Buninyong closing in on success

BUNINYONG Bowling Club members are upbeat for the future after a slow start to the season and adjustments for the loss of several experienced players in the senior team.

On Saturday, the club’s Ballarat District Bowls Division Premier side came within five shots of snatching victory at home over Sebastopol, and last week Buninyong had a narrow loss to Ballarat.

At various stages of both matches “each rink at some point of the game were well up,” said Buninyong president Ian Voigt.

During last weekend’s game, the home team held a 14-shot lead, however the experienced Sebastopol was able to gain the upper hand.

The match up concluded in winning form for the visitors with only Buninyong’s Graeme Nicholson’s rink of John Barnes, Ian Voigt and Graeme Simpson managing a two-shot win over Glenn Sargent.

Sebastopol’s Murray Gannon and Ian Warner had wins with the required shots up to get the Sebas over the line.

Bowlers who have moved into the Premier Division “have benefitted from the promotion,” Voigt said, citing the example of Bryan Spencer who started the season as a Division 2 skipper and is now leading one of Buninyong’s Premier Division rinks.

“There is a positive vibe around the club at the moment, particularly since halfway through the season as our sides became more competitive and we look forward to next season and more success,” said Voigt.

Buninyong’s Division 2 side has turned their 2020/21 around after a slow start and “had some good wins after the Christmas break” said division manager David Searl.

“We lost Bryan Spencer and Manfred Weil to the higher division however the inclusion of Keith Chapman into the side has strengthened our team considerably and we are lucky to have him.”

The team is challenging for a position in the top four but will be dependent on the cards falling the right way in next Saturday’s last round of the home and away season, which could only happen if the team has a strong win against the highly placed Ballarat North and that Ballarat lose to Sebastopol.

As a sign that the club’s fortunes are changing for the better, the Division 4 side had a draw against Mt Xavier who are placed in the four.

The Buninyong Club plays an important part of the local community fabric and this can be seen in its successful Corporate Bowls program which rolls on Thursday evenings.

“We are into the fourth week of the six-week competition and positions within the 22 competing teams are very keenly sought after,” said Voigt.

The club has rescheduled its annual Open Fours tournament to Sunday, 14 March due to earlier COVID-19 restrictions – entries to Graeme Nicholson on 0419 303 141 – and a Ladies tournament will be held on St Patrick’s Day, Wednesday, 17 March – entries to Sandra Chapman on 0427 808 263.

 

-BY ANTHONY MCCABE