Bowlers battle it out for spot at Victorian state championships

By Bransen Gibson

Jan 17, 2023

Win and advance: Jason McCloy from Rich River Bowls Club is through to the semi-finals of the state bowls championship qualifiers. Photo by Bransen Gibson

The battle to qualify for the 2023 Victorian state bowls championships kicked off on Sunday, with the best bowlers from across Campaspe competing to reach the showpiece event.

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Dozens of players were at the Moama Bowling Club on Sunday, taking part in the preliminary rounds for the men’s and women’s singles events.

Four players in each event won through to the semi-finals of the knockout competition which will take place this Sunday, January 22 — Kevin Anderson, Peter Campbell, Jason McCloy, Robert Wastell, Sandra Connolly, Joan Moss, Kathleen Wastell and Olivia Cartwright.

Connolly represented the Bendigo Campaspe Goldfields region in the women’s singles at the state championships last year, and she is on track to return to the finals once again.

Connolly was in fine form on Sunday, collecting a pair of strong wins in the opening rounds, a 25-9 victory followed by a 25-21 triumph.

“At the moment, I am pleased to put in some good bowls. If you can put in some good ones, it keeps you going,” Connolly said.

Strong showing: Moama’s Sandra Connolly had two impressive wins to advance through to the semi-finals. Photo by Bransen Gibson

Connolly, who plays for Moama, will now meet Moss from Mathoura Bowls Club in the semi-final.

Moss had a pair of great 25-11 wins to advance through to the penultimate round.

“I am playing Joan, who is always a dangerous player,” Connolly said.

“She has been using an arm for a long time and she has done very, very well. If I was able to beat Joan I would be happily surprised. I’ll do my best.“

Connolly said she was taking a relaxed approach into the semi-finals, simply focusing on what she controlled.

“You have to aim to win, otherwise why enter? But realistically, my aim, first and foremost, is to try and bowl well,” she said.

Action galore: Some of the dozens of bowlers competing at the state championship qualifiers at the Moama Bowling Club last Sunday. Photo by Bransen Gibson

“You can bowl well and lost and you can bowl average and win. If you bowl well, you give yourself a chance. You put a bit of pressure on your opposition and you never know.

“My first goal is to bowl well because that is what I can control.”

On the other side of the draw, one of the pre-event favourites was knocked out in the early goings.

Cassandra Millerick, the number three-ranked female bowler in Australia, bowed out in the opening round after falling to Mia Young.

It was a sensational performance from Young, who played superbly on her way to an upset 25-15 win.

Young then faced Cartwright in the quarter-finals, but it was the later who advanced to the next stage with a 25-8 win.

On a roll: Moama’s Robert Wastell won all three of his games on Sunday. Photo by Bransen Gibson

Cartwright will now face Wastell in the semi in an all-Moama showdown. Wastell won by six shots and eight shots, respectively, in her first two matchups.

Meanwhile, the competition was tight on the men’s side of the draw.

Anderson was part of Moama Green’s title winning team at the Ultimate Bowls Championship last month, and he continued his good form on Sunday.

The Scotsman had a strong 25-13 victory in the first round, followed by a narrow 25-22 triumph in round two.

He then defeated Tongala’s Barry Tinning 25-10, setting up a semi-final clash this weekend against fellow Moama bowler Robert Wastell.

On the green: Joan Moss from Mathoura Bowls Club takes her shot. Photo by Bransen Gibson

Wastell himself had a pair of narrow wins on his path to the semis, defeating Kevin Connolly 25-23 in round one and youngster Jacob Brighton 25-24 in the quarter-final.

The other matchup will see Rich River’s McCloy and Moama’s Campbell face off for a spot in the final.

McCloy had a bye in the opening round followed by a 24-16 win in round two. He then edged past Peter Nesbitt 25-24, earning his place in this Sunday’s games.

Campbell won his first two matches by 11 shots and 15 shots respectively, before defeating Steve Cunnington 25-23 in the quarters.

The winner of the Campaspe men’s and women’s finals will then take on the champions from the Bendigo and Goldfields playing areas in March.

The winners of that will then represent the entire Bendigo Campaspe Goldfields region at the state championships, to be held in Bendigo in April.