Meet the Mandurah APL teams: Dudley Park
Played Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th September 2016 The Dudley Park Bowling Club is one of the Premier Country Clubs in Western Australian and will be returning to the Mandurah APL Cup looking to make amends after finishing 3rd in their section and missing the finals.
Dudley Park is one of a number of the City of Mandurah suburbs built around artificially created canal systems that extend from the Peel Inlet. Thomas Peel arrived in Western Australia in December 1829 where he was supposed to take up a land grant. However due to his later than expected arrival that particular grant was forfeited and he was forced to build a settlement at what we now know as woodman point. After facing many problems with this settlement, Peel eventually took his group of settlers and moved further south to take up residence at a place that would become known as Mandurah. The settlement continued to expand slowly over the years, with the main industries of the township being fishing and fruit growing, as well as canning factories to store the produce.
The Dudley Park Bowling Club was established in 1971 and after humble beginnings has become one of the most progressive bowling clubs both on and off the green. The club and its members live by the adage to promote, organise & develop the game of lawn bowls so that its members have an equal opportunity to play the game socially or at a higher competitive level. With four synthetic bowling greens, the TAB and a hall and kitchen facilities for hire the 2014-2015 Bowls WA Country Club of the Year keeps going from strength to strength.
The 2016 Dudley Park team for the Mandurah APL Cup has class all the way through Mark Simpson, Ian Linford, Ian Spragg and Vicki Spragg.
Mark Simpson has been one of the most decorated Mens bowlers in Western Australia over the last 25 years. Whether it was playing in the metropolitan and now the country, Mark’s name continually cropped up in major events. Not mentioning club events except to say Mark has gone back to back the last 2 years in the Dudley Park Club Singles Championship, he is also a 3 time Master Singles winner and was a member of the team that won the WA State Fours 3 years in succession. Mark made his overdue debut for the Western Australian Men’s State Team in 2013 and although he was not able to hold his place his role both on and off the green was first class.
Ian Linford began his bowling career in Melbourne where he won 3 Club Championship Singles titles before moving to Sorrento to collect 2 more. With multiple pairs, triples and fours titles to his credit, Ian is the type of player who is going to revel in the standard of the Mandurah APL Cup.
Ian Spragg began his bowling in 1981 so brings with him a wealth of experience. Ian’s career is littered all the way through with not only club but also major competition wins. The highlight of his club titles came in the early 1990’s where Ian won 3 Club Singles Championships in a row. With solid form over the last 2 years with wins in the prestigious and long running South Perth Welcome Fours, Ian is set to help his team make the finals.
The Recent run of form of Vicki Spragg is second to none in Western Australia. While State Fours and State Pairs titles rank extremely high, it is probably the player of the series in the Over 60’s National Side Series which shows Vicki’s ability to perform under pressure. Vick may be the x factor that may see Dudley Park come through the sectional play and work themselves into favouritism for the 2016 Mandurah APL Cup.
