EUROA BOWLS CLUB

By GREG BLATCHFORD

IT has been another huge week at the club with action a plenty.

For mine the highlight was club stalwart Tim Scarlett playing his 200th game of Weekend Pennant.

Well done Tim - we are in no doubt that he has at least 200 more in the tank.

We also held our Christmas Party which was a wonderful night filled with (dare I say it) fun and frivolity.

The food was excellent and the entertainment first rate with several of our members showing that their moves on the dance floor are as good as their skills on the green. Thanks to all who played a part in putting the evening together.

On a more somber note, we also farewelled Barry Hatchman who has been a great club member and friend over the years and will be sorely missed.

We wish Barry and Janelle all the best for the future and hope Barry finds a Bowling Green within walking distance of his new home.

Our Christmas raffle has also been run and won as follows – Steve (1st prize), Lenis Ralston (2nd), Phil Merry (3rd), Joe (4th), Neal Healey (5th) and Lindsay Cocking (6th). Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all who supported the club by either buying or selling tickets or donating prizes.

In addition, we also got to play some bowls even though the early summer rain again caused some disruption.

In Mid-Week Pennant Division one had a great victory over Shepp Golf and Division four prevailed over East Shepp however the Division five game against Violet Town was cancelled due to the green being unplayable.

Division one versus Shepp Golf – 51 to 48 and 12 points.

Shane Drysdale, Bill Sargood, Don Steers and Kerrie Steers 13-18.

Ken Sutcliffe, Bill Taylor, Anne Sutcliffe and David Cerini 15-19.

Tony Kingma, Kev Milner, Charmaine Reid and Kristeen Boyce 23-11.

Division four versus East Shepp – 66 to 49 and 16 points.

Doug Maconachie, Richard Noble, Beryl Harris and Jan Sheargold 24-15.

Jim Perry, Margaretha Cerini, Greg Blatchford and Dot Lomer 24-18.

Peter Naughton, Libby Byrne, Mary Steen and Buffy McFarlane 18-16.

Next week Division’s one and four are both at home taking on Kyabram and Alexandra respectively whilst Division five comes up against Tatura Hilltop at the Tatura green.

Ladder Positions at the conclusion of seven rounds are:

Division one - 8th with 34 points.

Division four – 2nd with 86 points.

Division five – 2nd with 70 points.

In Weekend Pennant Division one were competitive in all rinks despite going down to Shepp Park, Division four took the points over Merrigum whilst the Division six match got hit by the storm and had to be called off after the green turned into a swimming pool. 37 ends had been completed however 45 are required to constitute a match. When the rain and hail came we were seven shots up (39 to 32) with two rinks leading and the third starting to catch up to Tracey McConnell.

Division one versus Shepp Park – 67 to 89 and 0 points.

Tony Kingma, Jeremy Boruch, Barry Hatchman and Sam Barkly 15 – 22.

Peter Naughton, Marc Stevens, Kev Milner and Margaretha Cerini 14 – 20.

Shane Drysdale, Bill Sargood, Bill Jennings and John Groat 21 – 28.

Ken Sutcliffe, Bill Taylor, Don Steers and David Cerini 17 – 19.

Division four versus Merrigum – 74 to 59 and 15 points.

Jim Perry, Charmaine Reid, Buffy McFarlane and Max Griffiths 18 – 20.

Doug Maconachie, Jamie Greasley, Tim Scarlett and Ross Withers 16 – 14.

Richard Noble, Lindsay Cocking, Kerrie Steers and Noel Moon 15 – 15.

Alex Grant, Libby Byrne, Lance Carracher and Anne Sutcliffe 25 - 10.

Ladder Positions after eight rounds:

Division one - 8th with 37 points.

Division four – 1st with 100 points.

Division six – 3rd with 81 points.

This Saturday is the last round prior to the Christmas break and we have all three sides playing at home.

Division one against Kyabram, Division four Mooroopna and Division six Alexandra.

A reminder to all pennant players – roll-up is 15 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time of matches, and I have no doubt that our Team Managers would appreciate it if we all arrived 15 minutes prior to roll-up.

Finally, the latest Nifty 50 winners are Pauline Naylor and Kev (three times this year so far) Milner.

All the best and bowl well.

AVENEL BOWLS CLUB

By KATE DONOVAN

MIDWEEK PENNANT DIVISION THREE.

SECOND placed Avenel played third placed Numurkah at home last Tuesday.

Boy, what a game.

No more than a handful of shots separated the teams for the entire match.

It came down to the last bowl of the day with Avenel victorious by one point 14 – 53 to 2 – 52 to re-gain top spot on the ladder.

Pam Pedder, Grace Kenworthy, Glen Bell, Dennis McGregor (s).

Hung on in there till they won the lead on the 18th end.

Then holding the opposition to only one shot over the last five ends saw them across the winning line by three, 20 – 17.

James Wall, Kate Donovan, Geoff Hateley, Spud Furletti (s) had secured a handy seven shot lead by the 16th end.

They then lost the last five ends but held on to win the game by the merest margin, one shot 16 – 15.

Jenny Furletti, Graham Lewis, Fay Hateley, Noel Slater (s) lost their game 17 – 20 but in a tense finish where Numurkah needed two shots to draw the match and three to win, Avenel had a perfectly positioned second shot bowl and held on to it for the overall win.

The next game for Avenel is at home against Mooroopna Golf.

MIDWEEK DIVISION SIX.

Avenel hosted Mooroopna Golf and had a sixteen shot, and two rink win over the visitors 14 – 45 to 0 – 29.

Ron Harrison, Moiann Papageorgiou, Nyoli Bell, Ross Sinclair (s) were behind in the first half in a close game.

In the second half they all found line and length to come storming home scoring fourteen shots to one for a 27 – 14 win.

Marg Harrison, Robyn Hyland, Bill O’Connor, Marion Gittus (s) were behind till the 18th end when they won the last four ends and the lead for a three shot win 18 – 15.

Avenel play Rushworth at home next Tuesday.

WEEKEND DIVISION THREE.

Avenel needed a win playing against Rushworth on its home grass to secure a spot in the top four.

But Rushworth were to good wining all four rinks 18 – 99 to 0 – 70.

Howard Geldard, Kate Donovan, Geoff Hateley, Spud Furletti (s) scored a five on the last end before smoko to win the lead 13 – 11.

Resuming from the break Avenel lost five ends in a row for Rushworth to surge ahead for a three shot win 26 – 23.

Jenny Furletti, Graham Lewis, Fay Hateley, Noel Slater (s) were down by fourteen shots by the 16th end.

They won the last five ends scoring eight shots to restore some creditability but not enough to win the game with Rushworth the better team 21 – 15.

Pam Pedder, Charlie Kemp, Donna Rowley, Jake Wall (s) were down eleven shots when they scored seven in two ends to be within four shots of winning the game on the last end.

But it was Rushworth who prevailed with a three on the last end to win the game 17 – 24.

Grace Kenworthy, Glen Bell, Brett McDonald, Dennis McGregor (s) were within reach of winning its game when Rushworth put the foot down scoring nine shots over the last three ends for the win 28 – 16.

The next game is at home against Shepparton Golf.

WEEKEND DIVISION SIX

Playing Seymour at home, the visitors were too good for Avenel with a two rink win 14 – 42 to 0 – 22.

Walter Pedder, Moiann Papageorgiou, Marg Harrison, Ross Sinclair (s) got off to a faultless start, up 10 zip after the first five ends.

Seymour struck back winning the next eight ends that set up a two shot win 16 – 14.

Kyle Pedder, Mark Morse, Ron Harrison, Marion Gittus (s)just didn’t have a good day against an accurate Seymour team who went from strength to strength winning 26 – 8.

Avenel play Mooroopna Golf away in the next game.