CITY Oval has won the first ever Ballarat Highlands Bowls Region premier division grand final, holding off a withering comeback from Midlands to claim a thrilling grand final.
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The Hawks qualified nine of its 10 squads into finals this season, marking a year to remember as it celebrated its 100th birthday with premier pennant success.
But it needed all its guile and experience to hold off Midlands in the 58-53 win, picking up two shots in the final end to secure the win, with Midlands champion David Speechley missing what would have been a miracle last shot of the contest.
Early days it looked as though City Oval would waltz to a big win, Chris Smith's team dominated against the squad skippered by Gregory Plier winning 25-13, but it failed to fully take advantage late, as Midlands fought back with some crucial shots.
Midlands' Paul Kennedy was too strong for City Oval's Ian Robinson, with the final score reading 20-11 which meant it was up to Speechley and Roberts who battled it out for the prize, Roberts holding on 22-20 picking up the final two shots when Midlands' all or nothing attempt just missed the mark.
Smith said he was thrilled to celebrate the win with his teammates, praising the performance of lead Peter Orr, who he said was the clear bowler of the day.
"We expected they would come back, we always have a good game against Midlands," Smith said.
"The club is looking really good and hopefully this success will inspire even more younger bowlers to come along and try out.
"Our leader (Orr) bowled brilliantly, he was by far our best bowler on the day. Our number two (Cheryl Magrath) was outstanding as was Elizabeth Kierce (at three), it was a great team effort."
Speechley said it was a grand final match-up befitting the best two teams in the competition.
"We had a sneaky chance in that last one, but I thought we were stiff on the second last end where we lost three when we could have been four up," he said.
"But it was a very good game, we're always competitive against each other, but full credit to them, they were just too good on the day."
In all, five different premiership and five different clubs celebrating a title is the perfect scenario for the Ballarat Highlands Bowls Region Tuesday pennant after grand final days were held across Ballarat.
There were plenty of other close matches across the board from Divisions 1 to 4 with Daylesford holding off Beaufort by four shots to claim Division 1 honours while Linton squeezed past Victoria to score a 59-54 win in Division 2.
Division 3 was the biggest margin of the day with Webbcona proving too good for Smeaton in a three-rink win 78-41, while Ballan held off City Oval to take the Division 4 title.
Scoreboards
Premier
City Oval 58 def Midlands 53
Peter Orr, Cheryl Magrath, Elizabeth Kierce, Chris Smith 25 def Judy Wilson, Christine Hawken, Paul Carlyle, Gregory Plier 13, Janine Roberts, Sally McCracken, Peter Cameron, Wayne Roberts 22 def June Henry, Eric Kosloff, Lynette Lock, David Speechley 20, Betty Paton, Sandra Grano, Leigh McKenzie, Ian Robinson 11 def by Maureen Goldsmith, Geoffrey Jenkins, Patricia Speechley, Paul Kennedy 20
Division 1
Beaufort 63 def by Daylesford 67
James Cameron, Ros Vowles, Jennie Godfrey, William Godfrey 21 def by Ted Goodwin, Margaret Coffey, Rodney Poxon, Rose Marshall 26, Ann Topp, Wilma Wereszczuk, Peter Milenkovic, Frank Gilders 17 def by Wendy Goodwin, Liz Wigmore, Stevan Stupavski, Maureen Tate 24, Janet Carson, Rohan Quinton, Carmel Milenkovic, Victor Dunn 25 def Gerald Coffey, Lois Voterakis, Anne Bremmer, Dot Bull 17,
Division 2
Linton 59 def Victoria 54
Sydney Walters, Maragret Phillips, Karen Hall, Eugene Grigg 21 def Marlene Davis, Dante Prenc, Francis McGuigan, Max Philipson 12, Ray Wilson, Judy Hucker, James Fraser, John Hertherington 24 def Arthur David, Rhonda Chapman, John Jackson, Kevin Coad 20. Lynette White, Doug Hucker, Brendan Vandenberg, Craig Grenfell 14 def by Vicki Chapman, Brett Harrison, George Pyke, Robert Whitcher 22
Division 3
Webbcona 78 def Smeaton 41
Brett Collins, Helen Williams, Rod Barton, Luci Smolski 22 def David Davidson, Judith Slater, Shane Slater, Robert Seamons 15, Margaret Alpen, Ron Davidson, Leon Stevens, Bob Rodger 30 def Frances Muller, David Pedretti, Sue Richards, Robin Cawthan 14, Glad Gullock, Robert Shepherd, Vicki Waldron, Tony Hendy 26 def Val Rumler, Marilyn Stephens, Denic Sandford, Carol McKay 12
Division 4
Ballan def City Oval
Ruby Armstrong, Brian Dowling, Jan Conroy, Chris Love def Ray Rhodes, Robert Oonk, Dorothy Mahony, Colin Gibson, Keith Burgin, Maren Jones, Fia Kunigskis, Grant Stirling def John Ryan, Lynne Rhodes, James Fitzpatrick, Bernard Clebney (no scores submitted)
