TWO extremely close games capped a great weekend of bowls at West Tamworth Sports and Bowling Club District State Pairs tournament.
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15 pairs competed in the opens event whilst 17 pairs contested the senior event, with both finals going down to the wire.
It was an all-South Tamworth affair as Chris Herden and Nic Golledge met Nigel McCarthy and Chris Collins in one game, whilst Nathan Wise and Scott Thorning met Kenny Lachlan and Terry Preston.
CNDBA bowler of the year Herden cruised through the competition and into the final, winning the semi 22-12.
Bowler of the year runner-up Wise also cruised through to the final with his team 29-11.
The final was a very tight affair, with the two sides going neck and neck, never getting more than four shots between them.
After the 18th end, Herden and Golledge were ahead 18-17 before Wise and Thorning put on a masterclass.
The pair picked up four shots on the 19th end to lead 21-18, before consolidating with two singles in the following ends to win the game 23-18.
Club secretary Tony Edmunds said it was a great game with some fantastic bowling on display.
Whilst the open pairs had a classic finish, the senior pairs had a semi-final that was even better.
Having no time for a final on Sunday after a big weekend of bowls, the two semi-finals were the final games of the day for the seniors.
The Kootingal pair of Kim Greentree and Graeme Harriott easily accounted for West’s Bob Hennessy and Ron Barnett 30-6, whilst the other semi was a nailbiter.
Dennis Silcock and John Coulton from West met Laurie Assef and Mark Golledge from South in a game that came down to the second last bowl.
The game was in the West team’s favour at 9-6 after 11 ends but then South picked up four in the 12th to go up 10-9 before taking two singles in the following two ends.
Silcock and Coulton then replied with three of their own in one end to tie the game up at 12-12 after 15 ends.
Assef and Golledge consolidated, taking six shots in the following three ends.
At 18-12, the West pair kicked into gear for the final five ends, picking up three on the 18th.
The pair then picked up one shot for the next three ends before Silcock bowled a “kisser” on the final end to win the game 19-18.
“It was one of the best games I have seen for a while,” Edmunds said. “It topped off a great weekend of bowls.”
The senior final will be played at a later date yet to be announced whilst the qualifiers from the pairs will go on to the zone play-offs at Armidale City in July.
In the Presidents Reserve Pairs at North Tamworth, the home pair of Graeme Pennell and Adam Carr defeated David Shorton and Glen Sharman from West 19-14.
Next weekend the district singles will be played at Kootingal and Werris Creek.