Tenacious Tigresses seize ladder lead
Ladies Division 1 report for The Mercury by Peter Kirby
Kingborough v Howrah
In a splendid contest befitting of a top-of-the-table clash in Round 11 of Bowls South’s Thursday Women’s Division 1 Pennant, Kingborough achieved what no side has been able to do for the past two seasons – defeat Howrah on its own once-impregnable indoor green – winning on all rinks by thirteen shots, 57-44, supplanting Howrah at the top of the ladder.
In a battle for supremacy as the Division’s top skip, Kingborough’s Crystal Brooks commenced the stronger against Howrah’s Charon Foster to lead by six shots after the fourth end. As befitting of a quality player, Foster fought back to gain a one-shot advantage on the eighth end.
Winning four ends in succession from the ninth to twelfth ends had Brooks in front by three and would hold the ascendancy for the remainder of the match, another four-end winning streak from the sixteenth to nineteenth ends sealing victory for Brooks, and bragging rights as the Division’s top skip, deposing Foster by five shots, 19-14.
In a tight first half in the contest between Howrah’s Rosie Geeves and Kingborough’s Maddie Johnston, it was not until the thirteenth end that either skip was able to break clear, a three to Johnston giving her the lead by that margin. Johnston was able to hold off Geeves, permitting her a gain of just three shots over the closing ends while adding another seven to her total to win by a comfortable seven shots, 20-13.
In the final matchup between Howrah’s Denise Tanner and Kingborough’s Kerrie Lane, Tanner had the better of the contest over the first half to lead by as much as four shots after eleven ends. Lane responded magnificently, picking up five shots in winning the thirteenth and fourteenth ends to slip into the lead.
Tanner’s four-shot gain on the next end had her in front again but was unable to consolidate, Lane winning the next three ends to lead by two after seventeen ends. Leading by three going into the final end, Lane would need to hold her nerve to ensure victory against a tenacious opponent who came agonisingly close to at least drawing the match, the two shots Tanner gained just not enough to stop Lane from scoring a heart-stopping one-shot win, 18-17, to complete Kingborough’s amazing all-rinks triumph.
Glenorchy Rodman v Glenorchy City
Glenorchy Rodman, at home to Glenorchy City, won on all rinks by 22 shots, 65-43. Rodman’s Debbie Stearnes enjoyed her first game as skip, defeating City’s Miriam Garrett by twelve shots, 24-12. Stearnes received good support from her front end in Jane Richardson and Rose Williams.
Joy Voss overcame an early scare from City’s Leonie Hyland before winning by seven shots, 21-14. Both skips received solid support from their respective rinks but Voss played some telling bowls after lunch to secure the win.
Rodman’s Lyn Flack trailed Rae Freestone by seven shots after fifteen ends. The outstanding player on the rink to that point was Helen Lester, playing three for Freestone, Flack calling for long ends from her lead, Annette Griggs, to minimise Lester’s impact. This tactic proved to be a winning one as the rink then picked up twelve shots to two over the last six ends to win by three, 20-17.
Sandy Bay v Claremont
Sandy Bay, at home to Claremont, won on two rinks but the visitors were victorious by two shots overall, 50-48. Peri Buckley commenced the better in her contest with Claremont’s Maree Morgan but the match tightened to be all-square after thirteen ends. Buckley surged again over the final stages of the match, picking up nine shots to Morgan’s five to finish four shots up, 19-15.
Sandy Bay’s Sally Knott kept her Claremont opponent, Trudy Davis, scoreless over the first five ends, and led by nine shots after thirteen ends. Davis rattled home to draw level with Knott with one end to play but could not carry her momentum into the final end, Knott grabbing a three to win by that margin, 19-16.
Claremont’s Jan McPherson carried her recent magnificent form into her contest with Sandy Bay’s Robyn Leggett, although Leggett made her fight hard throughout the match, which was evenly balanced after thirteen ends. From there, McPherson restricted Leggett to just two winning ends for a gain of two shots, while she stamped her authority on the match, picking up eleven shots to win by nine, 19-10, with just enough shots in hand for Claremont to claim overall victory.
Orford v Buckingham
Orford, at home to Buckingham, lost on two rinks but gained enough shots from its sole winning rink to claim overall victory by two shots, 63-61. Bucks’ Jeanette Lane made light work of her contest with Orford’s Jill Morgan, winning by eleven shots, 31-20, backed up by Christine Thompson’s four-shot win over Orford’s Dinah Bennett, 20-16. Jennie Martyn secured the win for her side, defeating Bucks’ Lynette Hall by seventeen shots, 27-10.
Rosny Park v Brighton
Rosny Park won its second game of the season, gaining enough shots from its only rink win against visitors, Brighton, to win by one shot, 55-54, to extend its lead over last-placed Glenorchy City to thirteen points. Elizabeth deBurgh ensured victory for her side, defeating Brighton’s Glenda Rubock by fourteen shots, 22-8.
Brighton won on the other two rinks, Michelle Moate up by seven shots over Mimma D’Amico, and Judy Williams six shots to the better of Rosny’s Gaylene Ridgeway, 22-16, Brighton falling short of a win overall.