Super Side Continue Super Run
The Manning foursome of Helen Morss, Therese Hastings, Robyn O’Brien and Laura Merz are Australian fours champions.
Photo courtesy of Bowls Australia
The defeated South Australia’s Fiona McGregor, Anne Onto, Chris Keller and Barbara Maiden 16-7 with an end to spare to clinch the title at Club Sapphire on Wednesday.
Things may have been very different though if not for a couple of big conversions in the first two ends.
Down a number on the first end Morss flopped off a bowl for second shot and followed it up on the next end by raking for a piece of the jack when down another count of three or four.
It was 1-1 after two ends but could very easily have been in the region 0-8 if not for the results of those bowls.
From there the WA ladies found there groove going out to 5-1 before being closed down again at 5-5 after seven of the fifteen ends.
They got back to their rhythm quickly and took the lead out to 10-6 with just four ends to play.
It was on the 12th end that WA broke the game open.
Holding four shots they watched McGregor sail through the head playing weight to take a 14-6 lead into the final few ends of the game.
The South Australians weren’t done though and held three with two bowls to come on the next end, a potential way back in.
Having just driven with her first Morss was forced back to the draw for her second and drew shot.
They were nervy moments as McGregor’s came down whoever she sat her teammates bowl to get shot but was only half a bowl away from sitting Morss’s for four.
With the score 14-7 the Manning girls needed two shots to ice the contest there and then.
It was O’Brien who stepped up to draw shot a couple down to an off-centred jack .
From there nothing much changed until the final couple of bowls with WA holding one but surrounded by opposition bowls.
After a couple of goes with weight McGregor couldn’t get O’Brien’s bowl out of the head.
This left with Morss with an opportunity with her last that she duly took to seal the game at 16-7 by drawing another.
The side went over in good form with all except O’Brien winning the State Fours title yet again in October.
It’s been a very good week for the Manning ladies in Merimbula, especially for O’Brien and Merz who also picked up silver in the triples on Monday.
Their haul may not yet be complete with Kristina Krstic set to compete in the singles event on Thursday along with Wagin’s Warren Holt.
A replay of the final can be found on the Bowls Australia Facebook Page
All results of the Australian Championships available on the Bowls Australia Competition Portal
