Around the Greens

junior champs: Ginny and Tim Sherriff are Gisborne Bowling Club’s junior mixed pairs champions after they beat Barbara Gibson and Ron Robertson in the final. Picture supplied

Arthur Hawes is full of mischief when he isn’t bowling, and the programme he came up with for Gisborne Bowling Club’s final day before Christmas left some bewildered.

Everyone in the 12 triples teams playing had to skip, play two or lead.

It’s been a while since some skips have put down jacks and there were a few nervous junior players on the head dealing with “know-all” skips still trying to run the show.

The younger players came to the fore when asked to put a bowl between two jacks half a metre apart.

There was plenty of fun, followed by a sumptuous meal to end the day.

Two finals were played last weekend. The held-over women’s singles final between Queenie Takurua and Dayvinia Mills was won by Takurua after she lost one of her two lives.

She showed her years of experience in the second game to once again become women’s champion.

The last final of the year was the junior mixed pairs, played in temperatures of around 30 degrees.

There was some excellent bowling by Don and Diane Oates, Karen and Geoff Pinn and the eventual finalists, despite the temperatures.

Tim and Ginny Sherriff lost a life to Barbara Gibson and Ron Robertson, 15-14, in the last game of the day, having beaten the Oates pair and then the Pinns on an extra end.

So Sunday was winner take all, with both teams having one life.

The Sherriffs started well, then Gibson and Robertson came at them, as expected. However, the Sherriffs dug deep to claim a title that had eluded them up until then.

Thanks must go to greenkeeper Jamey Ferris, who turns out beautiful greens for these occasions, and Bobbie Beattie, who is in charge of all the other bits and pieces that have to be done during these competitions.

Thanks also to the club members who turn up to watch. Ron Robertson wondered why all these people were arriving. Maybe they were coming to play, he said. Couldn’t believe they were actually there to see him play!

Merry Christmas everyone. Relax and enjoy the break with family and friends until we get back into bowls on January 13 with the Alex White Triples and then the Club Championship Triples on the 16th and 17th. — Ginny