Last Saturday at Horsham City Bowling Club the Nhill Bowling Club team Nhill Red (also known as Nhill 1) clinched a thrilling Wimmera Bowls Div. 1 pennant premiership when they defeated Horsham City by four shots (67-63). It was the third premiership in nine years for the Div. 1 team as they won the titles both over Sunnyside 1 in 2015/2016 by a single shot and again in 2019/2020 by seven shots. Previously the Nhill club hadn’t won a Div. 1 title for 48 years with the previous victory achieved in 1967/1968.
Unfortunately for the Nhill club they were unable to clinch the premierships in both Divs. 2 and 3 grand finals when they were defeated by 11 shots and one shot in those finals respectively.
On Saturday nothing separated both the Div. 1 grand finalists all day. The overall lead changed many times across all three rinks with only a handful of shots the difference at any one time. At the half time break the scores were 33 shots each and the closeness of the scores continued to the very end. With a few ends to be played Nhill had regained a five shot lead and with superb bowling and the large contingent of fellow bowlers and supporters urging the players on, Nhill hung on to win a thrilling grand final by four shots. Nhill won two rinks by four and three shots and lost the other rink by three shots. Scenes of jubilation and celebrations were witnessed at the end of the match and they were carried on well into the night following the return by the players and supporters to the Nhill Bowling Clubhouse. With their victory Nhill will now represent the Wimmera at the regional pennant championships on 15 March 2025 at a venue in the North Central area where they will play the premiers from North Wimmera, North Central and Grampians areas to determine who will be the regional Div. 1 pennant champion.
Congratulations to the premiership team for their efforts and also the other two Nhill teams that made their respective grand finals. But it would not have happened if it wasn’t for the loyal members and supporters who turned up on the day to cheer the three teams on. To all of them and all the club sponsors the Nhill Bowling Club thank you in helping making the club successful again this year (both on and off the greens) and such an enjoyable place for everyone to play and watch bowls. Well done!
This article appeared in the Nhill Free Press & Kaniva Times, 5 March 2025.
