Rounds 3 and 4 of Bowls Tasmania’s Open Men’s and Women’s Statewide Challenge were played at the North Launceston Bowls Club on Sunday with commencement of play delayed to allow weather conditions to improve after it had been raining steadily during the previous night. Due to the delayed start all games were reduced from 18 to 15 ends maximum.
Both Southern sides were drawn to play North’s second side in Round 3, followed by their Round 4 match against North1 in the afternoon. A highlight of the day’s play was the improved performance of South’s Open Men’s side, with all rinks off to a quick start in the morning round against North2, all leads and seconds in fine form, and backed up well by thirds and skips converting, which resulted in an all rinks win for the South, 47-20. Peter Bannister’s rink of Luke Turner (lead), Grant Wakefield and Jack Ellis was the standout with an 18 shot win against North2’s Chris Walker, 22-4, with good support from Keghan Booth and his team of Ryan Guy, Brad Carver and Josh Lording defeating Shane Davern, 14-9, and Will Coad and his team of Nathan Dinning, Mitch Banks and Nic Courto winning by 4 shots, 11-7.
In the afternoon game against North1, South’s leads and seconds continued to provide excellent starts, especially Mitch Banks, with great support from back-end players. The South would have completed a clean sweep for the day except for some exceptional bowling from North skip Mark Strochnetter, who claimed a rink win for the North in his defeat of Peter Bannister, 16-11. Will Coad, 18-6, against Lucas Howell, and Keghan Booth’s close 2 shot win against Kane Walker, 17-15, were the South’s winning skips in the 9 shot win, 46-37.
In the morning game South’s Women’s side, with all ladies played very well to record had a 2 rink, 54-34, win against North2. Leading the way was Maddie Johnson’s rink of Michelle Moate, Barb Liddington and Denise Tanner defeating Margaret Campbell, 27-12. Crystal Brooks and her team of Peta Barnett, Joy Voss and Jenny Suttie won, 18-9, against Bev Huett, and Lauren Banks, with Miley Sutton, Nadine Seabourne and Peri Buckley lost 9-13, to Maxine Monson.
In the afternoon game against North1, South’s Women suffered a devastating 1 shot loss, 38-39, winning on 1 rink. The rain had cleared and the sun was beaming down, making conditions challenging. This game turned into a nail biter with the result coming down to the last bowl on Crystal Brooks’ rink. Scores were level across the board with one end to play, great bowls were played from both sides, and with North1 a holding one shot lead, North’s skip, Mikayla Baker, decided not to play her last bowl, with Crystal Brooks winning, 20-13, but the South losing by 1 shot overall. Maddie Johnson’s rink lost a close tussle with North 1’s Courtney Hobbs, 10-12, and Lauren Banks lost to Rae Simpson, 8-14.
North West’s Men’s side had two good wins, 40-27, in the morning against North1, and 51-21, in the afternoon against North2. North West’s Women lost 35-39 to North1 in the morning, and in the afternoon drew with North2 37-all, but won on 2 rinks to take the points, 7-5.