison d N Cameron, J Pearson & J Abbott; S Owens, A Cook & D Burey d G Beard, V Pate & J Button; J Bultitude, P Jackman & J Pryor d Y McDonald, R Hippisley & K Mason. Wendy Ballantyne