Seymour VRI Bowls Report 6th March 2021
SEYMOUR VRI BOWLS REPORT
Saturday 6th March 2021
What a huge week it has been for the club. Our Midweek side won through to their Preliminary final after defeating Wallan by 26 shots at Broadford last week. Our Division One side were pipped at the post by a single shot by Wallan at Yea and have been eliminated from the finals, their second consecutive finals loss by 1 shot after losing last years grand final by the same amount to Broadford. Meanwhile our Division Two side have won their way into their CBD Grand Final in two weeks’ time after defeating Wallan at Yea by 5 shots. They join our GVBD Division 6 side who will play their Grand Final this Saturday at a venue TBA in the Goulburn Valley where we expect a large gathering of members to urge them on.
With all four sides making their respective finals and with 2 into their Grand Finals and a third just one win away from entering their Grand Final it has been another exceptional year for our small club. Pending current season Grand Final Results, we will be looking for further successes next season when we enter the Goulburn Valley playing area of the new Goulburn Murray Bowls Region following the closure of the Central Bowls Division at the conclusion of this season.
Congratulations to the Seymour VRI triple of Kevin Cain, Joe Purcell and Brad Anderson who represented the CBD at the CGM Bowls Region State Finals held at Tatura Hilltop on Sunday afternoon. Whilst beaten by the Goulburn Valley side in the final, we are proud of their efforts in reaching that final.
CBD MIDWEEK 2nd March
SEYMOUR VRI 82 def Wallan 56
Seymour VRI’s Midweek side travelled to Broadford last Tuesday to meet Wallan in their elimination final, the loser was out whilst the winner would move forward into the Preliminary Final next week at Yea against the loser of the Kilmore v Seymour Preliminary Final. Seymour VRI jumped out of the blocks to establish a very comfortable 30 shot margin at the lunch break after 42 ends with 2 rinks up and one trailing by just 1 shot. This proved to be a match winning lead as Seymour VRI held firm in holding that difference throughout the remaining 33 ends allowing them to record a very substantial 26 shot win. Following this win our Midweek side will have met Seymour at Yea yesterday (Tuesday 9th March) in their Preliminary Final, a full report of this match next week.
It was Joe Purcell’s rink of Kevin Cain, Peter Delzotto and Mario Furletti leading the way for VRI this week against Geoff Symons rink. Following up from losing the first end and dropping a single they then won the following 6 ends adding 12 shots including a 4 on the 3rd end and a 5 on the 5th end to establish a handy 11 shot lead after just 6 ends. Symonds was finding it hard to score and managed just a further 4 shots from 3 ends won between the 9th and 14th end whilst Joe’s rink added 11 shots on their 5 ends won, including another 4 on the 13th end. At the lunch break following the 14th end Joe’s rink had established a very handy 18 shot lead. After the break Joe’s rink were only able to win 3 of the remaining 11 ends adding a further 6 shots once again including a 4 on the 20th end, but the damage had already been done, for Symon’s rink whilst winning 8 of those ends, they were only able to add 11 further shots to their score with six of those end wins being by just 1 shot and therefore managing to reduce the final margin to 13 shots 29 to 16.
Ian Cashill’s rink of Jim Tuckwell, Jim Furletti and Bill Dawe also lost the first end of their match up with Brian Smethurst’s which would prove to be the last time they were behind. A 6 followed by a 3, a 2 and another 3 saw Ian’s rink burst out to a 13-shot lead after just 5 ends. Smethurst’s rink added singles on each of the next 3 ends to reduce the margin to 10 shots but then over the following 3 ends each side scored 3 shots to arrive at the completion of the 11th end with the margin still 10 shots. A further 3 singles to Ian’s rink allowed them to establish a 13-shot lead at the completion of the 14th end and go into the break in a good position. Following the break, end wins were at a premium and it was Ian’s rink who were put under pressure as Smethurst’s rink won 6 of the following 9 ends, adding 12 shots to their total whilst Ian’s rink managed just 5 shots from their 4 end wins so with a 5 shot lead and just 2 ends to play it was anyone’s game. Adding 4 shots on the penultimate 24th end to Ian’s rink saw the pressure relieved as they held an insurmountable 9 shot lead with one end to play, and end that would see Smethurst’s rink add just a single shot, therefore allowing Ian’s rink to record an 8 shot win 28 to 20.
Greg Jones, rink of Geoff Dixon, Garry Bester and Jane Wilson bucked the trend of the other two rinks in picking up a single against Bill Dwyer’s rink on the first end. After dropping a single on the 2nd end, they then went on to win the next 3 ends and establish a 5 shot lead after 5 ends. Unfortunately for Greg’s rink they would then drop the next 7 ends including a 3 on the 7th end to allow Dwyer’s rink to get away to a 6-shot lead after 12 ends. Greg’s rink then won the 2 ends leading up to the 14th end break including a 4 on that 14th end to reduce the margin to just a single shot at the break 11 to 12. Following the break, it was Greg’s rink continuing to trail until a small scoring burst allowed them go to a 1 shot lead at the completion of the 17th end 14 to 13. Dwyer’s rink then added 6 shots of their own on the next 3 ends to establish their own 5 shot lead after 19 ends 14 to 19. Whilst 5 ends remained and with the overall safe Greg’s rink were playing for pride, and with a great burst of scoring added a further 8 shots from 3 consecutive end wins and whilst dropping just a single shot on the 24th end they would go into the final end with a narrow 2 shot lead. Again scoring 3 shots on that 25th end it was Greg’s rink running out 5 shot winners 25 to 20.
CBD DIVISION 1 – 6th March
Seymour VRI 65 lost to WALLAN 66
Seymour VRI were involved in the cut throat elimination final against Wallan at Yea last Saturday. It was not looking good for VRI at the 42-end break with 1 rink up by a single shot, another down by that same margin and the 3rd rink trailing by 10 shots which was the overall difference at the break. Following on from the break and with 2 rinks able to get up for wins that 3rd rink was unable to make any inroads falling further behind with the eventual result being VRI eliminated by a single shot 65 to 66.
It was VRI’s and the CBD’s number 1 ranked skipper Greg Jones and his rink of Phil Challis, Bill Dawe and Wayne Noonan matched up against Wallan’s 2nd ranked and the CBD’s 13th ranked skipper Greg Cowan’s rink in what would be a tight battle as was the case after 4 ends with both rinks level at 3 all. A four to Jones’s rink on the 5th end was matched by a pair of 2’s by Cowan’s on the next 2 and scores were again level at 7 all after 7 ends. Adding 6 shots on the next 3 ends allowed Jones’s rink to get out to a 6-shot lead after 10 ends but another pair of two’s by Cowan reduced that margin to 2 shots after 12 ends. A single to Jones and a 2 to Cowan left Jones’s rink with a narrow 1 shot lead at the 14th end break 14 to 13. Scores were level again after the 15th end at 14 all but winning the next 3 ends saw Jones’s rink get out to a 5 shot lead after 18 ends 19 to 14. A 2 to Cowan reduced that lead to just 3 shots however Jones’s rink then went on a scoring spurt winning the next 5 ends adding a further 6 shots to lead by 9 shots with one end to play which they lost a single shot on giving them a solid 8 shot win 25 to 17 and setting up a chance at the overall.
Joe Purcell, VRI’s 3rd ranked and the CBD’s 13th ranked skipper along with his rink of rink of Kevin Cain, Ian Cashill and Brad Anderson were up against Wallan’s 2nd and the CBD’s 10th ranked skipper Paul Warren and his rink in what would prove to be another tight tussle. After starting poorly dropping 7 shots over he first four ends Joe’s rink scored a 4 on the 5th end to trail by 3 shots 4 to 7. A single to Paul’s rink and three singles to Joe’s rink reduced the gap to a single shot after 9 ends 7 to 8 but it was stretched out to 4 shots after 11 ends 7 to 11. Joe’s rink then added 4 shots, including a 3 on the 14th end to trail buy just 1 shot 11 to 12 at the break. After the break Joe’s rink hit the lead following a 2 on the 15th end but with Paul’s rink adding 5 shots on the next 2 ends it was Joe’s rink trailing by 4 shots after the 17th end 13 to 17. With the addition of a 5 on the 18th end followed by a 3 on the 19th end and singles on the next 4 ends saw Joe’s rink move in to a handy 8 shots lead with just 2 eds to play 25 to 17. Unfortunately, those 2 ends saw Paul’s rink add another pair of 2’s and thus reduce Joe’s rinks winning margin to 4 shots but at least it was a positive result for VRI and that most important overall score.
Mick Szczykulski’s 2nd ranked VRI rink and the CBD’s 7th ranked rink of Moreno Puppa, Helen Flint and Geoff Neal were pitted against Wallan’s number 1 ranked and the CBD’s 8th ranked rink of Stephen Duncan. Mick’s rink was extremely slow out of the blocks and found themselves 11 shots down after dropping the first 4 ends including an 8 on the 4th end and scoring a single for themselves on the 5th end to trail by 10 shots after the 5th end 1 to 11. Mick’s rink found themselves drifting further into the mire as they trailed 4 to 17 after 13 ends but a 3 on the 14th end left them just 10 shots down 7 to 17 at the break and time to regroup. A further 3 shots to Duncan on the next 2 ends and a 2 to Mick saw them trail by 11 shots after the 17th end. By the completion of the 23rd end it was Mick’s rink trailing by just 7 shots and VRI holding a small lead in the overall so the final 2 ends of this match up would prove pivotal to the overall results. Mick’s rink after dropping a 4 on the 24th end was desperate to win the 25th and final end but alas it was not to be and with Duncan adding a further 2 shots it was a big loss of 13 shots to Mick’s rink that probably sealed VRI’s fate.
CBD DIVISION 2 – 6th March
SEYMOUR VRI 67 def Wallan 62
Seymour VRI were into the qualifying final against top side Wallan at Yea last Saturday and were presented with the opportunity to progress straight into the Grand Final in 2 weeks’ time with a win whilst a loss would see them meet Kilmore next week in the Preliminary Final. At the 42 end break it was VRI 43 shots holding a comfortable 17 shot lead with all rinks up over Wallan 26 shots and 33 ends remaining in the match. Wallan were not going to lie down and over the next 18 ends they made their move adding 17 shots whilst VRI held firm in adding 18 shots of their own with just 15 ends remaining VRI 61 led Wallan 43 to lead by 18 shots. Those remaining 33 ends were to prove perilous for VRI as Wallan mounted a final desperate surge to get within 9 shots with 6 ends remaining, however it was VRI managing to holdout the fast-charging Wallan to adding just a further 7 shots whilst adding a further 3 shots of their own and with just 1 rink up sufficiently to cover the losses incurred by the other 2 rinks narrowly managed to run out 5 shot winners overall 67 to 62 and progress directly into the Grand Final.
Mario Furletti’s 5th ranked rink of Mark Brett, Geoff Dixon and Brendan Challis would lead the way for VRI against the CBD’s top ranked Division 2 skipper in Peter Glass’s whose rink had lost just 1 game for the season. Starting well by winning the first 2 ends but dropping the next 2, after 4 ends it was Mario’s rink up by 1 shot 4 to 3 but adding a further 5 shots on the next 2 ends, they extended that lead out to 6 shots after the 6th end 9 to 3. Splitting end wins evenly over the next 8 ends leading up to the 14th end break Mario’s rink added 8 shots to Peter’s rinks 5 shots and increased their lead to a healthy 9 shots at the break, 17 to 8. Peter added a single straight after the break and with both sides scoring 3’s on the next 2 ends Mario’s lead remained at 8 shots after the 17th end. Mario’s rink then found their range as they won 5 of the next 6 ends adding a further 8 shots whilst holding Peter to just 1 end win and 2 further shots which saw Mario’s rink extend their lead to 14 shots with just 2 ends remaining. Peter’s rink won those 2 remaining ends to add a further 4 shots but it was to be Mario’s rinks day running out comfortable 10 shot winners, 28 to 18 and setting up the overall win for VRI.
Wayne Flint and his 12th ranked rink of Jim Tuckwell, Anthony Nachtigal and Jim Furletti well against 33rd ranked Andy MacIntosh’s rink winning the first 2 ends adding 4 shots whilst dropping singles on the next 2 ends to establish a 2-shot lead 4 to 2 after 4 ends. After 12 ends Wayne’s rink had surrendered their narrow lead and scores were level at 10 shots however by winning the 13th and 14th end Wayne’s rink had again established a 3 shot lead at the break 13 to 10. Winning 3 of the next 5 ends after the break and adding a further 6 shots whilst holding Andy’s rink to 3 shots from their 2 ends won it was Wayne’s rink leading by 6 shots after the 19th end 19 to 13 with just 6 ends to play. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off over the next 5 ends as Wayne’s rink went scoreless whilst Andy’s rink added 10 shots to find themselves holding a 4-shot lead with just 1 end to play. With the overall scores close it was imperative that Wayne’s rink win that final which is what they did adding 2 shots to their final score and reducing their loss to just 2 shots 21 to 23 and keeping that overall score in VRI’s favour.
VRI’s top ranked and the CBD’s 2nd ranked skip Peter Delzotto and his rink of John Crockett, Terrence Dowell and Jeff Rhue were matched against Wallan’s 2nd and the CBD’s 3rd ranked skipper in Paul Delnegro and his rink. Peter’s rink began well getting out to a 2 shots lead after 4 ends 4 to 2. Paul’s rink levelled the score on the 5th end but Peter’s rink won the next 3 ends to regain their lead of 4 shots after the 8th end 8 to 4. In the run up to the 14th end break it was Peter’s rink adding a further 5 shots whilst Paul’s rink added 4 shots of their own which left Peter’s rink holding a 5 shot lead at the break 13 to 8. Peter’s rink added a 3 straight after the break extending their lead to a handy 8 shots but that was where the wheels fell off as Paul’s rink began to dominate the match adding 5 shots to Peter’s single leaving Peter with a narrowing lead of 5 shots after the 18th end 17to 12. Paul’s rink then won the next five ends straight adding 7 shots and establishing a 2-shot lead with just 2 ends to play. Peter’s rink scored a single on the penultimate and 24th end to find themselves trailing by a single shot with one end to play which went the Paul’s way leaving Peter’s rink down by 3 shots 18 to 21 but a narrow enough margin when combined with the other 2 rinks to guarantee the overall win.
Until next week
The Oracle