It was a game that saw a 50 year veteran take on a first timer, and it was a great hard fought match.
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Three contrasting games were played on Sunday, February 10 in an abbreviated round due to the club hosting the zone five, fours in the afternoon.
In game one, two rookies played in their first ever club singles championship games with Oscar Wahlin getting the better of Peter Watson.
Oscar settled the better early and led 5-2, 14-7, then 25-13 and was never headed by Watson to take out the match 31-16.
For those unfamiliar with singles play, matches are played with four bowls in a race to 31 shots with unlimited ends and no time limit, games are known to go well over the five hour mark.
The event format is straight knock out with the ultimate winner and last man standing crowned “club champion” for the year.
The 2018 defending Club Champion is Jim Neely.
Game two on Sunday was more of a heavyweight bout with top-graders Nathan “Tiny” Boyers taking on the experienced and skillfull Stephen “Doc” Della.
Both players will feature side by side this year in the clubs top grade competing in grade 2 pennants for Bowral. But this was to be the surgeons day, the Doc was in theatre on Sunday un-stitching his opponents game and bowling with medical like precision.
He led 10-0 early then saw off a brief come back at 21-12 to wash his hands and finish surgery on the green with a clinical 31-12 win.
Game three was the extraordinary game of the day, and an event that may never be repeated at the club.
Club life member, OAM holder and 50 year bowler Gordon Lewis played against rookie Carl Spilker in his first ever attempt at major singles.
Yes folks, 49 years difference in experience and thus it was truly the veteran vs the rookie in a 50-1 years’ experience match up.
Gordon Lewis OAM is a former Mayor and highly respected member of the club and community, although this appeared to matter little to Spilker on the green.
He marched to a 10-2 lead early with a skillful display of draw bowling to the jack.
The score then became 21-3 and it appeared there was little the veteran Lewis could do to stop the tide.
Spilker is known to train several times a week and was the 2018 new bowler of the year, selectors are likely to reward his efforts with a birth in the top pennant grade side this year.
Veteran Lewis had his hands full and fought hard to stay in the contest and a brief change in momentum brought it back to 27-11.
Although that was all he could muster before rookie Spilker ran away to win 31-12.
Commenting on a potential changing of the guard after the game Lewis said “There’s always next year for me, but it’s good to see new bowlers coming through the club with competitive spirit like Carl showed today.”
After match day one, Wahlin, Della and Spilker progress while Watson, Boyers and G Lewis can start their preparations for 2020.
Next Sunday, February 17 sees a round of eight games commencing at 9.00 am as the chase for the tittle of Club Champion continues.
