Gold Coast bowlers target top awards
Helensvale champions Brett Wilkie and Lynsey Clarke are in line to land two of the nation’s top individual honours, as the Gold Coast Bulletin reports. Wilkie is one of two finalists for Bowls Australia’s male bowler of the year and Clarke (nee Armitage) is in the women’s division. Two other Coast players, Mark Casey (community development officer) and Braidan Leese (under-18 male) are also in the running for gongs covering the 2013 season. While Clarke is an outsider to beat crack Sydneysider Karen Murphy for the women’s award, Wilkie is a strong chance. He has been one of two finalists in three of the four years since the honour was struck. Wilkie was runner-up to current Helensvale clubmate Mark Casey in 2010, then for the 2012 honours was again pipped by the big left-hander. “Case is not in it this year, so I might have a chance,” Wilkie quipped. The awards night is in Hobart before the start of the Australian Sides Championships titles. Meanwhile, Wilkie and Clarke are gearing up for the Australian Open championships in Melbourne starting this weekend. But 2012 winner Casey will not be there. He has family matters following the arrival of daughter Eva, now three weeks old. Caption: Helenvale’s Brett Wilkie and Mark Casey have their sights set on Bowls Australia’s major awards.
