Gnowangerup’s Awesome Fours
Sheridan’s Men’s Country Week Fours Finals The Gnowangerup four of Arthur Crabbe, Michael Johnston, Allan Shaddick and Greg Stewart are the 2017 Men’s Country Week Fours champions. They defeated York’s Smith family Justin, Aaron, Hayden and Nathan in the final at Melville Bowling Club last Friday.
The Gnowangerup team dominated their semi-final against a Mandurah side skippered by Keith Gould by winning 10 of the first 11 ends to lead 17-2. The Mandurah side made a late charge, including a four in the second last end, to make the score more respectable but were much too far behind to make a game of it. The last of the 17 ends was not required as Mandurah couldn’t catch up Gonwangerup’s 20-11 lead.
The Smith’s played against York team mates led by the in-form Phil Jones who also made the semi-final of the singles and quarter final of the pairs. The Smith’s were the better team in the first half winning six ends to three which gave them a 17-5 lead. Jones’ crew hit back strongly over the next four ends to bring the margin back to single digits but still needed to make up ten shots across four ends. They only scored the singles and ultimately the Smith’s made the final 21-14.
With both sides having been front runners in their semi-finals it would be important to see who got out of the blocks quickest. The pace of the game was set early with a four and a three scored over the first two ends. The first eight ends saw no singles scored and it was Gnowangerup who had the best of it with a 14-8 lead.
York win the next three ends to halve the deficit but Gnowangerup re-established their advantage with a three and followed it up with another to take a nine shot leaf into the last four ends. Two two’s from York gave them a fighting chance but then a one from Gnowangerup put them right up against it again.
York picked up three of the required six shots on the final end which meant Gnowangerup won the final 21-18.
It was the first Country Week Fours win in the club’s history and the first title for each of the team members.
Gnowangerup also took the PS Bignell Shield as the most outstanding Club during Country Week with victory also in the Pairs. This was the second time they had won the shield having been runner-up in all three events in 2001.
Sheridan’s Men’s Country Week Fours Sectional Results
Sheridan’s Men’s Country Week Fours Knockout Results
