Day 5 – State Champions Week
There are days when you go out to play and your opponents give you nothing. Nada. Zero to work with.
Carla Krizanic and Nick McIntyre provided that sort of day for Courtney Gabb and Mark O’Halloran – winning the State Mixed Pairs Championship final with a head-shaking display on Day 5 of State Champions Week at Bendigo East Bowling Club.
It was 17 ends of the highest quality – the 18th not required – as both dual world champion Krizanic (Sunbury) and the experienced State rep McIntyre (Whittlesea) contributed shot after brilliant shot in an 18-7 shutdown of their talented Eastern Ranges rivals.
Krizanic and McIntyre were quick out of the blocks, racing to a 5-1 lead after three ends. Then the pedal just kept going down.
At one stage late in the match, O’Halloran asked his opponent: “Any ideas, Nick?” as – not for the first time in the match – he contemplated a head of bowls so ugly for his team it needed multiple bags to mask.
The highlights reel for both the Northern Gateway bowlers was full by mid-match as they led 10-3, overflowing by the time they picked up a huge four on the 13th end – and requiring its own iCloud by the time the match ended as the quality shots kept raining down.
Gabb (Lilydale) and O’Halloran (Croydon) had earlier beaten men’s Champion of Champions singles finalist Brett Mahoney and Jenny Shepherd (Webbcona) 24-11 in the quarter-finals, and won a thriller against Yarrawonga Mulwala’s Claire and Garry Sanders by a single shot in the semis.
In the men’s pairs also played on Day 5, Johnny McCarron and Ben Hubber of Glenroy (Northern Gateway region) reached the semi-finals where they’ll play David Roberts and Mick Bowman of Inverloch (Strzelecki). The other semi will be contested between Luke Aiello and Adam Galloway (Bundoora RSL/Yarra) and Ben Thomason/Giora Pomeranz of The Elsternwick Club (Sandbelt).
Gippsland’s Gail McKenzie and Lucy Dalli head the women’s pairs semi-finalists, due to meet Deanna Tobin and Gail Dybczyk (Hoppers/Metro West) in the final four.
Bendigo Campaspe’s Margot Brennan and Margaret Knight play Ovens & Murray’s Kerri Leask and Mary Tragardh in the other semi.
Fixtures, mixed pairs
Results, mixed pairs
Fixtures, men’s pairs
Results, men’s pairs
Fixtures, women’s pairs
Results, women’s pairs
