State edge out Country All stars
Country v State Squad Thursday 2nd March 2017 Country Week was officially opened on Thursday night with the traditional match between the Country All Stars (pictured) and the extended State Squad. The 24 players selected based on their performance at the Inter-Zone Round Robin in February took on the State Team and 15 other invited players at Osborne Park in front of a large crowd.
Unusual summer weather saw heavy rain earlier in the day with a very humid evening however despite the sticky conditions and the sluggish green the players battled through 21 ends to get a winner in a close contest.
The first third of the game in particular was very close with the country slightly behind against the three state rinks but holding a good advantage on the other three rinks.
The State Side started to gain an advantage over the next few ends with Kyle McIlroy and Matt Mitchell jumping out to large leads which helped cover Keith Guelfi’s country side and their lead.
The game stayed tight with the State boys holding a 10-20 shot lead for most of the rest of the game.
The three invitational rinks started to even up with two of them taking the lead while McIlroy’s rink continued to control the game.
Ben Garrett rallied to bring his margin against Matt Mitchell back in to four at the conclusion of the game while Tom Mitchell and Mark Wunnenberg fought out a close game which Wunnenberg won by one on the last end. The other country winner was Guelfi who held his advantage to win by 11.
Overall the State Squad won by 20 shots and claimed four rinks to do with the closeness of the game a great advertisement for the quality of country bowls.
State Squad 109 def Country All Stars 89
K. McIlroy B. Nairn D. Patterson C. Bessant 25 def B. King G. Jones H. Smith G. Twist 10
T. Mitchell M. Ayres S. Knott C. Packer 17 def by M. Wunnenberg W. Holt D. Kelly P. Garbellini 18
M. Mitchell A. Williams B. Brandsma L. Grigg 20 def B. Garrett M. France K. Gould S. O’Brien 16
R. Foy P. Walker B. Manton C. Harris 11 def by K. Guelfi J. Butt A. Crabbe M. Trewhella 22
S. Mawdsley G. Pauling N. Jones M. Kemp 18 def J. Trewhella G. Evans D. McPherson G. Vaughan 10
S. Walker R. Moyle G. Faulkner A. Mackin 18 def B. Fraser J. Smith G. Main R. Griffiths 13
