Traralgon Double!
With both the Men’s & Ladies Singles Champion of Champions

West Gippsland Bowls Division

With no Saturday Pennant Bowls Competition due to the Australia Day Long Weekend the West Gippsland Bowls Division held their combined Men’s and Ladies Champion of Champion Singles Events at Warragul Bowling Club. All eighteen clubs were represented with an excellent roll up of spectators to watch their local champions due battle with those from other Clubs. Warragul provided an excellent playing service and catered for the needs of spectators very well.

Men’s Champion of Champion Singles

James Scullin Traralgon defeated Ross Kennedy Thorpdale in the final which was a great effort by Kennedy who is a Division three bowler and Sculling is a leading Traralgon Division One skipper and a member of the West Gippsland team to play South Gippsland next Sunday. Kennedy his ope before losing to Mike Arnold Morwell, this year he found form defeating the well performed Newborough stalwart Kevin Lovett 25 – 14 before losing to Scullin 25 – 12.

Scullin had to work hard to make the final after a tense match with Trafalgar Champion Ian Miles in the semi final. In what spectators saw as the game of the Championship Miles shot away to an 8 – 1 lead before Scullin fought back to level the score at 10 all after drawing three shots. It was shot for shot as the two bowlers battled for ascendency with Miles drawing three shots to lead 18 – 17 another two winning ends saw Miles stretch the lead to 21 – 17 before the momentum changed and Scullin won an end and showed his class to then draw three shots and four shots on the next two ends to go out a 25 – 21 winner. Some winners find the last shot very difficult to get, not Scullin as he powered away for a rewarding victory and qualified to play the winner of the South Gippsland Bowls Division in the Strzelecki Championships in February.

Ladies Champion of Champion Singles

Pat Trewin made it a double for the Traralgon Club when she defeated Pat Fraser-Aurisch Neerim District in an entertaining match. Trewin shot away to a 6 – 0 lead after four ends before Fraser-Aurisch steadied to trail 4 – 9 after ten ends. Fraser-Aurisch then won the next five ends to go to a commanding 16 – 9 lead. Not to be outdone Trewin won six of the next eight ends including the full four shots to go to a 24 – 19 lead. The last shot in a 25 up game can be the hardest shot to get and Fraser-Aurisch showed her competitive spirit to fight back to 23 – 24 before Trewin drew shot to win a well deserved championship in an exciting match and qualify to represent West Gippsland in the Strzelecki final against the South Gippsland Champion in March.

In the semi final Trewin had a battle with Fran Clark Newborough with the match going shot for shot until with the score at 16 all Trewin won the last four ends to record a 25 – 16 win with the scores not a true indication of the tight struggle for much of the match. In the quarter finals Trewin won 25 – 21 against Drouin stalwart Maureen Leighton in a long 30 end match with Leighton leading 21 – 15 after 22 ends only for Trewin to win the last eight ends to go to a 25 – 21 victory.

Fraser-Aurisch defeated Jennie Harris Yinnar in the semi-final which was a good effort by the Yinnar player who is steadily improving and gaining more confidence playing against these more experienced players. Harris trailed Fraser-Aurisch 4 – 13 before winning seven of the nest nine ends including six ends straight to go to a 21 – 15 lead over Frazser-Aurisch who fought back to level the scorfe at 22 all before winning the last three ends for a 25 – 22 win in an entertaining game.