Queensland domination
Queensland has claimed an unprecedented double at the Australian Champion of Champion pairs with Jo Worsley and Tracy Foster of Toowoomba and Steven Mcnamee and Jason Andrewartha of Tantitha winning in heroic style at Taren Point Bowling Club.
The miracle men from Tantitha have completed the fairy tale finish winning their last game of bowls in the Tantitha colours as their club was demolished 12 months ago due to flooding and asbestos and they have been forced to relocate to Across the Waves Bowling Club.
Together they were members of Tantitha for over 15 years and now the journey has come to an end with the biggest win of their careers to cap off their time at Tantitha Beach.
Victoria lined up for the final previously undefeated and for that reason alone may have been considered favourites, however the Queenslanders showed a lot of heart playing important conversions in the opening third of the match and eventually their persistence paid off breaking away from their Victorian opponents.
Steve Mcnamee was a sensation dominating the match from the leads position, laying a steady platform for the Queenslanders to dominate the middle stages of the match.
Queensland gradually pushed away from the Victorians maintaining a small margin in front and going on to claim their maiden Australian title 19-12.
There was a lot of emotion in the speech from Andrewartha, the win meant a lot for the pair who watched their club get demolished; however they can now share the glory with the Bundaberg bowling community and begin a new chapter in their bowling careers as Australian Champion of Champions.
The women’s final was a state of origin clash with neither state getting more than a few shots in front at any point of the match and was always looking like going down to the wire.
The powerhouse pairing from Cabramatta Kay Moran and Karen Murphy were looking to add another prestigious trophy to the cabinet, however they were up against a tenacious pair from Toowoomba Jo Worsley and Tracy Foster who counter-punched all match.
Karen Murphy was delivering killer blows time and time again as she converted the ends in NSW’s favour; however the Queenslanders would bounce back on the following ends to keep within striking distance of the Blues.
Moran and Murphy scored a telling three to hit the lead with two ends remaining in the match, but once again Foster struck back sitting a bowl out for three to create a golden opportunity for the Queenslanders to lead by one going into the penultimate end.
The head chopped and changed every bowl, Foster drew second shot, Murphy added another, Foster holds her nerve and draws the ultimate shot leaving Murphy needing to produce nothing short of brilliance if she was to get NSW over the line.
Murphy’s last bowl looked promising half way down but as it rolled closer the look on the Queenslanders face told the story, the bowl missed narrowly and the Queenslander’s began their celebrations.
“I feel awesome, this is absolutely brilliant, one of the best games I have been a part of for a long time, after yesterday who would have thought we would win the final but we came back fighting this morning showing some Queensland spirit,” Foster said.
Foster and Worsley defeated Victoria earlier this morning by 14 shots to qualify for the final by just three shots and won the final 16-14.
For the men’s and women’s final results click here.
