Sport
2 December, 2025
Local bowls teams enjoy a heavenly weekend
ST ARNAUD’S Division One bowlers have climbed to second place on the North Central pennant ladder after a strong 21-shot victory over Charlton in Round 7 last Saturday.
ST ARNAUD’S Division One bowlers have climbed to second place on the North Central pennant ladder after a strong 21-shot victory over Charlton in Round 7 last Saturday.
The result, combined with Country Club’s defeat of Donald Golf, saw the Saints leapfrog into the top two.
In Division One, St Arnaud secured two of the three rinks and built a decisive break between ends six and ten, maintaining control for most of the contest. Despite winning 39 ends to Charlton’s 36, the Saints were made to work throughout.
Ashley Dyke, Phil McRae, Col Marchment and Darren Shepherd set the tone with a dominant performance, racing to a 20–9 lead and powering away for a big rink win.
The quartet of Steve Zsigmond, Glendon Hancock, Greg McNally and Kerryn Dyke was locked in a tight battle with W. Southwell’s team at 14–12 after 15 ends, before finishing strongly to claim eight of the final 13 ends.
Terry McSwain, Allan Welsh, Maurie Wood and Tony Marland held an 11–6 edge at the halfway mark before Charlton surged late, drawing level after 23 ends and pinching the win by taking the final two.
St Arnaud swept all rinks in Division Two, defeating Charlton by 33 shots to strengthen their position near the top of the ladder.
Lloyd Goddard, Kell Bibby, Colin Coates and Jason Barron exploded out of the blocks, leading 11–1 and never threatened.
Laurie Goodwin, Wayne Rourke, Gerald McIntyre and Craig Cheesman carried a comfortable 12-shot lead into the tea break and held sway for the remainder.
Paul Micallef, Tom Amos, John Prendergast and Peter Duncan dominated 14 of the 25 ends to complete the clean sweep.
St Arnaud Country Club hosted Donald Bowls Club on Saturday, with conditions ideal for a strong contest despite the overcast skies and light winds. The greens played true throughout the day, setting the scene for quality bowling against one of the tougher opponents in the competition.
St Arnaud Country made a confident start, immediately applying pressure across all rinks. Skippers’ calls were met with clear communication and disciplined shot-making, giving the home side early momentum.
By the lunch break St Arnaud held the lead in two rinks, with the third staying well within reach.
After the break the hosts continued in the same fashion, extending their advantage as the afternoon went on. Donald Golf Bowls Club fought hard and remained competitive, but St Arnaud maintained control across the board and carried their strong form through to the close of play.
St Arnaud Country Club finished the day with a well-earned overall victory, capping off a solid performance against quality opposition.
Ten teams took to the St Arnaud Bowling Club greens for last Thursday’s twilight bowls, with social competition, good conditions and plenty of friendly banter setting the tone for the evening.
Gerald McIntyre kicked off proceedings in style, claiming the pre-match nearest-the-kitty prize and pocketing the cash before the 12-end game began.
There were several standout performances across the rinks. The night’s biggest winners were Terry McSwain and Rob Batters, finishing an impressive 13 shots up and earning themselves free pizzas from the Country Kitchen.
Close behind were Gerald McIntyre and Brad Chester, who secured runners-up honours at 11 shots up. Special mention also went to the trio of Phil McRae, Glenda Bigmore and Anne McSwain, who finished strongly to record a 9-shot win.
Twilight bowls continues for two more weeks before the Christmas break, with rounds scheduled for tomorrow night and December 4.
Country in control
In last week’s midweek pennant match, St Arnaud Country Club hosted Boort Bowls Club in ideal bowling conditions, with clear skies, minimal wind and impeccably prepared greens that ran true all day.
St Arnaud made a strong start across all three rinks, immediately applying pressure and dictating the pace of play.
The home side’s bowlers were vocal and confident, offering plenty of encouragement and clear directions as they worked to execute their skippers’ calls.
Boort battled hard throughout and continued to challenge the head, but St Arnaud Country maintained control as the match progressed. At the lunch break the home side held the lead on all rinks and carried that advantage through to the finish, securing a comprehensive win despite Boort’s determined efforts.
St Arnaud hosted Wycheproof in midweek pennant action with all three rinks producing tight, competitive bowls throughout the afternoon.
On the first rink, Laura Goodman’s four made a strong start, leading 17–14 at the lunch break.
Wycheproof lifted early in the second half to close within 16–20 after 21 ends, but St Arnaud steadied late, taking three of the final four ends to claim a 26–21 victory.
Phil McRae’s rink faced a sharp Wycheproof outfit that jumped to a 9–0 lead after just three ends. St Arnaud responded strongly to level at 9–9 and the sides were locked at 13–all at lunch.
The arm-wrestle continued through the second half, but Wycheproof finished the stronger to win 28–23.
On the third rink, Lloyd Goddard’s team opened brightly, winning the first three ends to lead 6–0. Wycheproof gradually worked back into the contest to hold a 13–12 lead at the break. After lunch St Arnaud controlled the back half, winning four of the final 12 ends for 20 shots to Wycheproof’s 13, securing the rink and the overall match advantage.
In the shade
Charlton Bowling Club has received a significant boost with the awarding of a $2,000 Project Support Grant from Buloke Shire Council to assist with upgrading the shade frames on the George Parish “A” Green.
The funding enables the installation of new SunSmart rollover tarps, an important step in providing a safer and more sun-protective environment for bowlers and visitors.
The club acknowledged the valued support of Buloke Shire Council in helping to improve facilities that contribute to both comfort and wellbeing at the venue.
The project has involved the removal of the six original tarps, followed by raising and extending the existing shade frames.
These have now been replaced with three new rollover tarps, designed to make operation easier and reduce manual handling for volunteers and players.
The club appreciated Joe Dury for his work in upgrading the frames, and to Bailey’s of Warracknabeal for manufacturing the new tarps.
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