DI McBRYDE WINS DISTRICT SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP
4 March 2019
Di McBryde from St Ives (above, left) won the District Singles Championship from Killara’s Susie Meares 25-17 in a hard-fought final at Forestville RSL Bowling Club.
THE SEMI-FINALS
The semi-finals began at Forestville on a beautiful sunny morning with a light breeze. In the first semi, Di McBryde (St Ives) got off to a good start against Judy Le Gras (Warringah). After three ends, Di was leading 7-0. Then Judy packed all 4 bowls around the jack on the 4th end, getting her into the game 4-7, and added singles on each of the following ends to make the score 7-6 to Di. Both players kept their draw games going; however, Di began to steadily open up her lead, getting the score out to 20-9. With Di looking set to claim the match, Judy came up with terrific final bowls on at least three occasions to keep the game alive at 15-24, before Di got the final shot she needed.
In the other semi between Susie Meares (Killara) and Louise Hamshere (Neutral Bay), Susie drew a close shot on each of the first two ends, then Louise drew a single on each of the next 2 ends, to level at 2-all. After 6 ends of single scores, Susie was leading 4-2. A measure for the first possible multiple of the game on the 7th resulted in yet another single for Susie, 5-2. Finally on the 8th end there was a 2 (to Louise)! The standard of drawing by both remained high and scoring again increased by singles, until Louise claimed the lead 9-8. Then, with scores level at 9-9, an umpire measure on the 3rd shot resulted in 2 to Louise, to again lead 11-9. Louise made good conversions on consecutive ends, but in the second case Susie countered with an immaculate draw to take shot and get within 1 of Louise on the scoreboard. When leading 14-12, Louise moved the jack to pick up a 2 and open up the biggest lead in the game to that point, 16-12; but again Susie countered with two on the next end, to lie 14-16. Through another series of singles, the 2-shot margin persisted, before Susie drew 2 shots to level the scores 18-all, and then scored on the next two ends to be up 21-18. Louise struck back with a 2, 21-20, but then Susie scored the only score of the match greater than 2, picking up 3 to lead 24-20. She took that momentum into the following end, but Louise managed to wedge her second bowl between Susie’s and the jack, which remained for 21-24. On the final end, Susie was lying two when Louise played weight and sliced the jack. However, the jack ran beyond Louise’s other 3 bowls to lie closer to Susie’s “covering” bowl, delivering the win to Susie 25-21.
THE FINAL
Di McBryde and Susie Meares followed up their semi-final wins of the morning with the final in the afternoon at Forestville. Fortunately there was a pleasant breeze to keep them a little cooler than in the morning games.
Di started in great form and drew out to a 13-1 lead as Susie struggled to master the shorter ends Di was rolling. Eventually Susie took out one of Di’s bowls to get 3 more shots on the board; she rolled the jack to full length and proceeded to put her bowl 6 inches from the jack, only to have Di draw in and get shot! Susie replied to again take the shot, and Di couldn’t respond this time – what an exciting end. With Di having stretched her lead out to 19-8, Susie drew two great bowls next to the jack to win the end and once again change the length, picking up another single. Di responded with a great on shot to take the next end and get the mat once again at 20-11. But Susie was determined, put her first bowl on the jack and then drew in for second before Di came in, ntook out Susie’s bowl, and sat the jack! Susie had one bowl left, took aim and went for it – the jack went back and almost out of bounds, and Susie scored 4 shots! Susie then picked up two on the next end and it was 20/17. What a match! Susie rolled the jack to a shorter length and this gave Di an opportunity, which she she jumped on. With Susie only having one bowl left, she but just missed taking out the shot bowl, and Di drew in for a third, 23-17! Di drew the perfect shot to sit one centimetre in front of the jack and then drew the second shot; Susie’s final bowl only just missed, and the match was Di’s.
It was a fantastic match and all credit must go to both players.
North Shore District Women's Bowling Association 