Denison win Batavia Bowling League women’s pennants grand final at home, beating Geraldton Gold

Denison are the best in the Mid West.

The Seagulls have taken out the Batavia Bowling League women’s pennants title on their home turf.

The side beat Geraldton Gold by 20 shots on Wednesday, avenging their loss to Northampton in the 2021 grand final.

The match finished 46-26.

The grand final was not without drama. Geraldton Gold had to field a rink of three following a late withdrawal of a player through injury.

The quartet of Pat Belcher, Michelle Leeson, Robyn Watts and Gloria Nelson led the charge, with the side in complete control on their way to a match-defining 26-8 win over Fiona Panting, Pam Batten and Barbara Grieve.

The match between Marie Eaton, Sandi Crabb, Anne Carlshausen and Anne Doy and Fay Sudilowski, Annette Foster, Phyllis Hayward and Sue Smith went to the wire.

The 20-18 result was a fitting end to the long, six-month journey to premiership honours.

Denison finished the home-and-away season in third place on percentage, and lived up to the finals hype with a quality two days of precise bowls.

They took three consecutive victories on the way to a memorable premiership and celebrations.

The unbending pennant ruling that does not allow for a replacement player able to take the field affected the final.

The Gold rink was reduced to playing six bowls each against to the opposition’s eight.

To their credit all of the eight Denison and seven Geraldton competitors brought their best to the green.

It followed a surprise upset.

Top-ranked side Northampton had looked on the cusp of back-to-back premierships after losing just one match during the season.

But the Ewes suffered defeat at the hand of Geraldton Gold by two shots in the second semifinal.

They then went down by a solitary shot to Denison and were eliminated.

The second division final between Geraldton Gold and Denison Blue was decided by 14 shots.

Gold claimed both rinks to end a quality season.

They had taken a direct path to the finale, winning a sold eight-shot victory over Denison White to consign them to a preliminary against Blue, their sister side.

The result was a near mirror image, with the Blues successful by seven shots.

In the grand final, Kaye Criddle, Wendy Chester, Glenda O’Donnell and Janet Messina beat Glenda McBeath 22-14.

The division’s best quartet of the season, Liz Boyle, Kerry McIlwaine, Elaine Reid and Elaine Wrensted, ending on a high with a 23-17 result and ultimately the premiership flag.