In a cruel twist Deniliquin, which has been in the top four most of the season, was demoted to fifth when it lost its match with Moama on the weekend.
Moama has the bye this weekend and despite being fourth (two points ahead of fifth-ranked Deniliquin) it can have no influence on its position in the division one competition.
On Saturday at Deniliquin Bowling Club the Moama unit was a 10-shot winner, dropping only one rink on the way to a 59-49 (14-2) win.
Graeme Hinsley and Neville Varcoe both produced winning results for Moama as it took its record to five wins and seven losses for the season.
Varcoe is Moama’s top ranked bowler in the competition this season, but doesn’t appear on the individual standings until number 29.
He and Hinsley have both had six wins this season.
Jamie Shields, the competition’s seventh ranked skip, was Deniliquin’s only winner. He had a 25-20 win against George Thornley.
Hinsley’s 11-shot win opposite Simon Chisholm was the biggest margin of the match.
- Tongala’s winning run ended at Rich River Bowls Club on Saturday and in defeat it also lost second spot on the ladder, along with the all-important double chance.
Rich River is now one point clear of Tongala and with second-bottom-placed Mathoura on the weekend, the Rich River outfit could go from zero to hero by locking away the double chance.
Tongala faces off against bottom-placed team Rochester and if it is able to make up the one-point difference it will return to second ahead of Rich River entering the finals.
Tongala has a superior percentage to Rich River.
At the weekend it was Rich River that took the points in a one-sided affair, 66-58 (16-0). Jason McCloy inflicted a rare recent defeat on Greg Lyon and Peter Nesbitt’s return resulted in a three-shot win opposite Jack Hammond.
On the remaining rink Keith Hewitt was a 20-18 winner against Jarryd Tinning.
The competition’s number one skip, Bradley Tinning, did not play in the match.
- Rochester registered its third win of the season when it beat Mathoura, despite the New South Wales team winning two of the three rinks.
Richard Feuk, bowling with Leslie Wallers, Rob Dennis and Daryl Hooper, was the difference between the two teams.
His rink won 29-16 against Mathoura club champion Anthony Hulm, which was the major influence on the overall result, 60-57 (12-4), in Rochester’s favour.
Rodney Werner beat Kelvin Wiffen by two shots and Mick Humphreys had a 22-14 win against Mervyn Harvey to almost steal the match for Mathoura.
Rochester and Mathoura can still play an important part in shaping the finals, as they respectively confront Tongala and Rich River, the two teams battling it out for the coveted double chance in the finals.
- Moama and Rochester played the match of the round in Campaspe weekend division two bowls, a big result for Peter Walton’s rink giving the third-ranked team a two-shot win over second-placed Rochester.
Walton is the fifth-ranked skip in the division two competition, having lost just one of his seven matches as skip this season.
He beat Brian Trengrove 28-17, and with support from Geoff Halden — a 21-18 winner against Rochester’s John Weeks — the Moama team was a 65-63 (14-2) winner.
On the remaining rink the competition’s second-ranked skip, Alan Jones (who has a 9-4 win-loss record) lost to Tim Quinlan 16-28.
Moama is still two shots off second-placed Rochester with a round to play. In the final round Moama has in-form Deniliquin (fourth) and Rochester faces lowly Mathoura.
In other division two matches, top of the ladder Echuca beat Tongala by 11 shots, 68-57 (14-2), Rich River was a 67-42 (14-2) winner against Deniliquin RSL and Deniliquin beat Mathoura 71-46 (14-2).
The top four will not change before the finals in a fortnight as the top two teams play the sixth and eighth-ranked teams.
- Rochester is hanging by a thread to a spot inside the top four of Campaspe weekend division three bowls after its 45-shot loss to Mathoura on Saturday.
Mathoura is now only one pennant point behind Rochester in fifth spot, its fate coming down to this weekend’s final round. Mathoura will have to beat second-ranked Moama and rely on third-ranked Elmore not allowing Rochester many pennant points.
Lockington and Moama will finish on top of the ladder, with top team Lockington drawn against cellar dweller Rich River on Saturday in the final round.
The only remaining equation would be a big result for Rochester against Elmore and an upset win for Mathoura, which could see Elmore drop out of the four. It is only seven pennant points ahead of fifth-ranked Mathoura.
- One shot separated the top two teams in Campaspe weekend division 4a bowls, top team Rochester winning the match 39-38 (12-2).
The competition’s top two skips, Rochester’s Jenny Major and Terry Thomson from Moama, again dodged each other and both registered wins. Major beat Bob Neal 21-15 and Thomson won by five shots against Rochester’s David Murray.
Echuca Blue and Rich River White will make up the finals, despite Blue having the better of the team 50-38 (12-2) on Saturday. In remaining matches Elmore thrashed Ky Valley View and Tongala A was a 21-shot winner against Mathoura Red.
In Division 4b the top four teams will be Lockington, Deniliquin RSL, Moama Green and Echuca White.
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