Warragul Bowling Club has held the last two of its championship finals in the last week, the women's triples and women's fours.
The triples saw Marg Ratcliffe (skip), Pat Hammond and Bianca Sheehan against Gaye Renn (skip), Lynne Thomas and Lyn Morrison.
The first seven ends of the game was a see-saw battle which saw Marg's team lead 5/4. Gaye's team then got a run on and added six shots over the next four ends to lead 10/5.
Marg's team bounced back with the next four ends to reclaim the lead 11/10. Gaye played two brilliant bowls on the 16th end to take the lead back 12/11 and then when they got one on the second last end they led 13/11.
Bianca drew shot on the last end, Pat drew a second. Gaye had a little running shot and narrowly missed, and when Marg drew a third, Gaye was under pressure.
Gaye couldn't cut the numbers down which left Marg's team with a one shot win, with Marg not playing her last bowl.
This was a high quality final with all six bowlers contributing during the match.
The fours final saw Lynne Thomas (skip), Lyn Morrison, Franciska Axford and Sandra Porch against Marg Ratcliffe (skip), Pat Hammond, Glynis Mitchell and Gabrielle Draisma.
Marg's team won four of the first five ends to lead 5/1, then Lynne's team won the next six ends to take a seven-shot lead.
Marg got one on the 12th end then Lynne got two, three and one to take a commanding 12 shot lead with three ends to play.
What happened next was a complete turnaround. Lynne's team dropped two, four and six to see the match tied at 18-all so an extra end had to be played.
Marg's team was holding two or three shots, until Franciska trailed the jack with her last bowl and stayed about half a metre from the jack.
Pat with two bowls and Marg with two bowls couldn't get the shot back, and as a result Lynne didn't need to play her last bowl, as her team had won by one shot.
Bowls & croquet
Warragul concludes bowls season
Apr 30 2025
1 min read
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