City Oval defeated in opening week of bowls finals

City Oval had finished first on the ladder after a dominant end to the Division 1 season, but will now have to navigate a knock out clash in week two of finals if it is to win the title.

Webbcona won two of the three rinks on the way to a 61 to 71 shot victory, with the four of Joy Feltham, Geoff Gullock, Gary Johnson and Sarah Braybrook proving the most dominant with an 18 to 30 shot win.

Skip Sarah Braybrook said she knew the side was in with a chance after two narrow defeats to City Oval during the season.

"It was a cracking game of bowls, I don't know what to say," she said.

"At one stage I think we were a couple of shots down overall with only four ends to go.

"So we knew the last four ends were pretty important with two rinks having to play to ends each."

Braybrook said it was "awesome" for the side to make the grand final at the first opportunity.

"We knew we had the second chance if we lost today, but we really didn't want to take that risk," she said.

The result means City Oval will meet Midlands next week, after it defeated Buninyong in a nail biting contest.

Midlands won the tie 53 shots to 50, despite losing two of three rinks.

It will thank the four of Christine Hawken, Geoffrey Jenkins, Paul Carlyle and Paul Kennedy for the victory, after they won their rink by a convincing nine shots.

City Oval and Midlands will play in the Ballarat Highland Bowls Division 1 preliminary final on March 5, 2024, the winner will go on to play Webbcona in the grand final on March 12.

Midlands 53 (12) def Buninyong 50 (4)

Judith Winnell, Robert Mason, Lynette Lock, David Speechley 16 def by Moon Meulan, Julie Worrall, John Nunn, Keith Chapman 20

Stephen Falconer, Bill Hawken, Gregory Plier, Neil Peoples 17 def by Gordon Donaldson, Allan Donelly, Terry McDonald, Brian Wilcock 19

Christine Hawken, Geoffrey Jenkins, Paul Carlyle, Paul Kennedy 20 def Norman Hand, Ian McGregor, Graeme Simpson, Wayne Morgan 11

City Oval 61 (2) def by Webbcona 71 (14)

Peter Orr, Janine Roberts, Robert Edwards, Wayne Roberts 16 def by Jill Hopper, Harold Worsley, Barry McArthur, Leah McArthur 22

David Flintoft, Elizabeth Kierce, Leigh McKenzie, Chris Smith 27 def Jeffrey Grieve, Ross Boag, Debbie Gorin, Colin Young 19

Sandra Grano, Kenneth Nunn, Gary Hamilton, Ian Robinson 18 def by Joy Feltham, Geoff Gullock, Gary Johnson, Sarah Braybrook 30

Invermay 64 (14) def Clunes 56 (2)

Jenny Blower, Rod McDonald, David Carlyle, John Macdonald 20 def Anne Shields, Eileen Spong, Peter Brough, Alan Baird 13

Trevor Jones, Yvonne McDonald, Jason Gigliotti, Stephen Riley 24 def Howard Smith, John Dellavedova, Valerie Jackson, John Young 21

Neale Murnane, Gwen Molloy, Bill Gull, John Moroney 20 def by Lawerence Judd, Rex Martin, Jenny Cameron, Lindsay Tucker 22

Linton 79 (16) def Smeaton 43 (0)

Sydney Walters, Eugene Grigg, Karen Hall, Craig Grenfell 29 def Suzanne Lafranchi, Geoffrey Jenkin, Kevin Clohesy, Rhonda Armstrong 10

Lynette White, Phillip Blake, James Steven Fraser, Brendan Vandenberg 29 def David Davidson, Gregory May, Jenny Toose, Helen Mizzeni 14

Ray Wilson, Adrian Graham, John Hetherington, Peter Shillington 21 def John N Gervasoni, Peter Kersley, Robert McCrum, Laraine Toose 19

Smeaton 70 (16) def BMS 38 (0)

John McColl, Robert Mizzeni, Helen Jenkin, Geoffrey Toose 36 def Bethel Ryan, Alan Marini, Jenny Meade, Craig Meade 11

Joan Lafranchi, Judy Lafranchi, Miriam Haines, Graeme Perry 19 def Barry Harris, Rosemaree Hickman, Sherryn Burge, Antonius Kuypers 13

Len Robinson, Robyn Shaw, Barbara Adam, Winston Pickering 15 def Pamela Walker, Katherine Alsop, Neil Ellard, Ronald Walker 14

Victoria 49 (0) def by Ballarat North 71 (16)

Brett Harrison, Graeme Buchanan, Shayne Bottrell, Lynn Slater 21 def by Jacki Metcalf, David Head, Leslie Ayres, Mick Brown 26

Rhonda Chapman, George Pyke, Arthur David, Robert Chapman 17 def by Jordan Atkinson, Olive Gunnell, Garry Bowden, Scott Plater 18

Ian Willowhite, Marlene Davis, Max Philipson, Francis McGuigan 11 def by Robert Norman, Terry Simpkin, Colin Wright, Dave Anderton 27

Smeaton 68 (12) def Linton 51 (4)

Peter Howell, Sue Richards, Keren May, Denis Sanford 16 def by Doug Hucker, Steve Sheppard, Kevin Offer, Margaret Phillips 20

Judith Slater, Beverley Shaw, Shane Slater, Robyn Bradshaw 35 def Ingrid Murphy, Robin Amendola, Joy Weeden, Shirley Blomeley 13

Des Dwyer, Carol McKay, Robin Cawthan, Bob Seamons 17 def by Colleen Wilson, Kristine Ross, Desmond Symes, Terry Breen 18

Ballarat East 45 (2) def by Ballan 65 (14)

Trevor Johnston, Maureen Peach, Wayne Fitzgerald, Troy Dean 10 def by Janine Jensen, David Myers, Jarrod McGuire, Rick Sloan 22

Russell Hateley, Dennis Radisich, Craig Uthenwoldt, John Shannon 10 def by Maren Jones, Jan Conroy, Garry Webb, Peter O'Connell 27

Kerry Knight, Zoe Watson, Bill Moy, Noel Biggin 25 def Janine O'Keefe, Alan Love, Grant Stirling, Chris Love 16

Invermay 52 (14) def Beaufort 27 (0)

Rebecca Huynh, Francisca Grady, William Boyd, Robert Jones 26 def James Cameron, Ann Topp, Megan Morris, Graeme Anthony 10

Norma Day, Tony Morrish, James Nolan, Helen Burzacott 26 def Jo-Anne Crockett, Vivienne Drew, Ros Vowles, Edmond Morris 17

Ballarat North 36 (0) def by Beaufort 44 (14)

Maxwell Harrison, Jeff Gilchrist, Greg Thomas, Roger Parker 20 def by Janet Carson, Luke Milenkovic, Peter Milenkovic, Geoffrey Carson 26

Peter Trotter, Kevin Clarke, Allan Webster, Steve Feldman 16 def by Liz Ryan, Terry Barker, Donald Carnes, Mike McGuire 18