Team Lane crowned BTS Women’s Open Fours Champions
A Bowls Report for The Mercury
by Peter Kirby
BTS Women’s Fours
Skip Jeanette Lane (Buckingham) and her composite team of Jennie Suttie (Rosny Park), Peta Barnett and Crystal Brooks (Both Glenorchy Rodman) are Bowls South’s Women’s Open Fours champions for 2022-23 after winning the Final at Claremont last Friday afternoon, 17-11, against the Kingborough rink of Maddie Johnson, Lyn Barlow, Vicki Bannister and Ann Hinkley.
Lane’s team progressed to the Final by winning a very close Semi Final against Gaylene Ridgeway (skip), Christine McGrath, Ailsa Milburn and Sandra Scott from Rosny Park, 14-11. The Rosny rink had established a slender 2-shot advantage at the 11th end, but Lane picked up 4 shots on the next end to take the winning break. Johnson’s rink had an easier passage to the Final, winning 20-12 against another team from Kingborough, Sue Clark (skip), Liz Rickards, Greta Murray and Sue Mann, having made steady progress over the middle stages of the match to lead 16-7 after 14 ends.
The Women’s B Grade Fours were concluded at Claremont on Friday, also, with the Brighton rink of Liz Hoare (skip), Rose Williams, Jen Tonks and Shirley Fox defeating a Taroona combination of Tracey Cameron (skip), Sylvia Monash, Eos Bridge and Jenny Whitworth. Leading 20-10 after 13 ends in their Semi Final match against the Sandy Bay team of Yvonne Bennett (skip) Gail Anderson, Chris Brooks and Sue Stephenson, the Brighton rink survived a mighty comeback by their opponents, losing the last 5 ends to scrape home by 1 shot. Taroona defeated a Geeveston team of Louise Brown (skip), Leonie Coad, Maxine Ashworth and Raelene Morton, 24-17, in their Semi Final match after well behind early, then scoring a 6 on the 12th end to be 1 shot down, 14-15, then winning the next 4 ends and another 10 shots to put the result of the match beyond doubt.
State Wide Challenge (Round 1)
The 2022-23 State Wide Challenge series commenced with the first round of the Junior event at Longford on Sunday. Bowls South’s No. 1 side played singles, pairs, triples and fours against Bowls North’s No. 2 side, winning all 4 matches, 65-47, to score a maximum 12 points. Miley Sutton won the singles, 20-14, Eli Sutton and Riley Davie the pairs, 18-12, Adam Taylor (skip) Xavia Triffett and Angus Bennett the triples, 16-13, and Adam Taylor (skip), Sabastian Triffett, Xavia Triffett and Jaylah Triffett the fours, 11-8.
Bowls South’s No. 2 side, playing a similar format against North West’s No. 2 side, did not fare so well, winning the pairs to gain 3 points, while their opponents won the other three matches to collect 9 points. Miley Sutton (skip) and Jaylah Triffett won the pairs, 17-13, Eli Sutton lost the singles, 8-21, Riley Davie (skip), Jordan Croft, Matthew Beach and Angus Bennett lost the fours, 6-11, and Jordan Croft (skip), Sabastian Triffett and Matthew Beach lost the triples, 8-26. Bowls North’s No. 1 side played against North West’s No. 1 side, drew the Triples, drawing the Fours, and losing the Singles and Pairs to the North West for 4 points to the North West’s gain of 7 points. At the completion of the first round the North West lead on 16 points, Bowls South is 1 point behind on 15 points, and Bowls North 4 points.
Kelvin Green Memorial Trophy
In Round 8 of Bowls South’s Saturday Pennant this Saturday, Franklin and Taroona clubs will be contesting their annual Kelvin Green Memorial Trophy when their Division 2 and Division 6 Red sides play their matches at Franklin. The clubs established the trophy in 2017, in recognition of the late Kelvin (Crafty) Green, who played for both clubs over his many years of bowls with a short stint at Kingborough, also. Kelvin watched the first game from the sidelines but passed away before the return match that season and the trophy became a memorial.
While at Taroona and Franklin Kelvin held numerous positions including President, Greenkeeper and, in his later years, Patron. Kelvin was a long time Life Member of the Taroona Bowls Club and a fierce competitor. Kelvin started with Franklin in the 1980’s. After many years at Taroona returned to Franklin finishing his career with his son-in-law and Grandsons David, Brad, Adam and Cameron Johns.
Kelvin made lifelong friends with many on and off the bowls green and was always willing to help mentor new bowlers, many who will be in action this weekend.
The winner of the Kelvin Green Memorial Trophy will be decided at the conclusion Round 17, based on the points scored over the two rounds.