Sport
4 October, 2025
Bowls champions rolling first
HEATHER Esmore and John Nevill were given the honour of putting down the first bowls at St Arnaud Country Club on Sunday to open the 2025-2026 season.
HEATHER Esmore and John Nevill were given the honour of putting down the first bowls at St Arnaud Country Club on Sunday to open the 2025-2026 season.
Heather and John were last year’s club champions.
Following official proceedings, Country Club members were joined by St Arnaud Bowls Club players for the second annual pre-season practice match.
Both clubs selected two pennant sides as match committees began fine tuning preparations for the new North Central playing area season.
Two games of 10 ends were completed on the well-prepared green.
In Division One after the first game, St Arnaud were 13 shots up, Ashley Dyke’s four winning 8-7, Glendon Hancock’s four by 11-2, and Terry McSwain’s side 13-10. Trevor McDonald’s Country Club side of Peter Marland, Rhonda Pole and Leigh Watkins were overtaken by Dyke’s rink on the last end of the first game.
This overall margin increased to 37 shots with St Arnaud’s Terry McSwain scoring heavily for a 19-2 shot win; Ashley Dyke also winning 11-2; the only loss for St.Arnaud Glendon Hancock 9-11.
In Division Two, Laurie Goodwin’s four were the only first game winners 11-6, Lloyd Goddard going down 3-17, and Paul Micallef 6-11.
Mark Esmore’s Country Club four of Don McAllister, Des Moulday and Gary White had an impressive win over the side of Goddard, J Pendergast, M. McIntre and H. Stevenson in the first game.
However things changed strongly in favour of St Arnaud in the second game, Laurie Goodwin up 11-6, Lloyd Goddard up 15-2, and Paul Miccallef 10-3. This gave St Arnaud an overall win of 11 shots, 58 shots to Country Club 47 shots.
This pre-season contest between St.Arnaud and Country Club bowlers is now a permanent fixture and St Arnaud bowlers were very appreciative of the efforts of the Country Club members in making all aspects of the event so enjoyable, particularly the wonderful catering by the ladies.
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