Over 60’s Mixed Pairs Wrap
Thorn and Andersen go back to back
Lindsay Thorn and Kerry Andersen are back to back State Over 60’s Mixed Pairs champions winning the final at Gosnells Bowling Club on Friday afternoon. They defeated Kathy Gobbart and Bill Savell 18-15 to remain the only winners in the event’s history.
Kathy Gobbart and Bill Savell set the tone early in their semi final encounter against Steve O’Neill and Kaye Blackwell. They scored nine shots in the opening three ends to take the match by the scruff of the neck. O’Neill and Blackwell split the next four ends but only managed two shots to five in that period. Another four ends later and Gobbart held a commanding lead 17-2. O’Neill would win just two more ends and a three and a five to Gobbart and Savell secured an early finish as they won 26-8.
Thorn and Andersen started their match against Pat Caffell and Julie Savell in a tight battle. The first five ends went 3-2 to Thorn with only end yielding a multiple. At 4-2 it was a promising start which was followed by a one and then a massive five to put Thorn and Andersen in a dominant position. Caffell and Savell rallied and what could have been a game breaker for their opponents became a catalyst for them to get back in the game. The next six ends nine shots to Caffell causing the lead to change hands on the thirteenth end. Thorn took it right back two ends later though and the score was 12-11. A three on the next end to Thorn lengthened the advantaged to four and a single on the next end meant that Caffell and Savell needed five shots just to force an extra end. Thorn and Andersen closed off strongly scoring a two to win 18-11 and earn their second final appearance in as many years.
Thorn and Andersen continued on from their strong finish in their previous game to start the final. After eight ends they lead 12-3 due in large part to a five and a three on the seventh and eight ends to take command of the game. Gobbart won the next end and a seemingly innocuous single changed the game. Gobbart and Savell reclaimed the mat for the first time in six ends and went long. It paid off immediately with a three to close the gap to five. They outscored their opponents 4-1 over the next four ends and where just two shots behind with four ends left to play. The plan came unstuck on the fifteenth end when Thorn scored a three to extend the margin back out to five. A two on the next end made it extremely tough for Gobbart. 18-11 with two ends to go Gobbart and Savell fought back to score two shots to give themselves a mathematical chance of victory but the odds were still lengthy. Needing five shots for an extra end they could only manage two and Thorn and Andersen kept their record as the only WA Mixed Over 60’s Pairs champions in history.
Photo: Hugh Rogers (President of SRC WA) with winners Lindsay Thorn and Kerry Andersen
Image courtesy of Seniors Recreation Council of WA Inc. Official Photographer Martin Yates.
