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SGT
Bruce Kerr, of RAAF Base Richmond, leads the winning charge
against Navy with his 32-9 win in the interservice section
of the Australian Services Bowls Association championships.
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NSW
Air Force lawn bowlers have won the interstate component of the
national championships after a faultless game, but Air Force experienced
a sense of déjà vu when a strong Army team eclipsed
them in the finals of the interservice competition.
The Australian Services Bowls Association’s events attracted
67 players for the interstate component. They formed five teams
across Services from NSW, Queensland, the ACT, Northern Territory
and the Barbarians.
The latter comprised Victorian and South Australian players supplemented
by reserves from other States. The ACT and NT also complemented
their teams with reserve players from other States.
NSW remained undefeated throu-ghout the competition, finishing
with eight points. The pairs team of Air Force’s Corporal
Tony Tapper and Army’s Private Dennis Roff did not lose a
game, nor did the fours teams, one of which was skippered by Flight
Lieutenant Damien Kroek.
The Barbarians were second with five points following a one-shot
74-73 over NT and a tie with ACT. Air Force Sergeant Scott Kohler’s
26-12 win was balanced by Corporal Bruce Hopkins’ 28-9 victory.
Third place went to Queensland. Despite their losses to NSW and
the Barbarians, they had fine performances against ACT and NT,
losing only the pairs.
ACT claimed fourth spot, with a win over NT and a tie with Barbarians.
The tie was made possible by the close scores of Air Force’s
Sergeant John Hicking and Army’s Warrant Officer 2 Gary Kern,
18-19.
NT failed to win a contest, but their players achieved some solid
individual victories. Air Force’s Sergeant Scott Bourne rolled
Barbarians 18-12 and Corporal Paul Rackley took a sound 21-12
win over ACT.
In the interservice competition, Air Force repeated last year’s
start by beating Navy 123-71. Corporal Michael Petersen, SGT Kohler
and Sergeant Bruce Kerr led the Air Force assault with 31-6, 27-11
and 32-9 wins respectively.
Navy did not register a solitary rink win against Army so Air
Force and Army faced off for the final in a repeat of 2003. The
final round produced the same outcome – a win to Army, this
time 92-79. The only Air Force winner from the finals was SGT
Kerr (21-17).
The events were held from September 13-17.
Team
goes down to the grove
SEVEN
Air Force players and three reserves were part of a combined Services
team that lost to a Ferny Grove team.
The game was played in Brisbane at the end of the Australian Services
Bowls Association’s championships.
The Services team could not match the calibre of the Ferny Grove
team, which included several premier league players. They won
all four rinks, but by small margins of between two and six. The
result was 76-91.
The team included Flight Lieutenant Damien Kroek, Sergeants John
Hicking, Shaun Keitel, Keith Pritchard, Bruce Kerr and Scott Kohler,
and Corporals Brendan Attwood, Michael Petersen, Steve Crockett
and Tony Tapper.
The Arafura Games team has also been selected. CPL Attwood, SGT
Kohler, SGT Kerr, FLTLT Kroek, SGT Hicking, CPL Petersen and CPL
Tapper were selected.
