Bill West
There were astonishing finishes to all four Highlands division one pre-Christmas pennant bowls matches on Saturday, with the last end on every contest very much alive.
Who says bowls is boring?
At home, Kyneton climbed off the bottom of the ladder by eclipsing previously unbeaten Romsey by three shots, Gisborne had the same margin against fellow finals contender Kyneton Golf, and second-placed Lancefield went into the last end a shot up on Broadford, and managed to survive.
In the remaining top division match, Trentham did well to topple Kilmore by three shots.
After the completion of nine rounds, there is almost a top four and bottom four emerging, and this may well not alter over the remaining five home and away matches before the semi-finals.
The bottom-versus-top victory in the Kyneton-versus-Romsey encounter is again a healthy sign that no one can be taken lightly.
Prior to Saturday, Kyneton had lost several close matches, and in contrast, Romsey had won the tight ones.
Some selectors are having to work hard to develop the combinations that will be most likely to do well come finals time.
Synthetic-versus-turf surfaces is yet another consideration.
At Kyneton, the Mark Smoljo rink had eight shots to spare against Matt Brundell, and Andrew Mathison did well to eclipse the in-form Cam Austin rink by one. Damien Ely was the Redbacks’ rink winner.
Romsey may well be positive and look at the perspective of losing now not being a bad thing, rather than compounding in the finals.
After winning by a solitary shot at Broadford earlier in the season, Lancefield expected an easier match, but this was not the case with Broadford’s use of up shots and drivers putting the Tigers under pressure. Regulars Peter White and Chris Jolly were sidelined for the home side.
Gisborne veteran Graham Quaife ended up with an 11-shot advantage and this was enough to give third-placed Gisborne a vital victory despite Golf’s other two rinks taking the points.
Barry Mahar and Max Bruton were the two winners for Trentham against Kilmore.
There was a tie in second division between Kyneton Golf and seventh-placed Woodend, while second-placed Macedon scrambled home by three shots against third-placed Romsey.
Woodend caused an upset in third division by toppling ladder-leader Diggers Rest by five shots, and Lancefield climbed off the bottom of the ladder after a tight encounter with Kilmore.
Matches details were:
DIVISION ONE
Kyneton 65 d Romsey 62 – A. Mathison (s) 21 d C. Austin 20, N. Jamieson 20 lost to D. Ely 26, M. Smoljo 24 d M. Brundell 16; Kyneton Golf 58 lost to Gisborne 61 – P. Linehan 21 d D. Beardmore 20, A. Barker 16 lost to G. Quaife 27, B. Godbolt 20 d P. Williams 13; Lancefield 62 d Broadford 58 – B. Holmes 28 d D. Ellis 17, A. Young 23 d D. Kelly 17, J. Holmes 11 lost to R. Chapman 24; Kilmore 62 lost to Trentham 65 – P. Newell 26 d C. McKeone 19, J. Reimann 16 lost to B. Mahar 25, K. Mayberry 20 d B. Mahar 25.
DIVISION TWO
Kyneton Golf 54 tied with Woodend 54 – C. Scott 13 lost to S. Pickles 24, P. Williams 20 d G. Symons 13, J. Trounce 21 d M. Dornaua 17; Macedon 50 d Romsey 47 – I. Guymer 16 d J. Fryer 11, B. Halpin 19 d B. Groom 11, G. Dickinson 15 lost to A. Laing 22; Broadford 68 d Gisborne 43 – J. Goring 19 lost to B. Wylie 20, A. Price 24 d R. Newton 9, J. Bruce 25 d K. Jarred 14; Kyneton 44 lost to DiggersRest 70 – H. Drinnan 17 d R. Treweek 15, C. Bermingham 7 lost to S. Crimmins 33, M. Bermingham 20 lost to B. Reidy 22.
DIVISION THREE
Gisborne 60 lost to Trentham 65 – T. Woodlock 20 d D. Walsh 16, P. Wellington 25 d P. Urlik 17, J. Hunter 15 lost to P. Healy 32;Romsey 40 lost to Macedon 56 – J. Boyce 23 d A. Grant 14, C. Dean 9 lost to M. Keenan 19, M. Toy 8 lost to L. Gent 23; Lancefield 59 d Kilmore 53 – K. Webb 25 d S. Barnes 11, K. Johnson 9 lost to A. Jarred 25, D. Hollywood 25 d W. Cattanach 17; Woodend 62 d Diggers Rest 55 – D. Barber 19 d A. Icely 17, C. Staggard 22 d R. Grant 21, A. Jewell 24 d P. Marinnier 17.
BOWLS LADDER
Current positions of Highlands pennant bowls teams after the completion of nine rounds are:
Division one – Romsey 117 points, Lancefield 97, Gisborne 79, Kyneton Golf 76, Trentham 58, Kyneton 55, Kilmore 49, Broadford 45.
Division two – Diggers Rest 104, Gisborne 98, Romsey 86, Kyneton Golf 86, Macedon 80, Kilmore 56, Woodend 58, Broadford 40, Kyneton 37.
Division three – Tentham 96, Diggers Rest 93, Macedon 95, Kilmore 73, Gisborne 71, Woodend 58, Lancefield 44, Romsey 36.
