By Chris Mitchell
CAROLYN Coles and Darren Kerslake reign supreme as the new Bowls Sunraysia singles Champion of Champions in women’s and men’s respectively following their finals victories at Coomealla on Sunday.
Coles from Red Cliffs Bowls Club defeated a gallant Tania Gust 25-23 in a ripping final despite a late fightback from the home-green bowler.
Shots were exchanged across the first 11 ends with Coles taking a slender 6-5 lead.
The floodgates opened when she took the maximum count of four shots on end 12, and after winning seven of the next eight ends, she cruised out to a 21-6 lead.
The game took a turn on end 21 when Gust took a count of three shots and immediately followed it up with a consecutive three-count.
Coles refocused and scored two singles and seemingly had one hand on the trophy with a 23-13 lead.
Shots were exchanged on ends 26 and 27 with Coles in control, leading 24-14 and requiring only one shot to take out the title.
However, Gust slipped into overdrive and applied the blowtorch to commence a defiant run, scoring nine unanswered shots over the next four ends to trail 23-24.
On end 32 Coles, down game and with only her last bowl to play, drew the match-winner to claim the game and the champion’s trophy.
Meanwhile, Kerslake had all before him as he commenced his bid for the 2024 title.
Round 1 opponent and and last year’s runner up Michael Clifford could not counter Kerslake’s consistent draw shot play and surrendered 14 -25.
Mildura’s Mark Eckel, fancied by some to be a real chance for the title, struggled to outwit Kerslake with a variation of mat placements and jack lengths.
Again the Nangiloc bowler settled about the business of singles play, good solid draw shot bowls, applying the pressure and ultimately saluting with a 25-18 quarter-final win.
Sunday morning’s semi-final match-up against Merbein’s Sean Fullerton (who had knocked out defending champion and five-time winner, Glenn Scott in a no holds barred 25 -24 slug fest quarter-final) was also to feel the heat of the Kerslake draw shot as Fullerton surrendered 19-25.
Underbool’s Steve Simmonds was to be Kerslake’s final opponent.
He had defeated Ouyen’s Geoff Hahnel 25-18 in the morning semi to gain entry to the main dance.
After eight ends in the final Kerslake had set up an 8-4 lead before Simmonds responded, winning a brace of ends to square the score line at 8-all.
Kerslake seized on a lapse in concentration by his opponent to score seven unanswered shots across the next three ends to lead 15-8.
It was game on when Simmonds regrouped and narrowed the scoreline to 12-15, but Kerslake responded once again and seized back the advantage to lead 22-12 and ultimately claimed the title 25-13.
