Denison and Northampton hold lead in Batavia Bowling League

With just four rounds of pennants bowls remaining in the season, the Batavia Bowling League entered the Christmas and New Year break with country sides Denison and Northampton holding a narrow but dominant lead. In one of the closest seasons in decades, the duo hold a four-point lead on fifth place. Denison claimed the match aggregate 39/37 last round, securing three and a half points to leapfrog their country cousins and take top billing. With Pat Belcher and Dion Delamotte completing the 21 ends on 18 shots each, the match came down to the efforts of Michelle Leeson, Lorraine Crowden, Sandi Crabb and Lisa Downing to declare the result with a cliffhanger 21/19 return against Kaye Burton, Eva Watson, Karen Drage and Pauline Forrester. Wonthella Gold held on to their mantle as finals contenders with a shock 23-shot aggregate victory to hang on to third place. The Golds have lost the two previous encounters against the Maroons by 33 and 26 respectively, and while this 3/1 (54/31) result was impressive, it perhaps is not a true form indicator. Geraldton Blue re-enter the top four after a lopsided 4/0 (60/23) result over sister side Gold. Both Blue rinks scored 30 shots with the result evident very early during the encounter. In the second division, consistent Wonthella Gold are close to locking away their finals campaign after notching up an eighth aggregate result from 11 matches. The ladies now hold a 4.5-point lead with plenty happening below them and just six points separating the remaining five squads. Denison moved to second after a single-shot win against Northampton while Geraldton Blue reignited their hopes with a shock 4/0 return over Geraldton Gold.