Wee Waa Bowling Club final finishes seven weeks after getting underway

It’s something that Wee Waa Bowling Club’s Steve Berger believes has not happened before at the local club, at least in his 30 years involved – a finals match starting one afternoon and not finishing until seven weeks later.

But that is the latest of many curve balls to be thrown at both the sport and the club by COVID-19.

Berger himself was involved in the game which was the 2021 Over-60s Pairs decider.

It began at 1.30pm on Saturday, August 14 when he and Phil Lawford teamed up to go head-to-head with Peter Hennessy and Clancy Hamilton.

Not long after the match had begun, word came through from local MPs on social media that all of NSW was set to go into lockdown from 5pm that afternoon. Bowlers were advised that the club would be closing at that time, and matches were put on hold at 4pm.

Seven weeks later on Saturday, October 2, the Over-60s Pairs champs for 2021 were eventually crowned.

The Narrabri Shire came out of its lockdown on Thursday, September 16, and competition bowls finally resumed on the Laurie Hoad Green in Wee Waa on Saturday.

With 13 ends already completed and just eight left to play, Lawford and Berger led 14-9.

They continued where they left off as they scored a five on the 14th end to get Saturday’s proceedings underway. Hennessy and Hamilton then hit back with five shots across the next two ends to reduce the deficit to five.

The two teams then traded a shot each on the 17th and 18th ends, which left Berger and Lawford leading 20-15 with three ends left to play.

The two sides scored two shots each on the 19th and 20th ends, which meant Berger and Lawford entered the final end with a five-shot lead.

They secured the championship in style with a three on the 21st end to take the game 25-17.

If the seven week break from start to finish of the Over-60s Pairs final was indeed a record, it will soon be broken when the A-grade Pairs final resumes.

That match also got underway on Saturday, August 14. Cody Booby and Toby Reynolds led Justin Knight and Todd Cowan 11-9 when bowls action came to a halt that day.

Ten ends had been played, which means that 11 more will be contested when the match resumes.

Meanwhile, two Over-60s Singles matches were played at Wee Waa Bowling Club on Sunday.

Berger enjoyed his second victory in as many days when he defeated Gary Nolan 31-13, while Chris Crutcher beat Peter Hennessy 31-24.