THE top bowls teams from the Murray Mallee region recently competed in a thrilling showdown. The winning teams will now represent their regions at the Bowls Victoria ‘Championship of State Pennant,’ set to take place from April 26 to April 29.
Bowls Victoria country manager Josh Thornton reflected, saying, “This year’s event saw impressive performances from several clubs, with Birchip emerging victorious in the weekend competition, while Murray Downs claimed the win in the midweek division.”
Players faced extreme heat, leading to schedule adjustments. Early games were played before lunch, and the final became a twilight match. Mr Thornton thanked all the clubs for their flexibility and the Mildura Workers Club for hosting, adding, “their support ensured the event ran smoothly despite the challenging conditions”.
“Both of these regional champions will now compete in two separate events,” Mr Thornton said. “Birchip will face off against the weekend winners from across the state, while Murray Downs will compete against the other midweek division winners.”
Among the standout performances, Mr Thornton highlighted Birchip’s success. “They really stepped up and delivered this time. They drew against Mildura and then managed to overpower Kerang, who were considered the favourites on paper,” he said.
All eyes will now be on the state finals, where Birchip and Murray Downs will take on the best from across Victoria to determine the top pennant teams in the state.
