The result of End 11 was always in doubt after the jack was displaced to teeter near the edge of the ditch. The Carrolls were holding shot with a bowl only a hand’s width from the jack. McGreevy then placed a fine bowl to challenge it, drawing applause and gasps of admiration from the spectators. After several unsuccessful attempts by the skips to change the situation, the Carrolls took the end by one shot.
That end provided the change of momentum the Carrolls needed. They employed their best skills to draw shots on the next end and, despite some excellent attacking play from Kennedy and McGreevy, the lead had changed to 9-7 in favour of the Carrolls after End 13.
The play on the last two ends was a pleasure to watch and a credit to all four players. The Carrolls had taken charge by now, though, and went on to win the title 12-7 in fine style.
Saturday’s play featured many closely fought battles. Five pairs had three wins and three pairs had two wins and 27 or more ends — enough to qualify for post-section play the next day.
Ideal bowling conditions on Sunday encouraged high-quality play.
In one semifinal, Ian and Kath Carroll trailed Bruce Ball and Jan Powell 9-5 after 9 ends before the Carrolls’ fighting spirit took over. With precise drawing, they won 14-10 to secure their place in the final.
In the other semifinal Lex Kennedy and Val McGreevy established a creditable 14-4 lead over 12 ends against Jeff and Joy Davis.
The Davis pair fought back strongly over the last three ends but could not bridge the gap and lost 14-12.
COMING UP
TOMORROW: Final twilight aggregate evening.
SATURDAY: Regional finals of the interclub competition at Palmerston North.
FEBRUARY 24 AND 25: Val Smith 2x4x2 Open Mixed Pairs. Entries are being accepted now.
Gisborne
KAY Goldsbury (skip), Ginny Sherriff, Kym Brown and Beverly Davy completed the full set of under-eight women’s titles between them when Gisborne Bowling Club’s junior fours championships were played at the weekend.
Rain washed out play on Saturday, which meant only the women’s event could be completed on Sunday.
The junior men’s championship is down to two teams and will be completed this weekend.
The Goldsbury four bagged the title with both lives intact, beating Jennie Evans (s), Barbara Gibson, Helen McIldowie and Angela Gibson-Sam 26-6 and 22-5 in their two encounters.
Between them, the four will now contest all of Bowls Gisborne-East Coast’s champion of champions women’s events this season.
In the men’s event, Mal Trowell (s), Tim Sherriff, Nathan Trowell and Ashli Ferris, with both lives intact, will meet Harry Jackson (s), Dan Barr, Peter Allan and Reg Hart in a potential final on Saturday afternoon.
Off to Manawatu
GISBORNE’S champion senior women’s team is off to Palmerston North this weekend to contest the regional finals of the Bowls New Zealand national first division inter-club championships.
Bobbie Beattie, Tanya Harrison, Queenie Takurua, Ginny Sherriff, Beverly Davy, Lorna Reeve and Carol Hawes will be trying to top the efforts of the club’s team of two years ago, when they were runners-up nationally.
The regional winners will play in the national finals at Naenae’s new state-of-the-art bowls hub on March 3.
Stop press
IN a last-end shootout, Jamey Ferris (s) and Tanya Harrison clinched the club’s mixed pairs title yesterday.
The pair held their nerve going into the last end tied 13-13 against Steve (s) and Kay Goldsbury.
Harrison set up the end with a perfect opener and Ferris added to it for a 15-13 win.
