Ryan Bester’s brilliant driving and the exceptional record of the team in tie-break contests allowed it to be a raging $3 favourite with TAB sports betting entering the finals.
Ultimately it was Bester who had the fate of the team in his hands when he played the final bowl of the tournament, unable to draw inside the Sydney Lions shot bowl — with the jack sitting in the ditch — in the Steamer’s 15th tie breaker of the tournament.
The Steamers qualified as the top seed for the finals, with a 14-4 record at the end of the opening 18 rounds.
The only team they failed to beat during the preliminary bouts was Sydney Lions.
Moama lost to the Lions in a round-eight tie-breaker and then again in round 16 — in straight sets.
The only other teams they lost to in the remaining rounds were the Tweed Heads Ospreys and Perth Suns, that lost coming in the final qualifying round.
The Ospreys, champions in three of the last four BPL events, lost in the elimination final to Alex Marshall’s Brisbane Pirates. The Suns didn’t make the finals.
The Moama franchise will now focus on the Ultimate Bowls Challenge, which will be held at Dandenong Bowling Club in April.
The second event will be at Moama in December.
Moama is one of 28 teams involved in the competition, including teams from overseas.
They will battle it out for a record prize pool of $500,000.
In the Steamers semi final, against second-ranked Adelaide Pioneers, the Moama team won in straight sets, 12-6 in the first after a power play netted them eight shots.
In the second set the Pioneers managed to square the set at five apiece, and progress straight into the final.
The Pioneers and Lions were six apiece at the end of the preliminary final’s opening set and couldn’t be separated in set two, with a 4-4 scoreline.
It meant a tie breaker, which was won by Sydney 1-nil.
Fittingly Kevin Anderson put down the first bowl of the BPL14 final, a backhand which touched the jack immediately and finished an inch away.
This is how it went from there.
Set one
Aaron Wilson, ironically a member of the Moama UBC team for April, was lead and Ben Twist skip for Sydney, opposite Anderson and Bester.
End one: Moama holding four on opening end before Twist last bowl, which had no impact and Moama finished with four.
End two: Sydney holding two after first three bowls, Bester opening bowl a drive which changed nothing. Twist had a resting toucher before Bester did what he has so often and drove the jack into the ditch to hold three. Another three shots for Moama when Twist just ditched his last bowl.
End three: Sydney took power play. Anderson’s second bowl was another toucher. After the lead bowlers had played three each it was Sydney holding two shots (four with the power play).
Bester ditched first bowl, Twist put in a back bowl with his first, matched by Bester’s second. Sydney was holding two (four with power play) as Bester put down his last bowl, not impacting the result.
Twist’s last bowl — with his team holding four due to the power play — didn’t count. Score 7-4 Moama.
End four: Moama power play. After the first three bowls from Anderson and Wilson Sydney held one shot.
No change with the skips having one bowl left each. Twist’s final shot didn’t count and then Bester left his bowl short. The score with one end to play in first set was 7-5.
End five (final end): Anderson’s first bowl brushed the jack and after three bowls each it was two shots for Moama.
Enter the skips for the final three bowls each of the set, Moama holding four shots after Bester’s second bowl. Twist drive with his last bowl had no impact and Moama won the first set 11-5.
Set two
Van Eldik replaced Anderson, as has been the case in lead up games. Lions also brought on Murphy for twist.
End one: After their opening three bowls Moama held one shot. Wilson drew absolute shot with his first bowl and with one bowl left each it was still a one shot Sydney lead.
Bester’s last bowl didn’t count and Wilson was unable to draw a second shot. Sydney 1-0.
End two: After Murphy end Van Eldik had delivered three bowls each it was a one-shot Sydney lead.
Bester’s first shot took the jack, but sat it right next to a Sydney bowl. With one shot each remaining for the end Sydney held two after an unsuccessful Bester drive.
Another Bester drive and Sydney still took two, their lead now 3-nil.
End three: Moama power play. Sydney holding two when skips arrived.
Bester holding two (four with the power play), his first bowl was a drive that took the jack to the ditch, with his bowl sitting along side it.
Score after three ends is 4-3 Moama.
End four: Twist was brought back on for Murphy, leading for Wilson. After the opening three bowls Sydney held one shot.
Two shots to Sydney after a bowl each by the skips. With each skip having one bowl left it was still two shots for Sydney.
Bester’s last bowl didn’t count and Wilson didn’t add to his score. Sydney 5-4 lead, one end to play
End five: Sydney power play. After lead bowls Sydney holding one (two with power play).
With both skips having one bowl to play each it was two shots (four) for Sydney. Bester drew second shot but it still gae Sydney a second set win, 7-4.
Tie Breaker: Murphy leading with Anderson as Moama lead.
Anderson missed his first drive at jack. Put jack in the ditch with second on a richochet. Van Eldik put the shot bowl down with her first only to have Twist draw inside that bowl for absolute shot.
With the skips to bowl it was Sydney holding shot. Wilson ditched first bowl, Bester then also put his first in the ditch.
One bowl remaining each and a time out called. Neither skip impacted the result with their final bowl and it was Sydney’s title.
For Murphy it was her fourth title, third for Twist and first for Wilson.
Gold Coast Hawks star Aron Sherriff polled 39 out of a possible 54 votes in the most valuable player award. The former Sydney Lion now has four BPL MVP awards.
