Howrah ends Sandy Bay’s era of dominance
Ladies Division 1 report by Peter Kirby
1 April 2023
Howrah ends Sandy Bay’s era of dominance to reach Grand Final
Bowls South’s Women’s Thursday Pennant Preliminary Finals in all four divisions were played at various venues across Hobart on Thursday, with the winners progressing to the Grand Finals at the Buckingham Bowls Club next Tuesday. The result of the Division 1 Preliminary Final marked the end of an era in which Sandy Bay has been the dominant force, appearing in all eleven of the Grand Finals played, losing just once in that time, to Howrah last season.
Sandy Bay was outplayed by Howrah by 29 shots, 72-43, losing on all rinks in the Division 1 Preliminary Final played in Howrah’s Indoor Centre. Thrilling bowls were played on all rinks, with the heads changing many times, end after end, but Howrah’s home territory advantage gave them the edge in the tight play. Howrah’s many supporters created an exciting finals atmosphere, with the game played in great spirit. Howrah will be hoping to continue its good form into the Division 1 Grand Final against a very confident Kingborough, a side it has not beaten in the three matches between the two sides this season.
Showing good late season form, fourth-placed Cremorne overpowered Sandy Bay, at Sandy Bay, winning on all rinks by 16 shots overall, 65-49, to advance to the Division 2 Grand Final against Brighton. Cremorne will be hoping for a better performance against Brighton, having lost both home and away games between the two sides this season, but Brighton should win the pennant.
North Hobart won another sudden-death encounter at Beltana to claim a place in the Division 3 Grand Final in its all-rinks defeat of Beltana, 61-42, even though one of its rinks played one short. North Hobart’s Grand Final opponent, Brighton, will be confident of victory, being the better of the two sides in their two encounters this season.
In Division 4, Royal Hobart failed by the barest of margins to progress to the Grand Final in the first season of participation in Bowls South’s Women’s Thursday Pennant for the previously all-male bowls club, going down to Claremont, 48-49. Claremont will play Glenorchy Rodman in the decider next week, with Rodman favourites to claim the pennant.
Today, Saturday Pennant Preliminary Finals will be played at Sandy Bay, with its sides in Premier Division, Division 2 and 3 playing Rodman, Rosny and Bruny respectively, Kingborough hosting Rosny in Division 1, Howrah and Rosny at Beltana in Division 4, and Franklin and Sandy Bay in Division 6 at North Hobart.