THIS will be the last round of pennant before Christmas, with play to start again on January 17. The highlight will be at Racecourse, where the home side plays Murray Downs.
Murray Downs have had a mixed year but if Peter Furnell, Les McPhee, John Caldwell and Graeme Cox can find form they will be hard to beat.
Racecourse needs to win to remain in second spot, and with John Beard, Mick McCallum, Blake Vernon and Kevin Rowe in good touch, should win by seven shots.
Lake Boga, at home, has an uphill battle in its clash with ladder leaders Nyah District.
Nyah proved it’s the team to beat this year, with Matt O’Bree, Brendan Thomson and Harvey Pearse bowling well.
Lake Boga needs a win to keep in contact with the top four and it needs Brian Carty, Ken Hamill, Mick Tempini and Wayne Wright at their best. Nyah to win by 12 shots.
Tooleybuc is at home to fellow NSW club Balranald. The home side’s confidence will be up after beating Balranald last time, and if Darren Cross, Henry Button, David McCarron and Mal King play well, they have a chance.
If Balranald find form, they will win by 15 shots.
Division 2
MOULAMEIN, at home, will be playing tonight against Murray Downs 2, because of the Moulamein races tomorrow.
Paul Jackson, Bill Wilson, Doreen Weaver and John Griffiths hope that playing under lights will give Moulamein the edge.
Murray Downs 2 had a bad day last week, but with John Manser, Mac Angus and Gary McCaig in good form, they should beat the bottom side comfortably.
The clash of the round will be played at Racecourse, when Racecourse 2 plays Racecourse 3 for top spot on the ladder.
Team 3 had a good win last time, and Bert Spencer, Tony Scott, Kevin Vivian, and Greg Walker are all in good touch.
They will be hard to beat again. John Ford, Brian Quaife, Arthur Threadgold and Arthur Smith are in good form for Team 2 and this will go down to the wire with Racecourse to win.
The two giant killers from last week — Manangatang and Lake Boga — should put on a great show.
The winner still has a chance of making the four. Kyren Myers, John Pye, Doug Forsyth and Keith Anderson have been in great form for Lake Boga, and must be in with a chance. Manangatang, at home, is very hard to beat, and with Ivan McPherson, Keith Mowat, Graeme Morris and Frank Holdsworth bowling well, Manangatang to win by 15 shots.
Swan Hill will start short-priced favorite at home in its clash with Murray Downs 3. Mal Kanizay, David Carmichael and Ian Heighway are in great form for Murray Downs 3. Swan Hill’s Bob Irvine, Geoff Bingham, Bill King and Graeme Clark are in top form. They will be too good and win by 23 shots.
Division 3
THE clash of the round will be played at Manangatang when it plays Balranald. Russell Hobby, Daniel Woolhouse, Judy Wilson and Peter Golding are in great form for Balranald and will take this match right to the wire.
Trevor Edelsten, John Arentz, Rachelle Williams and Mary Atkins are bowling very well and will see Manangatang get up by six shots.
Murray Downs 4 is at home to play Swan Hill 3, and a win for Swan Hill is a must to stay in touch with the top four.
Leo Rowlands, Barry Walsh, Jim Willox and Ros Waldron will push the home side all the way.
Bev Roberts, Col Busse, Di Martin and Fay Merritt are in top form. Both sides have been bowling well and this will be tight, with Swan Hill to win by three shots.
Swan Hill 4 is at home to play Murray Downs 5 in another even match.
Pam Martin, Ron Harrop, Wayne Murray and Bev McCartney will help get Murray Downs home by seven shots.
Racecourse 4 will play Racecourse 6. Team 4 to win easily.
Racecourse 5 travels to play Tooleybuc in a match that should be close. Home green advantage will see Tooleybuc five shots in front at the end.
Lake Boga will host Nyah for the last round for the year. Nyah to win by 17 shots.
Murray Valley state fours
THE Murray Valley State men’s fours will be completed on Sunday at Tooleybuc.
The semi-final will be played at 9.30am with Nyah’s Bryan Smith, Lynden Shadbolt, Mick Holyoak and Matt O’Bree taking on Moulamein’s Peter Arthur, Garry McGrath, Aaron Worboyes and Pud Stephens.
This will be a great semi-final with all players in excellent form.
Waiting for the winner in the grand final at 1pm are Racecourse’s Kevin Rowe, Ray Halligan, Arthur Threadgold and Norm Smith.
The winners of the ladies fours were from Swan Hill. Dianne Millstead, Linda King, Norma Scott and Esma McClelland defeated Murray Downs’s Marg Jewson, Teresa Furnell, Nolene Weir and Di Martin.
