BERWICK BOWLS
It was all about the Super Sixes on the weekend – Berwick’s last remaining hope for the season and didn’t they do themselves proud with two fantastic games of bowls to finish off the season.
• Berwick 6 (Division Semi-Final) def Moorabbin 4 96-62.
The weekend started with the Super Sixes taking on Moorabbin 4 at the picturesque Mulgrave Country Club.
With an average age of 76 the sixes were taking on a side that probably averaged half their ages, but to their credit – and obviously their experience – the sixes fought hard all the way through the game.
The lead see-sawed through the first half of the match and with supporters from both sides up and about, the noise was deafening at times.
Up to the break the game was there for the taking, both sides fighting hard to win ends and control their rinks.
After the break through, the Super Sixe came alive!
End after end we could hear the numbers being called out by the Berwick thirds and the crowd was going off.
You wouldn’t have thought this was a game of Lawn Bowls and especially a Division 7 game.
Although the crowd support for both teams was sensational the Mulgrave umpire actually requested to both factions of the crowd to tone it down a bit.
Unfortunately for the umpire, that spurred the Berwick supporters on even more and with the game now in Berwick’s favour it was theirs to lose with 15-20 ends left in the game.
Tony Wynen’s rink of Judy Turner, Joan Marshall and Val Fowler edged ahead and finished their rink seven shots up.
Brucey Shearer nearly secured himself a starting spot in the ones on Saturday with a superb display of skipping and he was backed up by Ray Findlay, Annette Kirby and Peter Kirby to get up by six shots.
Tommy McDermott had a great season and another great win, again by 12 shots, and Leanne Kleverlaan, Martin Grindley and Helen D’Amelio were sensational at the front to set it up for him. Probably the biggest noise for the day was for the ditch rink of Pat Steere, Albert Bertoncello, Val Wynen and Avril Steere.
They were sensational and got up by nine.
That rink certainly had the advantage of being next to the Berwick supporter crew and at times we thought we may have even had Albert and Pat get a trot up as they moved down the green giving high fives to the supporters.
All in all, a fantastic win by the 16 and ably led by side manager Reg Rowswell who fired the side up and kept them focused all day.
It was then onto Sunday and a chance to play for the Divisional Flag, the hardest competition to win in Bowls.
• Berwick 6 (Divisional Grand Final) def by Monbulk/Cockatoo 1: 73-84.
It was off to Glen Waverley Bowls Club and the Super Sixes knew on Sunday they were a big chance. Cockatoo couldn’t field a pennant side in 2022/23 so teamed up with Monbulk to keep their pennant hopes alive.
They had a vast array of young and experienced talent in their line up including recent Champion of Champion Singles finalist Mark Coulter skipping a rink.
So the sixes knew they’d need a bit of luck going their way.
They had played some great bowls and had some belief that they’d made the final two out of an original 64 sides this season.
The game got off to a very nervous start by both sides.
With the blustery northerly gusting across the green, and the height of the occasion, it took both sides a little while to find line and weight but it was Cockatoo/Monbulk who fired the first shot and had Tom McDermott’s rink down 13-1 in the early stages.
Avril Steere’s rink started to fire with ‘Postman’ Pat Steere (always delivers) on the jack from lead and Albert Bertoncello backing him up, Avril and Val continued to convert ends and before we knew it they were covering McDermott’s rink.
Tony Wynen was in the fight of his life on his rink as the lead see-sawed and the margins stayed tight.
Bruce Shearer’s rink unfortunately, after a tight start, was luckless at times and came up against a very determined opposition.
They were down but at the break the margin was 12 and the sixes were still right in it.
As the ends ticked over McDermott’s rink stemmed the flow of the opposition and Steere continued to forge further ahead eventually getting up by 21 shots, but unfortunately the close win also by Tony Wynen’s rink couldn’t cover the losing margins.
They were still a chance right up until the 78th end if they were able to pick up a number or two…but it just wasn’t to be against a very talented outfit.
What a magnificent season for the Berwick 6 side who was very settled throughout most of the season with all players committed and playing every week.
They showed the whole club that it isn’t about who should play where, who should play with who or any of the negatives.
They showed that just being out there, playing with mates and friends and doing all the positive things as a group will get you much further than any individual needs or efforts.
We applaud the sixes and everything they have achieved this season and look forward to them rising a division next year to see what they can achieve.
With the season now done and dusted, planning has already started with recruitment discussions, selection committee reviews and player availability forms out for the members to complete.
We will look to next season where the club will have the following sides (numbers permitting): Division 1, Div 2, Div 3, Div 4, Div 5, Div 6, Div 8 and Div 9 which is a great mix and continuing on from this season our members have had tremendous opportunity to develop and learn which we hope will help them along in their endeavours next season.
Well done Berwick, enjoy the break.
-John Rich-
