LAWN BOWLS
SIXTEEN of the best pennant teams in the state will flock to Orange and Blayney this weekend when the two centres host the NSW State Pennant Finals Grade Seven.
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Starting on Saturday, Orange City Bowling Club will host sections one and two of the play-offs, with West Dubbo (Zone 4), Cudgen Leagues (Zone 1), Merimbula (Zone 7), Jamberoo (Zone 16), Wagga Rules (Zone 8), St John’s Park (Zone 12), Clovelly/Randwick (Zone 11) and Northmead (Zone 10) striving to make the final.
At Blayney, competing in sections three and four, Wallsend (Zone 2), Cronulla (Zone 13), Blayney (Zone 5), Halekulani (Zone 15), Comboyne (Zone 14), Forster (Zone 6), Manilla (Zone 3), Harbord (Zone 9) will all be doing the same.
The winners of each section - decided by margin after three rinks of 21 ends - will progress through to Sunday’s semi-finals.
The winner of each semi-final will progress to the final, to be played Monday morning at Orange City.
Orange City Bowling Club assistant secretary manager Neil Southcombe said the hosting rights of a pennant final was an extremely prestigious gig.
“It’s great for the club and the town,” Southcombe said.
“There’s eight different clubs heading to both Blayney and Orange City; that’s about 120 bowlers, plus managers and then the supporters on top of that calling each club home for the weekend.”
Southcombe said the Sydney-based bowling clubs would be predictably strong, naming St John’s Park as the team to catch in section two at Orange City.
Both Wagga Rules and West Dubbo are sending strong teams too.
Out of the Blayney rounds, Harbord and Halekulani bowling clubs are perennial finalists in pennant competitions.
“And being in Blayney, I don’t think you can write off the Blayney club either,” Southcombe said.
“The home ground advantage will come into it there.”
It’s a massive weekend for bowls around the state, with all seven pennant finals being contested; Dapto Citizens and Albion Park (Grade One), Cabramatta and Ingleburn (Grade Two), Kahibah and Warners Bay (Grade Three), Leeton Soldiers and Narrandera (Grade Four), West Dubbo and Dubbo Railway (Grade Five) and Northmead and Merrylands (Grade Six) bowling clubs are sharing the hosting rights for their respective finals.
