BOWLS By TARA SHAW The weather really turned it on for the annual Donny Schatz Memorial Bowls Day on Saturday. Bowlers travel near and far to attend this day in support of the family and to raise money for our Local CanAssist team to continue their great work across our area. 20 Teams of Triples took to our greens, some dressed up as a team and others dressed up individually and we even had a visit from Donald Trump this year. Each year the costumes get bigger and better which makes for a fun day on the greens. Quotes throughout the day from everyone were “what a great atmosphere”, “how can he bowl in that outfit”, “I have never bowled before but I will give it a go”. The memorial day is not only to share great memories of Donny but also supporting his family and friends that Donny’s fun loving, down to earth, have a go and have fun attitude still remains in to this day. Overall winners on the day were Jason Howell, Phil Hocking and Dale Scott. Runners up were Ange Dwyer, Clint Hurford and Mick Merritt. The famous wooden spoons for last place were awarded to Heidi Nicholson, Amy Slessor and Jason Nicholson. Overall funds raised on the day were $3192.00 by our great community. A big thank you the CanAssist team who always work tirelessly on the day collecting money, selling raffles and 100 club tickets and also the head chefs of the BBQ lunch. We appreciate your dedication not only to CanAssist but to assist in fundraisers like this and many more is outstanding. Also a shout out and thank you to Ryan Schatz for organising the day, hats and stubbie holders, Tara Shaw for doing the draw for us and thank you to Grant Roberts. Grant is a great friend of the family and supports this day every year. Grant not only dressed to the nines in a three-piece tuxedo suit with top hat to brave the warm weather but Grant was also responsible for donating the food for the day. So thank you again Grant, your support and assistance is greatly appreciated by all. Final count of funds raised on the day was not available at time of publishing. PENNANTS Forbes once again hosted Condobolin for the fourth round of Pennants on the weekend. What was forecasted to be a very wet day on Sunday, the rain thankfully held off. It was a great win for Forbes with not only winning the overall points on the big score board but each rink also winning their respective games. New to pennants and on debut, Billy Cowell lead for Jeff Nicholson, Robert Dukes and Mitch Andrews. A couple of multiples throughout the game certainly gave them great lead on the board to win the game 27-11. Another debutant for Forbes was Mick Merritt who lead for Ian Hodges, Brian Asimus and Shane Bolam. This was the closest game of all with Forbes being down 7-0 for 6 ends. Picking up 3 & 4 on the last 3 Forbes was able to come away with the victory 18-16. A change around in the line up saw Bruce Williams, Geoff Williams, Bert Bayley and skip Greg Gunn fly out of the starting boxes to lead 11-5 on 10. Forbes was able to pick up a valuable 6 as well as winning the last 5 ends to storm home 28-18. This week will be the last of the home games for Forbes which they will take on Parkes Railway on Sunday. Two more rounds to go we hope Forbes can hang in there against Parkes to face Manildra on their last game. MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS Major Pairs Semi Final was played on Saturday between Alf Davies & Christian West vs Brian (Spro) Asimus and Mitch Andrews. This game was never going to be an easy win for either team. Alf and Christian holding 6-3 on 3. 10-5 on 11, 14-8 on 17. With only 4 ends to go Alf and Christian picked up 5 points to win the game 19-14. Our Major Singles games keep rolling through with Robert (Pooch) Dukes vs Bert Bayley. Bert with the first points on the board leading 4-0, Pooch certainly answered picking 5 points over the next 5 ends. 1 point the difference on 9 Pooch won the next 5 ends again to lead 13-6. If anyone knows Bert Bayley, Bert does not give in which showed to close the gap on the 21st end only trailing by 2 13-15. Neck and neck with each gaining 1 point per end Bert hit the lead 18-17 on 26. Both giving it their all, going point for point to get to 24 all. Bert was able to pick up 1 point to win 25-24. In our second Major Singles game played this week was between Joe Nicholson and Dale Scott. Joe, our youngest competitor in our major events started a little slower then Dale however caught up on 11 to level the score 8 all. Dale picking up a 3 put him just in front 11-8. Joe wasn’t giving up and won 10 points in the next 4 ends to lead 22-13. Dale was able to win 5 of the last 7 ends but Joe came away the victor 25-20. SOCIAL BOWLS Wednesday: Excellent weather for a good roll-up last week with the Retirement Village ‘bowls expert’ in Ann Nixon leading for Laurie Crouch winning 27-12 in 18 ends over ‘good night’ Irene Riley and Eddie Gould. Few problems for the card draw winners leading 15-3 after nine before Irene and Eddie made some head-way in scoring on the way home. Runners-up, and only just, 20-19 in 20 with John Baass and John Gorton best over Phil Hocking and Paul Doust. The card showed how close it was, 8-all after five, 16-all at the end of 14 then 18-all after 17 and 19-all before the last. An excellent game played in the right spirit. Another with only one shot separating the pairs, 15-14 in 18 to Ann Mackay and ‘welcome back’ Terry Molloy winning over the two Bill’s, Looney and Cowell. After 5-all at the end of four the lead changed with the B’s were behind 5-10 after seven to level at 10-all after 11. They hit the lead 14-11 after 15 but stalled losing the run home 4-0. The long arm of the law in many ways with the extended arm saw Don Craft skipping for Bill O’Connell winning 23-15 in 20 over Sid Morris who also made a welcome return leading for Noel Jolliffe. A blistering finish got them home, 7-all after seven then 14-all 16. 9-1 in the last four told the story. Cheryl Hodge and Kerry Dunstan 22-14 over Robyn Mattiske and Dale Scott in 22 leading all journey, 13-6 at half time. As Lesley Dunstan and Peter Mackay kept telling all they shared the ends won but kept quite the score, a 20-12 loss playing another on the come-back trail, Peter ‘Sid’ Walker leading for Barry Shine over 20 ends. It was 20-6 before the last four ends giving the Barton St neighbours some bragging rights. 6-0 in the last four ends. In the last, 34-4 to Sue Smith and Lyall Strudwick in 20 over Ray Dunstan and Lyn Simmons. Four singles only to ‘don’t tell anyone’ Ray and his skip. In-house Kerry Dunstan and John Baass. Wednesday bowls for all, phone in noms on 6852 1499 for a 9.30am start. Thursday: Still a little warm for some of our Thursday afternoon bowlers but the weather didn’t concern 12 of our regulars. Alan Hilder and Laurie Crouch drew against Dale Maynard and Viv Russell. This was a close game from start to finish. 4 all on 4, 10 all on 11. Alan and Laurie skipped to lead when they picked up 5 points in 3 ends 16-13. The race to the finish line was on but Alan and Laurie held on to win the game 19-18. Tara Shaw and Cherie Vincent took on Terry Molloy and Scott McKellar. The girls were definitely off to a slow start with down 7-1 on 6. Gaining a 3 and 4 in the next two ends helped score to trail by 1 8-9. 11 all on 14, the boys gained a 6 on the 16th and they sprinted to the finish line 23-14. Our last game for the day was played between Max Vincent and Bruce (Posso) Jones taking on Ange Dwyer and John Kennedy. Ange and John stamping their position early leading 8-3 on 6. Increasing that lead picking up multiples 13-6 on 9. Max and Posso started to fight back picking up 3 & 5 but wasn’t enough for the win going down 18-21. Winning Rink: Rink 3 – Ange Dwyer and John Kennedy. Losing Rink: Rink 4 – Dale Maynard and Viv Russell. Resting Touchers: Laurie Crouch and Dale Maynard. SUNDAY BOWLS – With Pennant commitments our numbers were down a little this week. 2 games of pairs and 1 triples game. Our Triples game was played by Peter Greenhalgh, Pat O’Neill and Lyall Strudwick vs Joyce Gray, John Hepworth and Peter Mackay. Lyall’s team started out very strong to lead 6-3 at half time. Peters team had to refuel and regroup but only winning 2 of the 6 ends they couldn’t quite catch their opposition with Lyalls team winning the game 13-6. Tyler Murphy lead for Cliff Nelson against Trish Todd and Peter Tisdell. 11-3 at oranges Tyler and Cliff were feeling pretty good. Coming out after the break they luck did not stop there, winning 5 of the last 8 ends to come away with the win 22-7. Visitor Andrew Iggo lead for John Kennedy when they played Jax Murphy and Alan Hilder. Jax and Alan in the lead 5-3 on 5 until Andrew and John got a 4. Going into the halftime break it was 7 all and anybody’s game. Jax and Alan put their feet flat to the floor to lead 13-9 on 15 until again, Andrew and John drew a 4 to level the game 13 all. Winning Rink went to Rink 11 – Andrew Iggo, John Kennedy, Jax Murphy and Alan Hilder. Losing Rink went to Trish Todd and Peter Tisdell. Chicken winners were: Jax Murphy, P Hocking, Mick Merritt, J Kennedy, A Hilder, J Gray, P Greenhalgh, I Hodges, Cliff Nelson.
