With two rounds of North Central Playing Area’s 2023-’24 pennant bowls home-and-away season remaining, just five points separate the top five teams, only four of which will earn the right to challenge for the season’s premiership.

Donald Golf, currently fifth with 84 points to its credit, backed up its round 11 win over top team St. Arnaud with a confidence boosting 12 points to 0 victory over third placed Wycheproof, but still finds itself on the outer, following St. Arnaud Country Club’s clean sweep against Boort.

This sets up the tantalising prospect of a virtual elimination final between Golf and Country Club, when they clash in round 14, on the eve of the finals proper.

Before that happens, however, there are two crucial games scheduled for decision next Saturday, in round 13, with St. Arnaud to play Wycheproof, and Wedderburn to play St. Arnaud Country Club.

Donald Golf takes on Charlton, at Charlton.

The current standing of the top five sees St. Arnaud on 89 points, Wycheproof 88, Wedderburn 87, St. Arnaud County Club 86 and Donald Golf 84.

Division 1: Positions of Teams, after round 12

Division 2: Positions of Teams, after round 12

A week after being defeated by Wycheproof, Wedderburn bounced back with a 10 points to 2 win over Charlton, although the overall margin was just 8 shots, Alan Jackson accounting for Kevin Willey by 6, and Neale Holt defeating Lynne Southwell by 4. Ken North flew the flag successfully for Charlton, defeating Laurie Witham by 2 shots.

On its home windswept green, which proved very challenging for all bowlers, Donald Golf dominated Wycheproof, winning all three rinks by a combined total of 43 shots, led by Peter Hibberd, who accounted for Nick Coles by 29 shots, supported by Robert Reseigh, who got the better of Eric Rayes by 8 shots, and Geoff Rigby, who downed Jono Grylls by 6 shots.

St. Arnaud surrendered one rink to the visiting Donald, when Phil McRae went down by 13 shots to Norm Hollis, but with Ashley Dyke dominating Kelvin Adamson by 25 shots, and Steve Zsigmond besting Bill Hegarty by 11 shots, the final margin was 23 shots, and 10 points to 2, in St. Arnaud’s favour.

St. Arnaud Country Club maintained its hold on a top four position by clean sheeting Boort, the overall margin being 32 shots.

Bill Rodger downed Kelvin Ritchie by 8 shots, Jason Abbott accounted for Shayne Morris by 13, and Simon Elliott got the better of Laurie Maxted by 11 shots.

Details

• Wedderburn 69-10 d. Charlton 61-2.
  Alan Jackson 24 d. Kevin Willey 18, Laurie Witham 20 lost to Ken North 22, Neale Holt 25 d. Lynne Southwell 21.

• Donald Golf 94-12 d. Wycheproof 51-0.
  Geoff Rigby 29 d. Jono Grylls 23, Peter Hibberd 40 d. Nick Coles 11, Robert Reseigh 25 d. Eric Rayes 17.

• St. Arnaud 83-10 d. Donald 60-2.
  Phil McRae 17 lost to Norm Hollis 30, Steve Zsigmond 32 d. Bill Hegarty 21, Ashley Dyke 34 d. Kelvin Adamson 9.

• Boort 58-0 lost to St. Arnaud Country Club 90-12.
  Kelvin Ritchie 19 lost to Bill Rodger 27, Shayne Morris 18 lost to Jason Abbott 31, Laurie Maxted 21 lost to Simon Elliott 32.

Division 2

Wycheproof is the clear leader in Division 2, and strengthens its claims to be the team to beat after accounting for fellow top four teams, Donald Golf, by 21 shots on Saturday.

Charlton 91 points, Wedderburn 90 and Donald Golf 88, are still battling it out to decide which will finish in second place, and secure what could be a vital “double chance” in the forthcoming finals.

On match up that will have a big bearing on the final positionings is Charlton versus Donald Golf, at Charlton, next Saturday.

Last Saturday, Wedderburn bridged the gap on Charlton, currently occupying second place, bagging 10 points to 2, after Ian Hall defeated Eily Rosewall by 13 shots, and John Grant accounted for Wayne Keenan by 4 shots. Michael Preston salvaged what could be two valuable points for Charlton, after his rink defeated Bruce Hargreaves’s charges by 8 shots. The overall winning margin was 9 shots.

Wycheproof overcame a determined Donald Golf challenge and a very fluctuating and at times strong wind to secure a 21-shot victory and bank 8 points to 4.

Golf won two rinks, Lindsay Borden defeating Donald Denny by 1 shot, and Pert Raynes besting Jason McKay by 5 shots, but these combined margins only marginally reduced Rob Grylls’s big win, by 27 shots, over George Wood.

St. Arnaud enjoyed a successful day at the visiting Donald’s expense, winning all three rinks, although the competition was a lot closer than the 12 points to 0 might indicate, with the combined victory margin being just 7 shots.

Lloyd Goddard saluted by 4 shots against Margaret Quick, Gary Shinners got home by 1 shot over Peter Wyllie, and Brian Eccles accounted for Trevor Farrer by 2 shots.

Boort and St. Arnaud Country Club might be out of finals contention, but they enjoyed a keenly contested encounter at Boort, with the visiting Country Club winning two rinks, after John Needs cemented a 1-shot win over Joan Earl, and Glenn Hudson went down to Phil Elliott by 3 shots.

Greg Smith and his rink carried the day for the hosts, however, after eclipsing Graham Shaw’s rink by 18 shots.

Details

• Wedderburn 76-10 d. Charlton 67-2.
  Ian Hall 30 d. Eily Rosewall 17, Bruce Hargreaves 19 lost to Michael Preston 27, John Grant 27 d. Wayne Keenan 23.

• Donald Golf 62-4 lost to Wycheproof 83-8.
  Lindsay Borden 21 d. Donald Denney 20, Peter Raynes 24 d. Jason McKay 19, George Wood 17 lost to Rob Grylls 44.

• St. Arnaud 62-12 d. Donald 55-0.
  Lloyd Goddard 23 d. Margaret Quick 19, Gary Shinners 18 d. Peter Wyllie 17, Brian Eccles 21 d. Trevor Farrer 19.

• Boort 78-8 d. St. Arnaud Country Club 64-4.
  Greg Smith 33 d. Graham Shaw 15, Glenn Hudson 21 lost to Phil Elliott 24, Joan Earl 24 lost to John Needs 25.

This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 30 January 2024.