Go team: Moama Steamers claimed the BPL17 title on Friday evening. Photo: Aidan Davis/Bowls Australia
The Bowls Premier League title is heading back to the Murray River for the third time.
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Moama claimed its first championship since 2020 on Friday evening, with a raucous home crowd cheering the Steamers home.
Aron Sherriff, Cassandra Millerick, and Ryan Bester tamed the Sydney Lions 5-2, 6-2 in the final at Moama Bowling Club, adding the 2023 trophy to the cabinet next to the 2020 and 2014 titles.
Sherriff was judged the tournament MVP, his sixth accolade, while Millerick earned her first title with her home club.
Millerick first joined the Steamers at BPL 16 last year, and the local star said post-game she was over the moon to take out the tournament.
“I was very nervous, to be honest,” she said.
“I’m just over the moon, I’m so excited, I have that many emotions at the moment."
Champions: Ryan Bester, coach Kevin Anderson, Cassandra Millerick and BPL17 MVP Aron Sherriff pose with the trophy. Photo: Aidan Davis/Bowls Australia
The Steamers finished on top of the ladder after the 18 regular games held from Monday to Thursday, heading into finals on Friday with a double chance.
Sydney had the best of Moama in the semi-final, however, and the Steamers were forced into a preliminary final shoot-out with Alex Marshall’s Moreton Bay Pirates.
Marshall, a premier pennant player with Moama and widely regarded as the sport's best player, went toe-to-toe with Sherriff in a BPL classic, with the clash going to a tie-break end after the scores were locked on 4-3, 3-4.
Sherriff secured the crucial shot from Marshall to hand the Steamers a finals berth and Moama went on to exact revenge on the Lions in the decider.
“Everybody was great,” Millerick said.
“I love playing with the boys, they were brilliant.
“I started off rough but gradually got better each day. I’m just glad I could perform to my best when we needed it most.”
Moama’s Kevin Anderson earned his first title as coach of the Steamers, while Sherriff’s accolades didn’t end at MVP. He earned yet another place on the BPL All-Star team alongside Moreton Bay’s Jo Edwards and Sydney’s Aaron Wilson.
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