Wedderburn is North Central Playing Area’s midweek pennant premiership team after defeating Wycheproof by 7 shots in an exciting and fitting end to a very successful season, played at the St. Arnaud Country Club.
For much of the game, Wedderburn held a slight advantage, which stood at 11 shots shortly after the luncheon resumption, 52 ends having been completed.
Across the three greens, Laurie Witham’s rink of the indefatigable Amy Roberts, Judy Matthews and lead Robina Little led Dale Groves, Jason McKay, Shirley McKenna and Matt Nicholls by 9 shots, 21-12; Neale Holt, Andrew Caserta, Sandra Standfield, Helen Stephenson led Jono Grylls, Jeannie Grylls, Betty Taylor and Carol Jones by 4 shots, 20-16; while in the battle of the bowling heavyweights, Alan Jackson, supported by Ruth Hall, Sandra Steel and Helen Stephenson, trailed Alan Jones, Lorraine Milburn, Vince Grant and Andrea Coatsworth by 2 shots, 14-16.
By the time 69 ends had been completed, that lead had been whittled back to just 4 shots, the Witham rink continuing to dominate scoring. With the Jones rink increasing its lead to 8 shots, and the Grylls rink grabbing a 1-shot lead, the tension and excitement around the green continued to mount, as did the pressure on bowlers.
By the time Jono Grylls and Neale Holt had completed their 25 ends, the Wyche. combination had secured a 3-shot win. This margin was more than countered by Laurie Witham’s 13-shot victory over Dale Groves.
With 2 ends to be completed by the Jackson versus Jones rink, Wycheproof leading by 8 shots, the overall margin in favour of Wedderburn was just 2 shots.
With the premiership very much in the balance, bowlers from both clubs stepped up, leads Helen Stephenson (Wedderburn) and Andrea Coatsworth (Wyche.) trading shot bowl for shot bowl, and Sandra Steel displaying steady nerves as skipper Jackson demanded more bowls in the head.
Jackson was able to secure 2 shots on the 24th end by moving the Jack; and then with two precise bowls on the final end, first moving the Jack to give his team three shots, and then strategically placing his second bowl, ensured Alan Jones, who had bowled superbly all day, had no way of securing the number of shots needed to reverse the result.
Tuesday’s grand final was a fitting end to the 2023-’24 season, contested by two well performed teams.
Board representatives Lance Standfield and Gillian Tweddle presented premiership shields and medallions to the Wedderburn team members, and thanked the St. Arnaud Country Club for hosting the day, and all who had contributed towards making the season a success.
Details Wedderburn 71 d. Wycheproof 64.
Robina Little, Judy Matthews, Amy Roberts, Laurie Witham (s) 27 d. Matt Nicholls, Shirley McKenna, Jason McKay, Dale Groves (s) 14.
Helen Stephenson, Sandra Steel, Ruth Hall, Alan Jackson (s) 21 lost to Andrea Coatsworth, Vince Grant, Lorraine Milburn, Alan Jones (s) 24.
Joan Murnane, Sandra Standfield, Andrew Caserta, Neale Holt (s) 23 lost to Carol Jones, Betty Taylor, Jeannie Grylls, Jono Grylls (s) 26.
This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 1 March 2024.
