BERWICK BOWLS
WEEKEND PENNANT – ROUND 7
It was a big weekend of bowls with all sides playing on a day where we finally got some decent weather and a great day to play bowls.
The top side had the first of their double-headers and had some great support on Sunday which was a pleasure to see at Parkdale.
There were some surprising results over the weekend and an important two weeks leading up to the break may just define some side’s seasons as they work hard to cement there spots in the top four.
• Berwick 1: (Saturday) def by Bacchus Marsh 78-92. Ladder Position: 4th
Our road trip to the Marsh didn’t go as well as planned. A new opponent, new surface, horrible conditions and a good opponent didn’t fair well for the top side. A slow start didn’t help them either with a few rinks well down early it was a catch up all day. Into the final few ends Bacchus Marsh cleverly left the board unattended and it was a lot closer than everyone thought. This was a good learning curve for the top side and something that was very much focused on the next day. Another loss though and a scary proposition with 5th, 6th and 7th now narrowing the gap on our fourth position.
• Berwick 1: (Sunday) def Parkdale 78-69. Ladder Position: 4th
It’s amazing what 24 hours can do to change a negative to a positive. The ones were renowned for their fighting spirit last season and on Sunday that fighting spirit was back in spades! With two changes from the Saturday team, and Lachy Ash having to race off to a family emergency after eight ends, things could have gone badly on Sunday. But the side, led by skipper Steven Ellard, rallied the troops and after 80 ends there were only a few shots in it. Rich and Mills rinks had ding-dong battles all day, Mills proving too good in the end and getting up by nine. Rich’s rink got up by two on their final end and O’Donnell’s rink fought hard to keep their lead, winning by one shot. Ellard’s rink of John Horwood, Jeff Parker and David Bond were 20-5 at the break and it was highly possible that lead could have cost the win for the ones. But after the break they were phenomenal, outscoring their Parkdale opponents 17 to 5 to go down by three. That comeback enabled an opportunity for the side to get the win! A huge thank you goes out to David Leitch who came down to support the side and ended up playing the last 13 ends to cover Lachy Ash.
• Berwick 2: def Moorabbin 90-62. Ladder Position: 1st
It was another dominant display from the all-conquering twos. Up against third-placed Moorabbin, in what could have been a tough game, the twos dominated all day with three wins and a draw across the four rinks. At this stage they’ve certainly firmed as favourites for the section going toward the break and with games against Edithvale (7th) and Cheltenham (4th) we are expecting them to extend their lead at the top of the ladder before the games recommence in the New Year. Looks like the selectors got it right too with the rink of Geoff Dawson, Cliff Fothergill, Tony French and Graeme Manifold winning by 15 shots to set up the day for the twos. Well done.
• Berwick 3: def by Burden Park 1 62-83. Ladder Position: 8th
Our 2022/23 Development side hasn’t won a game yet this season but the experience a lot of them are gaining is invaluable. The direction to strengthen our fours and development newer, inexperienced bowlers in our Div 2, third side will continue to reap rewards with the experience they are gaining. Their attitude and commitment towards the side is a great example to the rest of the club and we are hoping that the experience will see them hit the winner’s list in the New Year. Games against Upwey (5th) and Cranbourne (1st) before the break will be tough, but this group is up for the fight every week and we congratulate them on their performances so far.
• Berwick 4: def Hampton Park 89-76. Ladder Position: 2nd
The fours are coming! Now in to second spot on the ladder, and with two outstanding efforts over the past two weeks, the team is ready to take on Upwey (5th) and Mulgrave (3rd) in the last two rounds of the year. Can they jump one more spot before the break? That’s the question, with ladder leaders Pakenham – who are very strong at this level with their second side – due to play Noble Park and Cranbourne. There would need to be a big upset but the continual strengthening of the fours will see them up for the fight in the new year. Michele Somers, John Bridgeland, Trevor Tormey and Carsten Jensen set the day up on their rink this week with a nine-shot win and the other rinks won narrowly.
• Berwick 5: def Mulgrave CC 95-62. Ladder Position: 4th
An odd result this one considering two rinks went down and two got up in a 33-shot win for the Berwick 5s! It was the rink of Jan Lapinskas, Cheryl Dawson, Sue Reber and Bill Stilo, who thrashed their opposition 40 to 10, and Teddy Tratt’s rink with Mike Hodges, Ralph Jans and Vaughn Smith winning 29 to 8 that now sees the fives rocket in to fourth spot on the ladder. The fives have Edithvale 2 (3rd) and Keysborough 3 (2nd) in the two games remaining this year which are tough games. A win or two wins could set the season up and start them off in the new year with a real positive attitude heading towards finals. They’re capable, and as long as they believe they can match it with the top three they’ll keep getting the results.
• Berwick 6: def Cranbourne 4 91-61. Ladder Position: 1st
Backing up last week’s massive result the sixes remain undefeated on top of the ladder after a dominant display against Cranbourne. With Edithvale and Burden Park in front of them for the next two weeks we are tipping the sixes to hit Christmas undefeated and send a message to the other three in the four that they’ll be finding it tough to knock off the Wickers in 2023. Keep up the great work sixes and we will be watching the results closely in the coming weeks.
• Berwick 7: def by Vermont South 3 47-84. Ladder Position: 1st
Well that wasn’t what we expected this week from the undefeated sevens! Sitting pretty on top of the ladder, undefeated prior to this week, they copped a right royal flogging from sixth-placed Vermont South. We know the sevens continually cop the brunt of the unavailability of players every week but the core group are generally the same. A tough green on a hot day cost the sevens on Saturday but they still sit atop the section ladder. Games against two teams in the top four though coming up and they need to bounce back strongly this week when they take on Churchill Waverley Golf away, who sits 13 points behind them in second spot. No predictions from us though this week as this is a nailbiter and results could go either way. Good luck sevens and bounce back strong.
• Berwick 8: def by Brighton 3 46-75. Ladder Position: 6th
Although they’ve gone down again this week to a very strong club’s third side on their home green, the eights are still within striking distant of the four. With so many changes each week they continue to grit their teeth and give their best shot. All rinks down this week but still with a massive opportunity this week against Murrumbeena 2 to jump back on the winners list and push ever so closer to finishing the year with ear shot of the four. I’m backing the eights to bounce back hard this week in a trouncing win!
Mixed results over the weekend and a reminder for all to get on the green and continuing to strive to improve.
It won’t just happen; we all need to make it happen.
-John Rich-
