BERWICK BOWLS
It was a big weekend at Berwick bowls with five out of seven wins and a forfeit received by our seventh side.
This now sees six of our eight sides sitting top two with only two rounds to go until finals.
If it stayed this way until the home and away games were completed Berwick will have to look at playing some morning games in the first week of finals to fit everyone on our greens who have earned the right to host home finals.
• Side 1 78 def Pakenham 1 56 (2nd)
The top side made up for the home loss last week by trouncing the old foe Pakenham at home on Saturday. It was a pretty tight contest up to the break with the Wickers going in with a 15-shot lead overall.
All rinks were reasonably close but after the break three of the four rinks dominated Pakenham and the fourth rink stayed in touch to see the top side pull away by the end of the game.
Josh McQueen and his rink continue to be in fine form and proving very hard to knock off.
Two double headers await the ones in the next two weeks with a second v third contest at Keysborough on Saturday.
A win on Saturday could see the home final we’ve been wanting tucked away. The top-three are all capable on their day of knocking the others off so there are no predictions at this stage…but opportunity awaits.
• Side 2 93 def Narre Warren 1 75 (1st)
Two draws, a three-shot win and a flogging by the rink of Carol Klooster, Dave Reddy, Dennis Griffin and Rob Morley by 15 shots set up the win against the fancied Narre side.
Klooster and Griffin bolstered the strength of the twos this week after playing in the top side last week, and moved to the twos to allow the return of two of the top-side players.
Both should probably be playing ones but the club’s depth and their qualifying requirements allowed selectors to strengthen Morley’s rink after being trounced last week.
The twos are off to Cranbourne in a first v second showdown this week in which a win by our side will just about seal the top spot on the ladder. Cranbourne will be desperate for the win as they’ll travel to Ferntree Gully in the last round who are in fine form.
This will probably be the game of the round in the twos and we back them in away against Cranny and seal top spot.
• Side 3 78 def by Narre Warren 2 83 (2nd)
What a heartbreaking loss for the threes this week under the roof at Narre!
Three rinks up and yep, we’ve said many times this year, you can’t cover big rink losses!
Three reasonably tight rink wins but a 16-shot rink loss at this level just won’t cut it!
Sometimes it’s more beneficial to just play with a defensive mindset rather than chase shots.
We need to remember, one rink loss by a few shots will generally get you the 10 points overall with the other three rinks doing their job. The threes will now sit second, only one point in front of Cranbourne RSL but have an opportunity to have two big wins against sides outside of the four. They’ll need to make the most of their chances too as first v third this week and first v fourth the following week could see the threes bounce back for finals.
If two big wins are put on the board, they should secure a home final but they will want to be big wins.
• Side 4 44 def by Mordialloc 2 107 (6th)
With all due respect to Mordialloc, our fours are not this bad!
Four rink losses, one of them by 30 shots, just doesn’t seem right for this group.
Some in-form bowlers went back in to the side this week, and others from higher sides, so we would have expected a much better performance on a relatively good green at Mordialloc.
Maybe the fours know they can’t make finals and they’re just rolling with the punches at the moment but this one is probably a little embarrassing and we’d like to think the fours come back this week with a much more competitive effort.
We can all go and enjoy our bowls and not come home with the points but this type of loss just doesn’t see anyone enjoy their day.
C’mon fours, let’s see a big improvement this week.
There is still opportunity for some of these in-form bowlers to push for finals selection in higher sides but their form needs to be better than this.
• Side 5 84 def Burden Park 2 62 (7th)
A big win in the bottom of the table clash for our fifths.
It’s been a very frustrating and tough year for our fifths but they are finishing the season off strongly even knowing they can’t make finals. David Leitch and Vince Miceli relishing their opportunities to play back end and are having an impact for the fifths.
Great to see them enjoy their days and their bowls and take the opportunity on. The fifths host Mulgrave next week and who knows, the way they are going they may just start having some say on the final four.
• Side 6 106 def Hampton RSL 4 51 (1st)
We expected and predicted a big win by the sixes this week and boy, they did not disappoint!
All rinks were up and 55-shot drubbing of the opposition played out on their home turf. A great effort by all and some big wins.
Vaughn Smith’s rink including Scott Waterfall, our own Ben Button in Trevor Munday, and Val Fowler had a 25-shot win and Vaughn is relishing his skipping role this year and leads the Player Rankings for the section with only one loss for the year.
The sixes have secured the top two, home final spot, however will have a great lead up game into finals playing second place Churchill Waverley in two weeks’ time. They have been the two standout clubs in the section all year and we can’t wait to see what finals brings.
• Side 7 received a Forfeit from Noble Park (2nd)
The sevenths have probably received their home final and top-two spot but do have to play the fourth and third sides in the run home. They have beaten Carrum comprehensively in the initial rounds but travel there this week and we know what the conditions on the beach at Carrum can dish up so they won’t get it all their own way.
In the last round they also come up against Cranbourne-5 who got the better of them narrowly in their previous encounter so it could be interesting. We are backing them in to win at least one of the two in the run home though and secure their home final.
• Side 8 63 def Moorabbin 6 61 (1st)
What a nailbiter!
A two-shot win overall and two rinks up see the eights sitting on top of the ladder clear of Parkdale by two points. Parkdale has a much tougher run home, as do the second and third sides in this section, so it’s highly possible the eights will also finish on top and see a home final in two weeks’ time.
Don’t get complacent though, we know what happens if we think it will just happen and you’ll get the win. It’s time to knuckle down over the next two weeks and get a couple of big wins.
The rink of Rod Pearson, Helen Adair, John Stoker and Mike Ferey set the day up this week with a fantastic nine-shot win in a close game overall.
Well, with only two weekends to go, and many sides playing finals, it’s time to remember that the club is bigger than the individual!
Selection has been tough the past two weeks and if you get the dreaded call from the selectors just remember, think about your form and the team’s form before focussing on others form.
The selectors have put it out there this week that the club and the sides that have got teams to this point will be considered before individuals.
If your form is poor, own it, get on the green and practice, and make it even harder for the selectors to pick the sides.
Club Culture before individual needs…always!!! Go Wickers!
-John Rich-
