WA wins gold at the Australian Championships
The WA Men’s Fours team has sensationally claimed a gold medal winning with literally their last bowl of the competition.
Thanks to Bowls Australia the full wrap of the Fours competition is below
2021 AUS CHAMPS: FOURS RECAP
BY VAL FEBBO
It was a sensational day for Victoria and Western Australia on fours day at the 2021 Australian Championships, hoisting the trophies in the women’s and men’s events respectively.
In the women’s event, it was Claire Sanders, Laureen Smith, Anne Miles and Kylie Whitehead who took home the gold medal with an undefeated run at the Broadbeach Bowls Club.
After a first up win over the Siobhan Tootell skipped Northern Territory side, the foursome faced off against eventual silver medallists, Western Australia, in the third round.
It was an encounter that boasted multiple momentum shifts, with the Victorians holding off Helen Heal, Robyn O’Brien, Hailey Packer and Kristina Krstic with an 11-10 after a time limited 14th end.
They would post two more wins over the Patricia Hobson skipped Queensland side and eventual bronze medallists, Tasmania, who were represented by Barbara Liddington, Linda Rose, Crystal Brooks and Deann Harman.
In the men’s draw, it took a scintillating final to decide the gold medallists, with Western Australia hanging on in a final end thriller against Tasmania.
Paul Sinden, Adam Graham, Anthony Einfeld and Mark Masel trailed throughout most of the encounter against Christopher Murray, Matt Mitchell, Greg Douce and Tim Douce and went into the 15th end level at 15-15.
The match came down to the skips, and as Tim Douce nailed his penultimate bowl to grant the Apple Isle two shots with only two to play, before Masel stepped up to trail the jack to take command. Douce was unable to find the reply, sealing Western Australia’s title.
Einfeld, who played in third, was emotional after the victory and praised Masel’s ability on the green throughout the entire event.
“I don’t believe it, I really don’t believe it,” he said.
“We’re some club hackers from Mount Lawley, we love our bowls and we had such a great journey in the state fours and coming here was really just a treat, so to get up and win it is unbelievable, it really is.
“Mark has been awesome the whole tournament, he was just huge in the first couple of games and he deserved that one.”
The bronze medal was claimed by Queensland’s Ryan Digby, Gary Pearson, Dale McWhinney-Shillington and Dean McWhinney.
