By Roland Smith
Supporters gathered at the Mitcham Bowls Club to witness the Lilydale and Croydon Bowls Clubs fight it out for the Eastern Ranges Section Final. The weather was warm and humid and the grass green was playing truly. The format of the game was that there were 3 rinks of 8 bowlers that would contest 63 ends with the highest overall total winning the day.
On rink one there was Mario La Morticella’s team of Gino De Vincentiis, Peter Leaumont and Margaret Conley. Croydon kicked off by winning the first two ends only to see scores at 3 a piece after 4 ends. At the conclusion of the twelfth end, Croydon led 10 shots to 9. We certainly had a close game on our hands with each player on both sides punching it out with some excellent bowls. After 16 ends Croydon was in the ascendency with the score line 13 – 11 their way. From there Lilydale went into another gear conceding only one end. Mario, especially, unloaded some bombs with his yellow bowls to help win the rink 18 shots to 14
The Lilydale side on rink 3 consisted of Marie McKeown, Dennis Hehir, Bev Jones and Gail Wright. In a blink of an eye, Croydon raced to a 10 to zip lead after only 4 ends. The Lilydale supporters were barracking so hard for Marie’s side. They responded by winning no less than 8 of the next 9 ends to draw level with Croydon 11 – 11. What a superb effort! Croydon came back to win that rink 20 – 15. But well done to Marie’s team. Each one of you can hold your head up high.
Finally, hats off to Judy Schuler’s team of Mike Rich, Donna Watson and Bev Ralph. On the one hand, while Judy and Bev were well-seasoned performers on the greens, Mike and Donna were playing in their very first year of pennant. The combination of experience and newcomers to bowls proved to be a strong combination. They won 16 of the allotted 21 ends! They kept the ‘big board’ ticking over in favour of the Lilydale Falcons, winning by 17 shots at the end.
The final Big Board after 63 ends was Lilydale Falcons 59 to the Croydon Pirates 43. Well done to the 12 Lilydale players. Each one of you deserves to soak up the jubilation of winning the Section Final!
The Lilydale Bowls Club invites everyone to come to 5 Hardy Street, Lilydale to try bowls and make new friends.
