Masters Mixed Fours

 

The 2022 Masters Mixed Fours was held at Sorrento Bowling Club over Sunday 25th and Monday 26th September. A full field of 36 teams pre-entered for the event, which was played on fast greens (B, C and D) under bright, sunny skies and generally light breezes.

Three qualifying rounds of 15 ends were played on the Sunday, with the top eight teams qualifying for knock-out finals the following day. Three wins or two wins and a draw were required to make the top eight cut. Six teams from Sorrento took part initially, but only Ross Cunningham (in a composite team) and the Bruce Eagles, Murray Hulbert, Kerry Hutchinson, Coral Smith team (defending champions from 2021, pictured above) qualified for the finals – a reflection of the high overall quality of the field.

Some exceptional draw, on-shot and drive bowling was on display during the quarter and semi-finals, which were played on B Green in front of a small but appreciative audience during the morning and early afternoon. Teams skipped by Cody Packer and Bruce Eagles moved through to the decider which was played under a lowering sun and encroaching shadows. While the final scoreboard of 18-4 to Cody Packer’s team suggests a runaway victory, this does not really reflect the quality of bowls displayed by Bruce’s team end after end. Ultimately, however, Cody’s team had the answer to just about every problem it faced, with some exceptional bowls from all four team members as the situation required, and they ended up deserved winners.

The event was marked by the successful integration of an IT system that allowed the qualifying round results to be displayed on the big screen as they were being input in the match office. Progressive results of the knock-out rounds were made available through the club’s Facebook page, with the match situation updated after each end of the final. Thanks go to Wendy Flack for implementing the IT system over two days. Thanks also are due to the many ladies who helped with the provision of morning tea and lunch; to the umpires; and to Dan Greig for working to register a full field of entrants and running the event with assistance from Eric Doust.

Finally, but by no means least, thanks are due to the Greenkeeper for providing three first-class greens which received praise from all quarters.