Test for Magpies on Royals’ greens

BENDIGO East faces a big test in Saturday’s ninth round of Premier Division pennant in the Bendigo leg of Bendigo Campaspe Goldfields bowls.

The Magpies will play on Bendigo’s greens in Barnard Street from 1.30pm.

East faces a ladder-leader on the rebound from its first defeat of the season.

A 17-shot win at home against Golden Square last round has put Bendigo East within 10 points of the fourth-placed Kangaroo Flat.

The Magpies and Royals will be determined to win as they roll into the Christmas-New Year break.

When these clubs met in round one it was the Royals who won by 18 shots on East’s greens.

Golden Square is at home to play a red-hot Moama.

The Steamers marked their sixth consecutive victory in a 17-shot win at home against Bendigo last round.

A high for the Steamers against the Royals were eight shot wins by rinks skipped by Cameron Keenan and Alex Marshall.

The Travis Berry-skipped rink from Golden Square won its latest hit-out by 15 shots.

Eaglehawk takes on South Bendigo on the Simpsons Road greens in the Borough.

The Hawks marked a 21-shot win at Inglewood last Saturday, while South Bendigo beat Kangaroo Flat by 24 shots.

The Kangaroos will be aiming to bounce back when they  play at home against Inglewood.

Premier League standings are Bendigo 114 points, +128 shots; Moama 101, +100; South Bendigo 101, +76; Kangaroo Flat 74, +57; Bendigo East 64, -51; Eaglehawk 57, -26; Golden Square 53, 92; Inglewood 12, 67.