THE number crunch - a sign of the times for most country sports - has hit Central Midlands bowls with a bang.
In a move to fill positions each week in the pennant competition, playing numbers have been slashed by a quarter.
Far from the heydays of Central Midlands when they sported a strong first division of nine sides and had plenty left over for a vigorous second division, the malaise started to creep into the association with the decision to cut out the second division.
With the then established competition of nine sides in one division, each side required four rinks of four - a total of 144 bowlers.
But as the years proregressed, most clubs were finding it increasingly difficult to field the required numbers each week.
The all-male bastion quickly fell away with the inclusion of women bowlers to make up sides but even with this, rinks were still “undermanned” which required penalty shots deducted if only three appeared of the four bowlers required on a rink.
Apart from the confusion, the situation did not settle well with a few when some of the women “fill-ins” were of a higher calibre than most of the men.
A solution has been seen, for this season, in the reduction of four rinks of four to three rinks.
This amounts to a paring of the hitherto 144 bowlers to 108 - a 25 percent decrease.
All but Kalannie welcomed or were complacent with the move.
The initiation certainly eased Dalwallinu’s problems with the loss of some big names in Ken Jolly, Laurie Donnes and John Roach among a few others.
Wongan Hills has increasingly felt the pinch and the reigning premiers Ballidu claim to have lost a couple, while Calingiri, who initiated the move were in a similar situation.
But perhaps hardest hit by the numbers game was Buntine with their lack of population resources making it virtually impossible to find 16 bowlers each week.
Interestingly, in their first pennant match over the weekend, they found the now required 12 when it was predicted they wouldn’t.
So what does this do for the competition? Central Midlands is yet to find out.
Initially the battles appeared to be fairly even with no big run-aways apart from a golden day for Moora at Buntine and of the 24 rinks involved over the weekend, nine were within six shots, which included two rinks, drawn.
While a selector’s life may have become easier for the present in finding numbers, they may have also reaped the whirlwind of further decreasing numbers as the itinerant bowlers lose interest in the sport if they can’t get a game.
Encouraging start for Moora
Last season, Moora earned (deservedly or not) the title of winning at home on their carpet and floundering away.
But last weekend they scotched that theory, for the present, when they took Buntine to the wire with only Buntine’s Trevor Reudavey’s 23-23 draw with Bill Hobden saving a whitewash of the hosts.
Whether Moora is to be calculated as the new force in the competition or Buntine struggling is yet to be fathomed as where Moora’s Bruce Manning managed only three over a competitive Ray Anderson, Moora’s icing came with Mick Rodan’s 17 over Phil Southcott.
Whichever way, it is an encouraging start for Moora, especially with their presumed home ground advantage against another good starter in Dally Green, this coming weekend.
Dally Green’s intentions known
Pipped at the post for a premiership last year, Dalwallinu Green let their intentions be known for this season with a convincing 5/1 over Calingiri and on Calingiri’s turf.
It was only Ian Wood’s side which saved face for Calingiri with their two shots over Green’s newcomer skipper in Brad Glover.
But as Noel Whyte managed three over Calingiri’s Paul Spowart, Green’s Kingsley Toster’s 30 over Richard Smith fell into the greed department contributing to a 31-shot-difference in the aggregate.
Calingiri may be coming to terms, for the moment, with the loss of Nigel Marshall and Harry Hawkins.
Nothing new from Red and Blue
The Wongan Hills derby between Red and Blue proved little to the competition except they are both fairly even.
How that rates against the rest of Central Midlands we are yet to find out.
Red’s Don Macpherson’s six over Don Dellar was countered by Peter Breen’s six over the club’s leading skipper from last season, Gary McCagh.
The difference in the two sides was seen in Norm Wass’ aggregate winning four over Don Jones with the notation Wass was seen as a Red follower as opposed to the previous season’s Blue.
Resting on laurels
Reigning premiers Ballidu appear, at this stage, to be resting on their laurels if their 1.5-4.5 loss to Dally White at Dally is to confirm.
Easy to accept Glen Jones’ (returning after claiming last season was his last) 23-23 draw with Wayne Sermon and Daryl Sermon’s one shot over Willy Lines but to see Ballidu’s formidable Chris Leahy capitulate 22 shots to Gordon McNeill for the 21-shot aggregate loss was hard to fathom.
Perhaps falls into the early season dyspepsia category.
Results
Dalwalli nu White 4.5 (87) d Ballidu 1.5 (66): Willy Lines 22 lost to Daryl Sermon 23, Gordon McNeill 37 d Chris Leahy 15, Glen Jones 28 drew with Wayne Sermon.
Dalwallinu Green 5 (83) d Calingiri 1 (52): Brad Glover 19 lost to Ian Woods 21, Kingsley Toster 38 d Richard Smith 8, Noel Whyte 26 d Paul Spowart 23.
Wongan Red 5 (79) d Wongan Blue 1 (75): Don Macpherson 28 d Don Dellar 22, Norm Wass 25 d Don Jones 21. Gary McCagh 26 lost to Peter Breen 32.
Moora 5.5 (83) d Buntine .5 (63): Bruce Manning 24 d Ray Anderson 21, Bill Hobden 23 drew with Trevor Reudavey, Mick Rodan 36 d Phil Southcott 19.
Leading skippers
It’s early days, but to a few it’s important to mention them now in case they are never called on again.
Jumping out of the blocks is Dally Green’s Kingsley Toster with a tidy 30 shots to spare, followed by club mate (White) Gordon McNeill (+22) and Moora’s Mick Rodan with +17.
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