Baker bites back to reclaim title
Winners in 2011, the Seans were focused on etching their name in the shield again, and started well, scoring 9 unanswered points off four ends.
“There was no one thing, we just played well. There was a series of fortunate events that worked for us,” was the assessment of winning skip Baker.
As the sun beat down, Baker and Ingham’s score rose at a steady rate, converting tight heads to numerous twos and threes.
“When we drew heads, we went and sat on top of it. We often play conservative shots rather than silly shots. It gives our bowls a chance,” continued Baker.
But to their credit, Roy and Williams kept the Baker boys under pressure.
“We knew they’d be hard to beat. We probably played our best bowls earlier but today they out drew us, they were too good. Much too good,” conceded Roy.
The boys from the country just couldn’t get a toehold in the game despite some fantastic placings.
As the score reached 29-0, Roy posed his opposite number a question.
“We asked if he’d give us a chance, and he said ‘No.’ So our aim was just to get on the board,” joked Roy.
But just as they got one on the board, Williams conceded with a handshake.
“I wanted to do that 15 down,” said Williams, keeping his humour as the finalists shared a post game drink.
With one of the best scores in a State competition, Baker was still humble in his assessment.
“We’d never throw in the towel, but it was played in such a good spirit. It came off today, but we might be on the end of it next week.”
Roy had enjoyed the whole tournament.
“To get this far was fantastic, it does a lot for the small towns.”
While the scorecard suggests an easier victory than in the Fours, Baker is happy to add another gold medal to his collection.
John Fern and Bob Dobinson collected the Over 60’s Pairs after a match of attrition.
A 20-18 win is only half the story, as opponents Don Fowler and Wayne Chambers wouldn’t give up.
With the scores bouncing back and forth it would take the slightest opportunity to make a break and a team brave enough to run with it.
“We were happy to be here, didn’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves, so we stayed focused on what we were trying to do,” said Fern.
After sitting at 8-8, fortune favoured Fern, who, after being pegged back by five in the 12th, struck out and gained seven unanswered ends.
“It’s the finals. It’s often one up one down, then someone will get a break, that’s where we were fortunate.”
With 20-13 on the scoreboard and two ends to play, Fowler and Chambers gave the final a nervous ending.
But Fowler’s four in the last end not enough to seal victory, and Fern and Dobinson breathed a sigh of relief.
It was particularly pleasing for Fern whose father won the State Pairs in 1954.
