On the mats — Indoor bowls news

ALL IN THE FAMILY: Malcolm (left), Nathan and Jenny Trowell with the trophies for the centre open pairs (left) and the White Family Pairs. Picture by Liam Clayton

In a sport where all family members can play, the Trowell family certainly enjoy indoor bowls, and do exceptionally well. Nathan Trowell first teamed up with his mother, Jenny, to win the White Family Pairs. Then he teamed up with his dad, Malcolm, to win the centre open pairs.

Nine teams took part in the White Family Pairs, an event arranged by the White family to get families involved in the game of indoor bowls. Four teams qualified for the sudden-death playoffs, with Nathan and Jenny playing relatives Mike Foster and Matthew Foster in the nine-end final.

After three ends the score was locked at 3-3 with everyone playing some fine bowls. It stayed close, being 6-6 after eight ends. On the last end of the game, Matthew Foster killed the jack to give away three penalty points to be 9-6 down

They decided to play an extra end, but Nathan Trowell knew that if he killed the jack with his very first bowl, under the rules he would give away only two penalty points and win the game. So Trowell lined up the jack and killed it for the win.

Nathan then teamed up with his dad in the open pairs. They easily qualified for the sudden-death playoffs with four straight wins. In that final, he again played Mathew Foster, who had his younger brother Dylan Foster playing. In the nine-end final, the score was 3-2 to Nathan after four ends. Nathan led 5-4 after eight ends, but Dylan and Matthew were in command on the last end. This prompted Nathan to kill the end, giving the Fosters three penalty points and the lead for the first time in the game — 7-5.

The killed end meant the Trowells could request an extra end. In that end, Malcolm and Nathan got the better of the Fosters, to pick up two points to level the game at 7-7. A deciding end then needed to be played. Even though the Fosters had the last bowl on both the killed end and deciding end, the Trowells were too good. The Trowells shut the Fosters out with two more points on the deciding end to win 9-7.

This earned Nathan his 18th centre title and first open pairs victory. For dad Malcolm, who puts a lot back into the game, coaching the junior team each year, it was his 42nd centre title.

Malcolm and Jenny’s daughter Kayla plays fine bowls, too, and is coming through the ranks fast, while youngest daughter Zoe could soon start following in the footsteps of her family.