Race for bowls premiership wide open

AT five rounds to go in the home-and-away series the title race in Premier Division of Saturday bowls in the Bendigo leg of Bendigo Campapse Goldfields Bowls is wide open.

Moama, Bendigo and South Bendigo are locked on win-loss tallies of 7-2 before the season resumes with the charity round for Cancer on 21 January at South Bendigo.

After a 0-2 start, Moama is on a seven-match winning streak.

Key players for the Steamers include Kevin Anderson, Peter Campbell, Cameron Keenan and Rob Wastell.

Consecutive defeats has pushed reigning champion Bendigo to the second rung.

A talented Royals’ line-up includes Luke Hoskin, Daniel Harvey, Ian Ross and Stephanie Priest.

Kangaroo Flat is under pressure to hold fourth place from a rampant Bendigo East which won on Bendigo’s turf before the break.

Players to watch for the Roos include Brad Marron, Desma Budd, Susan Howes and Eric White.

Bendigo East’s squad includes Darren Burgess, Brock Keenan, James McGillvray and Aaron Tomkins.

Eaglehawk, Golden Square and Inglewood could have a big say in the make-up of the top four.

Pennant for all other divisions will resume on January 20.

In Division One, Marong and Kangaroo Flat lead the way on 6-3 records.

A lot of interest centres on the next two positions where Strathfieldsaye and Castlemaine, 92 and 90 points, will fight to stay clear of Bendigo East and North Bendigo who are locked on 76 points.

Golden Square leads the way in division two on a 7-2 record.

A 6-3 tally has Bendigo East and South Bendigo in second and third place, with Bendigo, Strathfieldsaye and Harcourt far from out of the final’s equation.

It’s a closely fought race in Division Three where Heathcote has 99 points from a 6-3 record.

Next are Serpentine, 93 points; Castlemaine, 91; South Bendigo, 89; and Kangaroo Flat, 89.

Midweek pennant resumes on 15 January where South Bendigo and Kangaroo Flat lead Division One on 106 and 102 points.

The third and fourth rungs are occupied by Inglewood and Eaglehawk who will be under pressure from Bendigo and Golden Square in the run to the final’s series.