HOWLONG’S Phil Slater capped a superb season by winning Albury and District Bowling Association championships in successive weeks.
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Slater claimed the district’s senior singles crown by defeating Lavington Panthers’ Fred Markham two weeks ago.
On Sunday he was part of the Howlong team’s runaway success in the district’s deferred triples title play-off.
He combined with lead Jeff Brundell and skip Wally Bourne for a 31-9 victory, with the match called off after 22 ends.
They defeated Clarrie Klepiak, Ken Allen and skip George Chomatek (Lavington Panthers).
Henty’s Peter Forck has won the district’s open singles championship at North Albury after a 32-7 semi-final win against David Wardford (North Albury).
Stephen Broad (North Albury) won the other semi-final 31-10 against Peter Smith (Commercial Club.
The final was close throughout and scores were locked at 25-25 after 34 ends.
Forck got three shots on each of the next two ends to win the title.
In the senior singles, Markham had a 31-17 semi-final win against fellow Panthers member Ken Allen and Slater won 31-18 against Commercial Club’s Les Murphy.
Markham led for much of the early part of the game.
Slater forced his way back and was leading 30-26 after 41 ends and needing just one for victory.
But Markham got four shots on the next end to draw level at 30-30 and was holding shot on the final end about 30 centimetres from the jack.
With his last bowl, Slater drew the shot and took the championship.
The state president’s reserve singles was between Oaklands bowlers Brian Gee and Ron Bonat.
It was shot for shot throughout, with the score 22-21 in favour of Gee after 23 ends.
Gee managed to win the next five ends, compiling nine shots in the process, to take the championship and advance to Zone 8 (Riverina) play-offs later this year.