2023-24 Pairs State Championships Report

The Bowls NSW State Championships’ Pairs event came to a thrilling close on Friday, March 22nd at Club Dubbo as competitors contested across five categories: Men’s State Pairs, Women’s State Pairs, Senior Men’s Pairs, Senior Women’s Pairs, and Open Reserve Pairs.

Thursday’s action-packed schedule featured three rounds to determine the semi-finalists. Only the top team from each section advanced, leading to a mix of surprising upsets and dominant performances. As teams battled it out on the greens, tension ran high, and spectators were treated to a fantastic spectacle.

State Women’s Pairs

Three out of the four teams competing in the semi-finals had maintained an unblemished record throughout sectional play. Kurri Kurri, despite facing a draw in one of their matches, emerged as group toppers, setting the stage for an intriguing showdown in the semis.

In the first semi-final clash, St Johns Park faced off against Kurri Kurri. With a commanding performance, St Johns Park surged ahead to secure a convincing victory with a scoreline of 32-16, sealing their spot in the final.

Meanwhile, the other semi-final encounter between Figtree Sports and Ballina unfolded as a tightly contested affair. Ballina held the lead for much of the match, but Figtree Sports staged a remarkable comeback in the closing ends, gaining the upper hand at a crucial juncture. Despite a valiant effort from Ballina to force an extra end, they fell short by just one shot to finish 23-22 in favour of Figtree Sports.

Dawn Hayman and Natasha Russell of St Johns Park were crowned State Champions after yet another impressive performance on the green to claim a fourth title for their club so far in the championships. It was another heartbreaking loss for Figtree Sports’ Julie Cotton and Kay Moran. It was Figtree Sports who had the upper hand for much of the final but the St Johns Park duo were never too far behind. The tables turned in the final couple of ends with Hayman converting to put them in lead which they held until the finish, ending on a scoreline of 20-16.

Figtree Sports can be proud of their performance at the State Championships so far, reaching two finals, both of which were against strong teams from St. Johns Park that featured Dawn Hayman who has been on fire. Hayman claimed her third title of this year’s championships after winning the mixed pairs and State triples titles earlier in the competition while it was a proud day for her teammate Natasha Russell who won her first State Championship title.

State Men’s Pairs

During sectional play, Junee, Engadine, and Mount Lewis clinched three wins apiece, emerging as winners of their respective groups. However, the spotlight shone on Orange Ex-Services as they delivered a stunning upset victory over group favourites, Alstonville, marking a significant triumph after a disappointing opening two rounds. With Glen Innes also vying for a spot in the semi-finals, they secured their spot by the narrowest of margins, edging out Alstonville with a 3-shot margin difference.

Engadine squared off against Junee in a tightly contested semi-final. With just two shots separating the teams, Engadine emerged victorious, booking their place in the final.

Meanwhile, Mount Lewis faced off against Glen Innes in a rollercoaster of a match. Despite Mount Lewis’s strong start, Glen Innes rallied back to seize the lead, setting the stage for a dramatic finale. However, Mount Lewis staged a remarkable comeback in the final ends to secure a hard-fought 17-15 victory and secure their spot in the championship final.

Mount Lewis claimed an impressive win in the final against Engadine to secure the State Championship title. Ben Winther and Brett Spurr were on fire right from the outset to see Mount Lewis go 13-1 up in the early stages of the match. The Engadine duo of Jack Lewis and Callum Murray picked up a couple of shots along the way but the gap was just too much in the end. They finished with a scoreline of 29-18.

Senior Women’s Pairs

Once again, three of the four semi-finalists maintained a flawless record in sectional play. South Tamworth topped section 2 by a 7-shot margin difference over St. Johns Park who featured two of the players who won the triples title earlier in the week.

Forster drew Asquith in the semi-final while Ballina faced South Tamworth. Both Forster and South Tamworth had strong wins over their opponents to book their place in the final.

South Tamworth were crowned Senior Women’s Pairs State Championships after a 21-16 win over Forster in the final. The South Tamworth duo of Carol White and Christine Myers overcame a strong Forster team comprised of Colleen Starr and Joan Thomas. Little separated the sides until the latter stages of the match when South Tamworth scored an impressive four shots on one end to open up a lead which they held until the end.

Senior Men’s Pairs

All four semi-finalists topped their section with three wins each to progress to the semi-finals. The semi-final matches proved to be tightly contested affairs, with Corrimal emerging victorious over Lightning Ridge with a scoreline of 23-18, while Cabramatta secured a hard-fought 20-17 win over Forster.

The final was yet another close encounter as Wollongong based club, Corrimal won the title against a strong Cabramatta side. John Green and Eric Johannes of Corrimal have performed brilliantly throughout the competition and the final was no different. They beat Gary Corey and Arthur Peisley of Cabramatta 19-17 in what was a thrilling final.

Open Reserve Pairs

Once again, three of the four semi-finalists remained unbeaten in sectional play. In group two, it came down to just one shot between Warilla and South Lismore, with the latter progressing to the semi-final.

Cabramatta had a strong win over Tuncurry Beach in the semi-final, winning 21-11 to secure another appearance in the final for their club in the Pairs competition. Meanwhile, Bar Beach emerged triumphant over South Lismore in a tight match that ended in a 16-13 finish.

Cabramatta claimed the title in impressive style against Bar Beach. Dean McGregor and Warren Hopley of Cabramatta got off to an unbelievable start scoring 13 shots over three ends. Despite the efforts of the Bar Beach duo, David Ross and Stuart Clarke to close the gap, they called it a day after 15 ends to finish with a score of 23-11. The pair can be proud of their performance throughout the Championship to reach the final.

Singles

Tomorrow marks the commencement of the highly anticipated Singles competition at the Bowls NSW State Championships, set to unfold across three host clubs: Club Dubbo, Macquarie Club and North Dubbo RSL Sporties.

Kicking off the action at 8:30am are the opening rounds of the Men’s and Women’s State Singles competitions. Jack McShane of Merrylands and Jay Breust of Malua Bay, which will be livestreamed on the Bowls NSW Facebook and YouTube channels.

Following closely at 10:00am is the opening round of the Senior Men, Senior Women, and Open Reserve competitions.

At 11:00am, Round 2 of the State Men’s and Women’s Singles competitions kicks off with a matchup between Leba Yatevatu of St Georges Basin and Jean Gooden of Wagga RSL, also available to watch live on the Bowls NSW Facebook and Youtube channels.

Later in the afternoon, at 1:15pm, the excitement continues with the commencement of the second round of the Senior Men, Senior Women, and Open Reserve competitions.

At 2:30pm the third round of the State Men’s and Women’s Singles competitions gets underway. Fans can look forward to watching Greg Keft of Port City and Ray Pearse of Taren Point on the livestream.

Pairs Finals

State Women’s Pairs

Natasha Russell & Dawn Hayman (St Johns Park) Winners 20-16

Julie Cotton & Kay Moran (Figtree Sports) Runners Up

State Men’s Pairs

Ben Winther & Brett Spurr (Mount Lewis) Winners 29-18

Jack Lewis & Callum Murray (Engadine) Runners Up

Senior Women’s Pairs

Carol White & Christine Myers (South Tamworth) Winners 21-16

Colleen Starr & Joan Thomas (Forster) Runners Up

Senior Men’s Pairs

John Green & Eric Johannes (Corrimal) Winner 19-17