Geraldton take charge of Batavia League Bowls as Wonthella Gold slide continues

Geraldton have taken control of the Batavia League Bowls competition as players returned to the greens for 2023. The Red side moved into second on the ladder after a comeback win over Northampton, 67-49. Northampton were hoping to catch the Reds out of step in the new year after taking the opening rink 19-16 but it proved to be a false dawn. The Reds crushed the second rink 23-12, leaving Northampton a mountain to climb but they could only fall further behind as the Reds took the final 28-18 to ease home to victory. It enabled them to close the gap with Geraldton Gold at the top of the ladder to six points as they suffered a heartbreaking loss to Geraldton Blue. Gold took the opening rink 18-14 but Blue fought back in a high-scoring second rink 30-24 to take a two-shot lead into the final rink. Nothing could separate the two sides in the final rink as they tied at 16 shots each, allowing Blue to take the match points by just two shots, 60-58. Denison Blue crushed Wonthella Maroon 76-39 as they swept the match, taking all six points and grabbing a healthy percentage boost with a 34-15 final rink. Mullewa did as expected and got over the top of the last-placed Denison White, easing to victory in the first two rinks 21-15 and 28-17. White did grab a point by winning the third 22-19 but continue to languish at the bottom of the ladder and have been playing for nothing but pride for some time. After bossing much of the first half of the Batavia League season, Wonthella Gold’s form continues to dip as they lost to their Green counterparts despite winning the opening rink 22-17. They lost the second by two shots and despite still holding a three-shot lead into the final rink they coughed up five shots to Green to give up match points and fall to third on the ladder. The women have only one more round to go, which will be played next Tuesday.