Manning Eagles soar to magnificent win
BCiB Premier League champions for 2014/15 Manning have recorded a triumphant first ever Men’s BCiB Premier League Pennant yesterday at Yokine Bowling Club with a brilliant display of bowls when they defeated Doubleview by 11 shots. The win gives the club an unprecedented double after the ladies also won the Women’s Premier League title just ten days earlier.
Manning seemed unlikely premiership contenders after a loss to bottom placed South Perth in Round 16 but whatever transpired after that loss was a catalyst for what was to follow as they strung together five superb victories. Round 17 saw them defeat last season’s premiership winners Victoria Park Carlisle before a 7.5-0.5 win over regular title contenders Osborne Park in Round 18 enabled them to scrape into the final 4. They kept that momentum going in the finals, firstly jumping out of the blocks to race to a 41-7 lead over Kardinya in the Semi Final before going on to record a comfortable 24 shot win and then replicated it against a shell shocked Cambridge who they defeated by a massive 51 shots.
The final was a classic and produced some of the best bowls seen in a final. Doubleview gained the earlier momentum shooting out to a 12 shot lead but Manning stuck to their guns and by around the half way mark had reeled in the margin. All 32 players were playing some great bowls with the crowd cheering on both sides in the process. Manning started to gain the upper hand and when a misqued drive from Doubleview’s McIlroy who was one down with three seconds resulted in the Doubleview bowls leaving the head and leaving Manning with 6 shots they had taken a handy 8 shot lead.
Doubleview however weren’t going down without a fight and continued to set up some good heads. Twice the Doubleview rink skippered by John Slavich held counts of 5 or 6 before Matthew Ellul who hardly missed a weighted shot all day was able to kill the end. Likewise David Rankin’s rink held a 6 before Peter Ker came to the party and calmly drew the shot to snuff out any chance of a Doubleview resurgence. In the end Manning simply played too good when it mattered although Doubleview were certainly not disgraced and on any other day may have come away with the title. No doubt it will be a win the Manning players and supporters will savour for a long time.
In the 1st White final Wanneroo and Cockburn battled it out with Wanneroo proving much too good with a 24 shot win. Mike Vitale gave Cockburn some hope when he picked up the rarest of scores with an 8 in the middle stages of the contest however that was nowhere near enough as Wanneroo who had dominated 1st White won convincingly. Both teams should enjoy the challenge next season when they return to the Premier grade.
The 1ST Blue Pennant final was again a touch lopsided with Gosnells recorded a strong 24 shot win over Kalamunda. This is the top team for both eastern suburbs clubs who both had terrific seasons winning their respective colours. Both should prove very competitive in 1st Division White next year.
Other clubs to claim a pennant from 2nd to 6th division in that order were Swan, Gosnells, Innaloo and Manning.
Full results as follows:
PREMIER LEAGUE PENNANT
Manning 78 Doubleview 67
Heal 27 McIlroy 11 Mitchell 10 Edmonds 24 Ellul 22 Slavich 17 Ker 19 Rankin 15
DIV 1 WHITE PENNANT
Wanneroo 93 Cockburn 69
Martin 27 Krajancic 14 Moore 28 Srhoy 16 O’Donohoe 15 Villa 24 Humprhyson 23 Vitale 15
DIV 1 BLUE PENNANT
Gosnells 89 Kalamunda 65
Holland 25 Jokic 13 Calvo 26 Von Horn 18 Gahan 24 Vandersluys 15 Mulcahy 14 Alden 19
DIV 2 PENNANT
Swan 77 Manning 76
Tibbles 12 Shannon 24 Glerum 25 Beacroft 17 Natalotto 22 Madigan 14 Garner 18 Carey 21.
DIV 3 PENNANT
Gosnells 96 Forrestfield 79
Haley 17 Ferguson 27 Peers 31 Hayden 17 Saffioti 22 Franklin 15 Smith 26 Fewings 20.
DIV 4 PENNANT
South Perth 95 Gosnells 55
Hughes 20 Dawe 12 Yates 25 Renton 17 Berryman 22 Purser 18 Clinch 28 Bradford 8.
DIV 5 PENNANT
Innaloo 98 Valley 60
Hunter 23 Oatley 11 Neulist 39 Wilkes 12 Ellyard 15 Oliver 22 Brown 21 Rawell 15.
DIV 6 PENNANT
Manning 53 def Mt Lawley 35
Rink scores not yet available
Challenge Finals and Promotion Playoffs can be found on the Bowls Connect Portal.
More photos of 1st Division Pennant Grand Finals are on the Bowls WA Facebook Page.
