Bullants and Gorillas Put on a Show in Platinum Pennant Grand Final | Platinum Wrap
“The Greatest Game of Bowls We’ve Ever Seen”
Annnnnnnnnnnd breathe! You could not have wished for a better match to conclude the 2024 Platinum Pennant season. From the first bowl of the match, the Cabramatta Bullants and the Warilla Gorillas went toe-to-toe in an absolute epic clash.
The Gorillas jumped out of the blocks first, building an 18-3 lead on the masterboard with some brilliant play across their three rinks. The brilliance of their bowls was matched by their on green presence, revving each other up as well as their home crowd supporters. The atmosphere was simply unmatched, and in these circumstances most teams would succumb to the immense pressure, but Cabramatta aren’t like most teams.
The Bullants weathered the initial storm and answered the challenge set by Warilla, clawing their way back to 21-21 then kicking away to a 32-25 lead at the halfway stage of the match. Every player started to lift their game even further, adding more tension to the electric atmosphere on the Warilla Bowling Club indoor green.
As shots were exchanged across all three rinks, the scoreboard continued to fluctuate, indicating the numerous shifts in momentum taking place on the green. Just when one team looked to gain an advantage, the other would produce some bowling brilliance to keep the scores close. Edge of your seat entertainment for the hundred-strong crowd.
In the closing stages of the match, you could sense the pressure rising for the players, and incredibly all of them were up for the challenge, producing shot after shot as they fought to gain the overall lead. In the end, it came down to Gary Kelly’s rink against Carl Healey, the Gorillas requiring two shots on the last end to force a draw and three to win. One down, Kelly had an opportunity to trail jack a few inches and hold a match-winning score, but was just on the tight side with his first. Healey then replied with a brilliant draw shot to cover the catching Warilla bowls and count. The shot forced Kelly to play firmer weight with his last, looking to kill the end. He made solid contact and the jack squirted off to the side, but stayed in bounds by the barest of margins, leaving Cabramatta holding shot and securing their Platinum Pennant Grand Final victory.
It was a match worthy of a grand final, living up to the hype. Congratulations to Cabramatta and Warilla on producing an all-time classic match for the spectators and those watching on the Bowls NSW live stream.
Click here to watch the Platinum Pennant Grand Final
Click here to view the Platinum Pennant results.
