YMGCR BOWLS CLUB
Not a good week for the club with both the Midweek A1’s and the A2’s losing. Due to the A1’s finishing on top they got the double chance and now will face Wodonga in the cut throat Preliminary final. This will be a very tough game as any Wodonga team seems to grow another leg when it comes to finals time. But this week the side will be back to full strength with Spencer coming back.
The A1’s travelled to Benalla to take on Wangaratta and in a nail biting finish we came up 3 shots short losing 59/62. Stuart McNeill rink was in a tight battle all day and when they got a 4 on their last end YMGCR looked like they were over the line and they won 22/21. Gary Sanders trailed for most of the day, but they hung in and only went down 14/18. Anne Miles rink jumped out to a commanding lead early but the Wangaratta rink came back strongly in the last four ends to get a draw 23/23. These 2 teams have played 3 times now with YMGCR winning 2 and losing 1. I’m sure Anne and her team mates will do everything in their power to have another crack at the Wangaratta side.
Also at Benalla the A2’s couldn’t get the job done losing to Moira 50/71 and falling out of the finals race. Ray Brown’s rink was in control most of the day and recorded a 24/15 win (that win would’ve given them RINK OF THE WEEK). Bob Evans rink was getting smashed early and was behind over 20 shots, but the rink showed a lot of ticker to come back and they went down 15/26. Goudgey started ok but in the end they lost 11/30. It was a very good year for the A2’s. The section was a very even competition. One week you were on top of the table, then you lose and you could fall back to fourth. Unfortunately we tapered away over the last 3 weeks and that showed up in the final, BUT we still finished 4th and to make finals is a great effort.
Like to thank all of our supporters who turned out to cheer our two sides at Benalla. We greatly appreciate your encouragement and support.
Next Saturday our Weekend Pennant A1 team will be taking on Wodonga in the Grand Final at Corowa RSL. We have never won a A1 GF before, so do yourself a favour and get along and support our team. This will be our best chance, but it will be a very tough game as both teams have fantastic bowlers and the standard will be at the highest level.
Looks like we are going to have up to seven players representing the O&M Group sides. Well done to Anne Miles, Claire Sanders, Sue Middleton and Laureen Smith in the ladies and Garry Sanders, Stuart McNeill and old “Golden child” Micky Vaughan in the mens.
Friday Social bowls saw the return of the very popular format of nominated pairs. This week we had 12 teams and the winners were the Dodmans (Pam and “Zag” Dodman) and the runners up were Lil and Gavin Borwick.
Next weekend YMGCR will host the A3 Grand Final between Moira and Club Mulwala and the B2 Grand Final between Chiltern and Club Mulwala.