VICTORIA turns its attention to a preliminary final showdown with reigning champion Geelong West after being swept aside by an in-form Ocean Grove on Saturday.
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The Grovers powered their way into the Ballarat-Geelong premier bowls grand final with a commanding 98-75 triumph over the Vics, who will utilise their double chance next weekend in a clash against the elimination final victors.
It was a rather clinical performance from the minor premiers, who won three of the four rinks to clinch the 23-shot win.
Skipper Brenton Coad and his partners produced the only rink success for Victoria, which has been un-
able to beat the flag favourites in three attempts this season.
Selector Barry Clark said the Big V started the contest well, moving 9-10 shots clear after the opening 30 ends, but was overrun by Ocean Grove, which wrested back the momentum and headed into half-time with a handy 13-shot lead. The Grovers were able to keep a margin for the remainder of the afternoon.
“We never gave up, but they were just too strong on the day,” said Clark, who added his team had five or six players who didn’t perform to their best.
He also said the Eastern Park surface was ‘‘foreign’’ to the Vic-
toria side, who believed they could beat the Grovers if they met in a grand final.
“I think we can. They’ve got to have a bit of an off-day and our 16 bowlers have all got to have a good day.”
Victoria will meet Geelong West in the preliminary final this weekend after it kept its bid at back-to-back titles alive with an eight-shot win over Queenscliff.
In a rematch of last year’s grand final, West took out three of the four rinks and only went down narrowly in the other to signal an end to the Cliffers’ season.
