Champion of champions triples round robin in Mullewa last official Batavia Bowling League event for season

Mullewa Bowling Club will host the last official event on the Batavia Bowling League’s calendar this season — the champion of champions triples round robin on Sunday. Ladies and men’s club champions will converge at the venue, with the final result a reflection of the best of the best for season 2021-22. The men’s event will have just four sides compete, with Denison club winners unable to take part because of prior commitments. That omission means both ladies and men’s competitions will start at 9.30am on Sunday, with players to report by 9am. The Mullewa playing surface will not hold any barriers to the men, with the green in constant use throughout the year. However, not being part of the ladies circuit, it will provide a non-advantageous starting point, with none of the competing sides having rolled on the sand-fill during the regular season. Denison’s ladies premiership trio Pat Belcher, Marie Eaton and Gloria Nelson enter the series as the side to beat ahead of a cluster of quality combinations. Northampton’s Lyn Joyce, Karen Drage and Kaye Sudlow along with Wonthella’s Marilyn Cope, Pat Rowell and Angie Stagg will offer strong competition with Geraldton’s Norma Follington and her side of daughter Gail Clarkson and Sue Smith attempting to etch their family names into BBL history. The men’s representative series also looks open and well-balanced. Perhaps the Mullewa combination of Glenn Bryant, John Schagen and Demetri Christophorou top the list with their home-track advantage. Wonthella and Northampton championship winners look strong. Brad Preston, Gary Preston and Andrew Dickson and Ross Johnson, Dennis Simpson and Neville Simmonds respectively enter the three-match series in good shape, all familiar with conditional changes on synthetic surfaces. Geraldton’s representatives Lawrence Brooks, Jeff Eaton (sub) and Benjo Brennan, are the only grass-based club. The trio have been in fine touch over the past month and are well in the mix for honours. The Denison winners of Joel Leeson, Paul Hitchcock and Ian Payne unfortunately miss the event, however, if available would have added much to an extremely open championship. Next on the calendar will be the annual carnival period, with nominations now being taken at all clubs followed by the midyear 12-week weekend men’s scrounger seasons. The weekly Friday afternoon mixed scroungers continues at Denison, Wonthella and Geraldton with a start time of 2pm. Visiting bowlers are welcome at all venues.