A WODONGA Bowling Club team was runner-up in the recent state fours championship at Bendigo East.
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The team of Josh Rudd, Klive Liverton, Paul Davies and skip Ashley Bates produced some impressive showings in difficult conditions on the way to the final.
They had a 21-15 first-round win against a team from the Geelong region skipped by Craig Elliott.
The game started at 10am and finished at 7.30pm with several breaks for incessant rain and the use of a machine to drain water from the green, which kept flooding.
With just one game the first day, they had completed the event the next day and played three games, which meant starting at 8am and finishing at 10pm.
The Wodonga combination had a 31-10 quarter-final victory against a Peninsula Casey team skipped by Arthur Parker.
Then came a tough semi-final fixture against a Central Goulburn Murray team from Tocumwal skipped by Barry Cosgrove, who had qualified for four events.
Bates’ team had a 21-16 success to reach the final.
The other semi-final was between teams led by state skips Aaron Wilson (Brighton) and Nick McIntyre (Bundoora).
Both are prolific drivers and they played the last four ends 10 times as each tried to get an advantage.
Wilson killed four ends in a row when he was five shots down, but managed to be one shot up going into the final end.
McIntyre’s lead put a bowl right on the jack with his first bowl and the opposition was unable to move it, despite Wilson having two drives.
It came down to the last bowl and McIntyre drew second shot about 30 centimetres from the jack to reach the final.
His team had an advantage for much of the final and finally defeated Bates 16-10 in a low-scoring game played over 18 ends.
Bates has previously skipped Wodonga teams to state fours championship wins in 2001 and 2006, and it is the second time he has been runner-up.
He has been beaten in state finals about eight times over many years.
Benalla’s Tony Williams was beaten in the state singles final in an outstanding effort.
Wangaratta’s Goff Wilson and Ian Brimblecombe made it to the semi-finals in the state pairs before being beaten.
- THE annual digger’s day bowls tournament at Tallangatta at the weekend raised more than $900 for Albury Legacy.
Fittingly, the winning team came from Howlong and was representing Legacy and wearing Legacy shirts.
It was skipped by Albury Legacy Club member Keith Trewin.
There were teams from nine bowling clubs and the Tallangatta team that finished second donated its $120 prizemoney to Legacy.
The total amount raised for legacy was $942, with a former Army bowler donating an extra $50 because he enjoyed the day so much.
- THE Albury-Wodonga RAAF Association’s 25th anniversary bowls day will be held at Albury’s Commercial Club on May 3.
It is a three-bowl triples event open to men, women and mixed teams, with two games of 12 ends.
The cost is $15 per team with all proceeds going to the local RAAF cadets flying awards.
There will be a flag-raising ceremony at 12.45pm, with the bowls starting at 1pm.
Entries can be phoned to the bowls club on (02) 6041 7229 or Wal Miles (02) 6025 5461.