Port MacDonnell wins bowls title

Port MacDonnell Red has emerged as the 2023/24 Mid Week Pennant champions after a tense final agaisnt Mount Gambier RSL Red on the covered greens at the Mount Gambier Bowls Club.

After a slow start Heather Richards’s rink of Des Horrigan, Carol Schmidt and Jim Philpott were 3-13 down after nine ends to Wayne Legutko, Carmel McQuade, Garry Fox and Gary Bowering.

Richards rink clawed their way back to go into the lunch break 8-15 down.

The other rink skippered by Keith Dowdell with Barrie Schmidt, Bill Richards and Bob Hutchesson started slow and were 0-6 down after five ends to Graeme Smith’s rink of Graham Dent, Leon Fox an Graham Crowder, but went into the lunch break 12-13 down.

The final 10 ends saw Dowdell’s rink keep in touch and going into the last end needed five shots to win but ended up getting 4 for a draw 21 shots all

On the other rink after 18 ends Richards team were 18-8 down but with a final surge scored 11 shots to 1 shot in five ends to make it all square on the 24th end.

Schmidt sat the kitty and Philpott put in a second shot and Mount Gambier RSL skip Legutko chose to go for the draw shot in preference to driving the head. This attempt saw his bowl fall short of the jack.

After the skips had played their last two bowls the situation remained the same with Port MacDonnell holding the two shots to win the game 21-19.