Lander and Abe win Over 60’s Singles

by Aaron Delaporte on April 23, 2021

Motobility Over 60’s Championship Singles Wrap
Friday 23rd April, 2021

The Motobility Men’s and Women’s Over 60’s Singles titles were decided yesterday at Gosnells Bowling Club with two very worthy winners crownded.

In the Men’s event Sorrento’s Chris Lander (Sorrento) added his first major singles title after many attempts. His great draw play was a feature of his game as throughout all three days of play he regularly beat his opponents to the jack and when they knocked him off he just put the next bowl back there again. Lander is probably one of the most experienced bowlers in the state having played from a very young age and is like a fine wine has matured into an exceptional player.

In the final both players took a few ends to adjust to the conditions before Lander began to hone in on the jack with regularity. He proved far too good for Peter Cole from Hall Head who had a great event but his luck deserted him in the final. Cole who likes to reach the head when his opponent is close had regularly sat bowls or trailed jacks on his way to the final which included a big 21-7 semi final win over Otto Dawson (Mosman Park). Cole played well and hit some good drives but had a large number of weighted bowls which just narrowly missed their target particularly in the second half of the match which Lander dominated as he went on to win 21-10.

The Women’s final saw the unheralded Lily Rughoobur from North Beach in her first ever major final up against one of WA’s most decorated players Noelene Abe (Corrigin) who has probably lost count of how many finals she has played in and won. Both players had put in some great lead up wins Rughoobur surviving some very close encounters beating Erica Andersson (Leeming), Kathy Gobbart (Gingin) and Trish Cunningham (Mosman Park) whilst Abe had a couple of easier wins but survived a thriller against Kerry Andersen 21-19 in her quarter final which many spectators marveling at how great a game it was.

So into the final and Rughoobur was not fazed by her much more experienced opponent and put in a terrific effort playing some great bowls. Abe however had a purple patch in the middle of the match where she played some pinpoint draw shots and with the score advancing to 18-10 her way it looked like it may be all over. Rughoobur however lifted and played a series of good ends and was right back in the match with the score at 19-14 Abe’s way but with her now very much under pressure. Abe however showed her true champion status when lying 3 down she played the match winner, with nice weight she came through and grabbed the jack and stuck with it to take it to her own back bowl and hold match. Rughoobur tried valiantly to recover the situation but her bowl was narrow and Abe claimed her second Over 60’s Singles title after winning in 2020.