July 2002 Volume 83 Number 7 "serving the protectors"
Bowls
by Peter Baehnk

SA POLICE BOWLING CLUB

The singles competition at the Australian Police Bowling Carnival started well for the SAPBC. Three of its four competitors progressed past the first round. John McKnight was displaced to the plate competition, going down to Queensland’s Russell Harber by a close four-shot margin (25/21). The other three, Rex Heins, Lindsay Yeo and Trevor Gregory, each won through to a place in the two semi-finals.

Heins had a convincing win (25 shots to 18) against past singles winner, Noel Blake (Vic), in the first round. He then met Queensland’s club president, Kevin Kunst, in the second round, in which he produced a performance that wore Kunst down. The score line (25/21) ensured that Heins progressed to the third round, in which he met last year’s winner, Ian Miles (Vic). He was able to produce excellent draw shots and pinpoint drives to wear Miles down and win the game (25 shots to 16).

Yeo had progressed to the semi-final, playing only two games. The first, against Tony Horner (WA), proved to be a see-sawing game. Neither player was able to get a large break on the other. In the end, Yeo’s consistency shone through and earned him a win (25 shots to 20). Yeo then met the winner of the singles at the 2000Adelaide carnival. He defeated Trevor Mellotte (Vic) in that game by two shots (25 to 23) to join Heins in the semi-final.

Meanwhile, Gregory had also booked a place in the semi-finals, after defeating George Stewart (NSW) in a very close game (25/24), and Phil Stevens (Vic) in a one-sided affair (25/9).

At this stage, SAPBC team members were “taking bets” on which one of their three representatives would win the final.

In the first semi-final, Heins was too strong for Yeo and beat him convincingly (25/11). In the second, Gregory lost out to a very consistent Bob Bandy (WA). Bandy continued his form two days later when he met Heins in the final. Heins could not get started. In top form, Bandy had an answer for everything Heins tried and beat him at every turn. The score line (25 shots to 7), however, was no indication of the standard of play.

McKnight won his games in the singles plate competition to progress to the finals. His first game was against the 1997 singles championship winner, Craig Gardner (NSW). Gardner appeared off his game. Known for his aggressive style of play, he certainly drives at a head if he is down. In his game against McKnight, he missed with several of his “drives”, while McKnight concentrated on his “draw” game.

In the end, McKnight won that game (21 shots to 10). He then met Bernie Hett (WA), another player renowned for his “drives”. McKnight continued his tactic against Hett and won that game as well (25 shots to 18). He then faced off against Neil Dell (NSW).

The two played a very close drawing game, in which the lead changed several times. In the end, however, Dell’s consistency showed through while McKnight allowed his concentration to lapse briefly. Dell won the game (25 shots to 22).

The SAPBC team also fielded four teams in the triples championship. The triples of Graham Boyer, Danny Fitzgerald and Nick Zuvich progressed past their first-round game. The triples combination of Peter Baehnk (lead), Errol O’Leary (two) and Cos Cavaiuolo (skipper) managed to win their three games to book a berth in the final.

Their first two games, against the WA combination of skipper Terry Wright and Phil Stevens (Vic), proved to be morale-boosting wins, with score lines of 25 shots to 9 in each case (from 15 ends). The third game, against Russell Harber (Qld), was much closer – Cavaiuolo’s combination won by two shots (20 to 18).

Cavaiuolo and his team then faced off against the New South Wales combination of Joe Turner (lead), Ken Webb (two) and Roger Ford (skipper). The two leads, Baehnk and Turner, appeared to be well matched. This was their first final and their nerves were evident.

O’Leary and Webb were also well matched. Although this was Cavaiuolo’s first carnival, he bowled consistently. His efforts proved to be too consistent for Ford and the team was headed for a well-deserved win. Then, with a couple of ends to play, the team appeared to lose direction and dropped several shots in quick succession. With one end to play, the score line stood at 20-all. Baehnk, with his last bowl, put in a reasonably close shot which remained the difference between the sides at the end. Cavaiuolo and his team won (21 shots to 20).

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