A Ballarat Highlands Region team comprising players from Gisborne and Kyneton Golf has emerged as runner-up in the State Fours Bowls Championship.
The championships were completed at Bendigo East Bowling Club earlier this month, and the composite team of David Beardmore, Terry Kelly, Graham Edwards and Ethan Higgins (s) played extremely well against strong opposition.
In the round of 16, the BH champions faced up to a Melbourne Premier Division lineup from Bundoora RSL, representing Yarra Region and trailed 7-9 after 10 ends before taking control to advance 15-10 after the required 18 ends.
The quarter-final match was live streamed on the Bowls Victoria Facebook page, and Beardmore, Kelly, Edwards and Higgins were always in control, surging to a 24-10 lead after 16 ends, and the match finished early.
The semi-final under lights saw BH play a Wimmera Region four, which led by a shot with three ends to play. The BH players rallied to gain seven shots over the last three ends for a 19-13 victory.
QUICK DASH BY SUB
Unfortunately Kyneton Golf’s Graham Edwards could not play in the final and Tim Rogers (Gisborne) made a quick dash from home to arrive just in time for the two ends roll-up, and substituted for Edwards.
The formidable Northern Gateway Region quartet of Jordan Yates, Brad Willoughby, Paul Williamson and Anthony Flapper (s) proved too strong in the final.
After 12 ends the BH four was still in contention when trailing 6-11. The opposition then took control and raced to a 25-6 championship victory.
The BH players were very pleased to reach the final, and be presented with their silver medals as runners-up.
