A dominant Victoria Bowling Club capture 2022-2023 Saturday Pennant Premiership in Ballarat Highlands Bowls Region

A dominant Victoria Bowling Club is the 2022-2023 Saturday Pennant premiership winner in the Ballarat section of the Ballarat Highlands Bowls Region after defeating BMS by 30 shots on Sunday, 12th March 2023 at Sebastopol Bowling Club.

The 95-65 victory wrapped up a fantastic season for Victoria, losing only one game on the way to an outstanding Grand Final win in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

BMS got off to a good start in the match, with Mick Storey, David Berry and Phil Clamp rinks all on top early, but it was Haig Varcoe’s rink for Victoria that took the game by the scruff of the neck and set the tone for the remainder of the match.

Haig applied a polished skipper’s touch to a finely tuned rink consisting of Donna Leeson (lead), Stephen Britt (second) and Craig Ford (third).

All three bowlers supported their skip with constant bowls in the head, applying continual pressure to Ryan Bedgood’s rink, with Haig’s rink eventually winning by 17 shots.

The further the match progressed the better Victoria bowled, and the dam walls soon broke as Victoria’s Brenton Coad and Noel Verlinden rinks started to get on top of Phil Clamp and Mick Storey’s rinks.

In the end, the rinks of Haig Varcoe 30-13, Brenton Coad 25-16 and Noel Verlinden 21-17 ensured premiership success for Victoria.

Shaun Clark (Victoria) and David Berry (BMS) played out an entertaining 19-19 draw.

Kudos to Victoria on a fine season and well-deserved Saturday Pennant premiership victory.

Despite the grand final loss for BMS, the club can shift its attention to a Midweek pennant grand final clash on Tuesday when it takes on Midlands.

VICTORIA 95 – 65 BMS

(VIC) Donna Leeson, Stephen Britt, Craig Ford, Haig Varcoe 30
(BMS) David Andrews, Daniel Vagg, Robert Dickinson, Ryan Bedggood 13

(VIC) Kevin Coad, Marc Oswin, Wayne Lynch, Shaun Clark 19
(BMS) Stephen Byron, Graeme Inglis, Lindsay Trounce, David Berry 19

(VIC) Paul Tudorovic, Shaun O’Loughlin, Barry Clark, Brenton Coad 25
(BMS) David Schreenan, Craig Hurdsfield, Michael Jose, Philip Clamp 16

(VIC) Michael Curtis, Debbie Gorin, Sunni Haynes, Noel Verlinden 21
(BMS) Geoff Allan, Adam McLean, Travis Preston, Michael Storey 17

Photo courtesy of Ballarat Courier