Queenscliff’s on a roll
A FIFTH straight win from Queenscliff and a stunning upset win by Sebastopol over Bareena has thrown the fight for a finals double chance wide open in Geelong-Ballarat Premier bowls.
Bareena, which has held top spot for most of the season, is now second, just one point ahead of Queenscliff, with the pair to face off at Bareena next Saturday.
Bareena also meets top side Ocean Grove away in the final round and will be desperate to arrest a form slump that has seen it lose its past two matches.
Eastern Park has matched Queenscliff’s five-game winning streak, but only just, splitting rinks and winning by one shot against fellow finals aspirant Lara.
Eastern Park coach Nathan Bush was full of praise for Stewart Shuttleworth who downed Leigh Butcher’s rink 42-19, taking his recent record to five wins and a tie from his past six matches.
Bush said Shuttleworth, who came to the mat in the last game before Christmas, has been a massive bonus for Eastern Park’s revival.
Bush himself won his rink 23-16 over former Geelong West teammate Travis Kelly and when they got to the last end they led by three shots overall. Although they were down in the head Bush used his last bowl to draw third shot and get the overall win by the single shot.
Bush said the game was close most of the day with Lara being just up for most of it.
Shuttleworth’s rink was leading and two ends with successive fives gave Eastern Park what it needed. Bush said the game was in the balance with 12 ends to go, with Eastern Park down by seven shots. By the time all the other rinks finished Eastern Park was up by five with three ends remaining.
Queenscliff’s home match against Buninyong started at 3pm, with the concept rated a great success by spokesman Luke Wayth.
Although the 15-shot win over Buninyong was good with just one rink losing, Wayth said it was the overall spectacle and the big spectator gallery that made the day.
With two rounds remaining, the top six are still in the mix for finals, with all spots up for grabs. Next week’s Bareena-Queenscliff and Lara-Sebastopol games will hold a lot of interest.