SPRING 2017 GRAND FINALS - THE SCORESHEETS NEVER TELL THE WHOLE STORY

One can look at the scoresheets but they never tell the story of the drama behind the scene.

In Division 2, we had a fascinating final. It was so close to being the complete fairy tale. Oranges, who at the start of the season were languishing at the bottom of the table and only scrapped into 4th spot on the last night of normal competition, started the fairy-tale last week when they beat the way out leaders and favourites, Bananas, in the Semi .

This week they came up against the Cherries. And when Greg Williams and Jim Kyle (Oranges) defeated Gordon Holding and Ian Thomas (Cherries) in the vital doubles match and Greg Williams defeated Ian Thomas to make it 5all, many thought the fairy-tale was going to happen. Jim Kyle, who ended the season ranked 1 came up against Gordon Holding and was expected to complete the great story. But Gordon Holding had other ideas. Gordon has never given anything but 100% and Jim succumbed to the onslaught.

Incidentally, in that vital doubles match-up, it was 2 all and Cherries were leading 10-8 in the 5th game but lost 4 points in a row to go down 10-12.

Well done to the very experienced Gordon Holding, the very cunning Ian Thomas and the very likeable and attacking Jenny Wyatt on their Premiership.

Final result:- Cherries (Gordon Holding, Ian Thomas + Jenny Wyatt) defeated Oranges (Jim Kyle, Greg Williams + Daniel Highland) 6-5

In Division 1 we can look at the final scoreline in which the Plovers (Martin Tribe + Russell Treloar) defeated the Magpies (Michael Wilson + Dale Parkes) 4-1 and think that it was an easy win.

But that does not tell the real story in which many matches could have gone either way. Two matches particularly demonstrate this. The doubles was a very interesting tussle won eventually by the Plovers 11-4, 11-9, 5-11, 11-8. But the match of the night was the clash of English nobleman Martin Tribe and President Michael Wilson. Michael won the first 2 games before Martin started coming back. It was 9 all in the 5th when the level head of Martin prevailed to sneak the last 2 points.

Earlier in the night the Plovers defeated the Crows (Seng Joo Keng + Joel Carpenter) 3-2 and the Magpies defeated the Kookaburras (Adam Woods + Colin Rule) also 3-2 to make the grand final. The doubles were the deciding factor in both Semis.

See you at the Club Breakup and Presentation at the Mooloolaba Bowls this Saturday afternoon which is now starting 30 minutes earlier at 3.30pm.