Lady luck for Krstic
The small but enthusiastic crowd at the Manning Bowling Club on Sunday were treated to a high standard and enthralling finish to the Women’s State Fours Final.
The Manning quartet of Kristina Krstic, Hailey Packer, Robyn O’Brien and Helen Heal went into the final as favourites for the title but the Composite side of Lea Mias, Jennie Bruce, Joanne Lancaster and Lexie Harris had been impressive all through the competition.
The Krstic team settled into their work early playing on their home green and lead 5-0 after 3 ends before Mias hit back with a two and then a big five to show that they would not be intimidated. At the halfway mark the two teams showed they were evenly matched at 9-9, and the crowd was in for a treat as they settled in for the second half.
The Manning team looked to have held off the challenge by going ahead 15-9 before the Mias team, made up of country bowlers, dug deep to edge back into the contest. Winning five of the next six ends saw Mias again draw level 18-18 going into the last end.
With one Krstic bowl to play, the Mias team had one hand on the trophy, after they lay shot and Krstic having to draw within eighteen inches to take the title. Where the final Krstic bowl would have finished without getting a well-placed small glide off her own short bowl, may well be debated long after the game has finished.
The bowl may have had good weight, or it could have been slightly long. It was a little narrow but may have held on enough to get the shot anyway. Either way it doesn’t matter as the Krstic bowl found an edge to get around the short bowl and then wobble its way up to fall in for shot to give her team the title 19-18.
Full Results available at State Fours Results
