Curtain Comes Down on Arm Bowls State Championships
After three gruelling days of competition the final day of the Arm Bowls State Championships has now delivered our latest duo of Champions to be crowned with the Men’s Pairs being completed.
The Quarter Finals of the Men’s Pairs were conducted first up in the morning with the winners of these matches scheduled to contest the Semi-Finals after a short break.
Quarter Final Results
Steve Mitchell & Neil Crisp(s) (Koroit) def Harry Dahllof & Tony Long(s) (Composite) 9/8 on an extra end.
Brian Woodland & John Lewis(s) (Composite) def Dennis Johnson & Ron Hayes(s) (Donvale) 15/6
Grahame Watson & Allan Walter(s) (Composite) def Phil Gude & Doug Corrigan(s) (Composite) 13/5
Phil Godkin & Barry Anset(s) (Composite) def John McKenzie & Ian McLeod(s) (Ringwood) 17/12 with this match also decided by an extra end.
The Semi-Finals saw Steve Mitchell & Neil Crisp drawn against Brian Woodland & John Lewis and Grahame Watson & Allan Walter versus Phil Godkin & Barrie Anset.
Bookmakers would have pencilled in the Godkin and Anset team as warm favourites in their Semi-Final against Watson and Walters and they didn’t disappoint as they tore away to a 7/nil lead after four ends and on to take a virtually unassailable lead of 12/3 after 10 ends. Both teams traded singles over the last two ends for the Bendigo pairing to win 13-4 and take their place in the final. It brought an end to the campaign of Grahame Watson (Whittlesea) and Allan Walters (Barwon Heads) who could be pleased with their effort in making it this far in the competition.
In the other Semi-Final it was the pairing of Brian Woodland (Bairnsdale) & John Lewis (Lakes Entrance) who came out of the blocks breathing fire against the Koroit duo of Steve Mitchell & Neil Crisp as they were 8/1 in front after three ends courtesy of a six on the third end. Although Mitchell & Crisp were able to salvage the six shots over the next two ends with a four and a double, Woodland and Lewis forged ahead to lead 13/7 after eight ends. Going in to the last couple of ends the Gippsland duo were holding a three shot advantage to lead 13/10 and they closed the match out by scoring a three and a single to take a 17/10 win and lock in their appearance in the final.
The final got going with Woodland & Lewis coming out of the blocks admirably to lead 4/1 after three ends with a number of telling bowls being played by all players. Over the next five ends the Gippsland duo refused to take their foot off the gas and they established a handy little lead of six shots to be in front 9/3 at virtually the halfway mark. Ends nine and ten saw Godkin & Anset score a single and Woodland and Lewis pick up a brace to lead 11/4. Ends were running out for the Bendigo Boys to mount a challenge and mount a challenge they certainly did. After eleven ends Godkin and Anset had crawled their way back in to contention to be only five behind with the score at 11/6. Anset killed the twelfth end and on the replay scored two shots to be only three behind with the score now 11/8.
On the thirteenth end Godkin and Anset played eight sensational bowls and emerged with two shots after Lewis unluckily tried to convert the head his and Woodland’s way to now only trail by one shot with the score at 11/10. The pressure was certainly starting to mount on Woodland and Lewis who had done everything they possibly could to get themselves in to a winning position, but you can’t keep players of the calibre of Godkin and Anset down for long as they scored a three on end fourteen to claw their way into the lead for the first time in the match 13/11 going in to the last end.
The pressure was now back on the Gippsland duo who had done everything so well in the first thirteen ends of the match to set up a possible win only to see it all turn to nothing as Godkin and Anset scored a two on the last end to secure their maiden Arm State Pairs title with a 15/11 victory over a couple of blokes who tried everything they could to hold on but couldn’t.
This final was the last of the four contested over the last four days and the MCC Bowls Section is to be complemented on the presentation of their greens and facilities as they hosted these championships superbly. All thanks also to the vast array of volunteers from the host Club and the markers and umpires who helped make these championships a complete success. The spectators in attendance were also treated to a feast of great bowls over the duration of the Championships.
Photo attached L to R Runners-Up Brian Woodland (Bairnsdale BC) & John Lewis(s) (Lakes Entrance BC), BV State Arm Bowls Coordinator Phil Gude, Winners Phil Godkin (Eaglehawk BC) & Barry Anset(s) (Bendigo BC).
