Unkown quantities
Club bowlers gunning for glory at Qld Champion of Club Champions State Finals Queensland could have two all-new singles superstars tomorrow, with some little-known bowlers through to the 2014 Champion of Club Champions singles state finals at Toombul Bowls Club.
2010 champ Lynsey Clarke is the only truly household name among the finalists, with the Aussie captain set to face Mt Gravatt’s Debbie Logan in the women’s title showdown.
Both Clarke and Logan came through today’s sectional play undefeated, but it was far for easy, with both players pushed to the wire in qualifiers.
Clarke clocked up comfortable wins over Mackay Northern Beaches’ Sue Hunter in Round 1, 25-15, and Townsville Suburban’s Christine Robinson in Round 3, 25-13.
But her Round 2 clash with North Dalby’s Wendy Usher was a much tighter affair, with the Commonwealth Games champion scraping through, 25-20.
Logan had an even tougher run in Section 2, winning two of her three sectionals by just two shots.
A 13-shot victory over Biloela’s Alison Ogle, 25-12, was the highlight of Logan’s day.
It was a welcome relief after a nail-biting Round 1 clash with Bramble Bay’s Elizabeth McCleary, which Logan scraped through, 24-22.
Her Round 3 clash with Coolum Beach’s Brenda Balchin was just as intense, with Logan taking another two-shot win, 24-22.
Logan, a talented bowler in her own right, has been on the radar of state selectors for years, however she is yet to become a household name like her rival Clarke.
A win over the Australian skipper in tomorrow’s final might just be the start of an upward spiral for the Mt Gravatt ace.
MEN
If the women’s final has it share of star-power, then so does the men’s, albeit on a lesser scale.
Former Queensland rep and gun club bowler, Burleigh Heads’ Andrew Waddell, will take on little-known Springwood rep Harold Whitman in the singles shootout at Toombul.
Whoever wins will join a distinguished list of champions, with previous winners of the men’s crown including household names like Brett Willkie, Sean Baker, Kurt Brown, Brian Baldwin and Col Kelly.
Whitman (pictured) kicked off his campaign with a rousing 17-shot win over Stanthorpe’s Frank Taylor in Round 1, 25-8.
However, he was pushed to the wire in Round 2, with Bribie Island’s Anthony Griffith gaining on Whitman when the bell sounded, securing the Springwood bowler a three-shot win, 21-18.
And if that wasn’t nerve-wracking enough for Whitman, the Springwood ace had another dramatic “timed-out” win against Weipa’s Jason Selling in Round 3, edging out Selling by two, 22-20.
By comparison Waddell’s run to the final look cruisy, with the Burleigh Heads man clocking up double-digit wins over Mackay’s Tony Connor, 25-12, and Club Maroochy’s Paul Warren, 25-7.
Ducky (as he’s known to his friends) had a fight on his hands in Round 3, with Calliope Central’s Robert Withers determined to keep his unbeaten run intact and progress to the final.
But Whitman was too good in the end, despatching Withers 25-20 to reach tomorrow’s title match.
The 2014 Champion of Club Champions state singles final will kick off at Toombul Bowls Club on Brisbane’s north side at 9am tomorrow.
Click here for more info, including full results from today’s sectional rounds.
