Anderson claims Campaspe’s top bowls title

Kyabram teenager Olivia Cartwright was the winner of the women’s singles event, beating reigning champion Sandra Connolly in a 25-12 scoreline.

The finals of the Campaspe titles were contested on Sunday at the Moama Bowling Club, only 24 hours after three of the four combatants of those finals were involved in a top-of-the-table Bendigo league match.

Moama Steamers won the match with second-ranked South Bendigo by three shots and now sit 12 points clear on top of the ladder, with four home and away rounds remaining.

Rochester teenager Cameron Keenan, in the absence of Scottish legend Alex Marshall, was one of the four Moama skippers. He lost his rink by three shots, but Anderson’s seven-shot win and a two-shot win from Kevin Brennan ensured a Steamers victory.

Tongala won the match 16-0 (76-52) and now sits only nine pennant points behind ladder-leader Rich River.

Rochester, which has Mathoura and bottom-ranked Deniliquin in its final two rounds of the season, has a 1-4 record from the rain and flood-shortened season.

Brian Trengove produced the best result of the weekend, combining with Bob Knight, Bruce Major and Kaye Barker for a one shot loss to in-form Tongala skip Jarryd Tinning.

Richard Feuk lost by 12 and John Weeks by 11 on the remaining rinks.

Norm Hodge and Tim Quinlan both won their rinks, but the 11-shot loss of John Boyd meant Rochester lost the match 59-57 (12-4).

Rochester is now fifth, but is equal on points with fourth-ranked Tongala, who it plays this weekend at Rochester in a must-win contest.

In the final two matches Rochester faces second-ranked Moama Steamers and bottom team Deniliquin, before the finals commence on February 18.

Elmore won the match by 15 shots, 63-48 (14-2), the scoreline not indicating how close the match was as two of the rinks ended in draws.

Kevin Hall tied with Keith Brooks and Jenny Major finished 18 apiece with Mike Mullane in their match. David Murray’s 15-shot loss to Gary Williams influenced the result in Elmore’s favour.

Rochester has River River (fifth), Echuca (bottom) and top-of-the-ladder Moama Steamers in the final three weeks of competition and is three points ahead of fifth-ranked Rich River.

RSL won the match 50-26 (14-0) and Rochester is now out of finals contention, 24 points outside the top four and with matches against the first and second-ranked teams in its final three weeks of competition.

The 65-39 (14-2) win came on the back of Richard Feuk’s brilliant 32-10 result alongside Janis Tamburini, Graham Willis and Jane McCallum.

Kaye Barker was a 10-shot winner and those victories meant the six-shot loss of Brian Trengove had no bearing on the overall result.

Four rounds of the division one midweek competition remain; this weekend the Rochester team faces bottom-of-the-ladder Rich River before facing the second and third teams in the run to the finals.

Rochester lost its sixth straight game on the weekend, to top side Deniliquin RSL 80-50 (14-2). Its only winning skip was Jenny Major, who was a 13-shot winner with Norm Christie, Kathy Williams and Anton Gusak.

Elaine Hall and her rink had a tough afternoon, losing their rink in an astonishing 9-46 scoreline.

Rochester lost its sixth match on the weekend to third-placed Lockington, losing overall by nine shots (12-2, 40-31). David Murray had an impressive one-shot win with Joan Limbrick, Fay Wolfe and Graham Prince in support.