Fours Sectional Play Complete.
The first day of the 2017 Tasmanian Open Championships supported by the Devonport City Council has concluded at the Devonport and Spreyton Bowls Clubs. Both the men’s and women’s fours disciplines are now down to the knockout stages of the competition set to continue on Thursday at Devonport Bowls Club.
We are now down to the semi final stage of the women’s event, and it was the rink of Courtney Hobbs, Kim Saunders, Deb Lee and Gaylene Elsworthy that were first to qualify after triumphing through their section undefeated and they will now take on the Southern rink of June Guy, Janet Rutherford, Kathryn Atkinson and Helen Lester after they also progress in scintillating fashion, undefeated and with the highest margin of the day of plus 28.
The local rink of Erin Sesara, Mary Beaumont and Shiron Bevis all of Latrobe with Rosny Parks Judy Reeve are the only North West rink in the women’s event to progress through to the knockout stages. After having the morning bye, it was a must win game for them in their last match against the Northern rink skipped by Maggie Campbell, which they managed to do by just 3 shots.
Their opponents in the semi final of the women’s fours will be the southern rink of Lyn Triffitt, Leonie Price, Jackie Knight and Jeanette Lane after they claimed a close, must win match against the Howrah girls Denise Tanner, Charon Foster, Lyn Page and Daph Roberts on the last end.
The men’s fours competition is now down to the quarter final stages with 6 sectional winners and 2 next best qualifiers progressing through to the final stages of the prestigious event.
The southern rink of Peter Bannister, Steve Graf, David Heron and Shannon Kerec were in outstanding form in their section finishing undefeated with a margin of 43 shots. A first round win of 21 shots certainly assisted this. They will have a tough first up encounter against defending champions Lee Schraner, Robert McMullen, Cameron Tegg and Michael Sims.
In game two the North Launceston boys David Minns, Brodie Baker, Wayne Ogden and Ray Boutcher will play the coastal team of Ben Fidler, Tristan Bakes, Dale Smith and Isaac Maughan, who progressed through as our first Next Best Qualifiers.
The Douce boys have taken on North Launceston bowler Andrew Whitmore this year to lead for them. The Douce team of Tim, Greg and David along with their late father Hector have been the winners and runners up in this discipline over the past two years respectively. They will take on a fellow North West rink of Luke Richardson, Rocket Horton, Callan Butler, Peter French who progressed through their section undefeated, including a victory of Luke’s father Ricky in round 1.
The final match to round out our men’s fours quarter finals will be an all northern affair with the Kevin Rowlings skipped North Launceston Rink progressing through as the second Next Best Qualifying and they will take on the undefeated composite side skipped by Chris Roach.
Play will continue at Devonport, Spreyton, East Devonport and Latrobe Bowls Clubs from 9.30am when the men’s and women’s pairs sectional play begins.
Men’s Knockout Draw
Women’s Knockout Draw
