ONE of the leading bowlers at the Lithgow City Bowling Club has had a busy period, starting with success in the club's triples championship to add to his singles and pairs titles.
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Multi title winner Jeff Madden started a hectic few days when he skipped Dave Robson and Richard Forbes to annexing the 2020 triples title, surviving a late surge from Mike Johnson, Col Wotton and Athol Roach to win 26-25.
Both teams came through the play-off rounds without the benefit of any byes, Madden overcoming some strong opposition, including teams skipped by John Perry and Ian Birk, while Johnson defeated Frank Mierczak and Peter Rutherford on the way to the final.
The final was a seesaw affair, Madden in front for the first quarter at 7-4 before four successful ends had Johnson in the lead at 9-7.
Johnson saw his lead gradually diminish to the point where Madden held what appeared to be a match winning lead at 25-17 after 18 ends.
It was at this point that Johnson started a bold comeback to win four of the last five ends including a four on the penultimate end to trail 23-26.
Despite winning the final end, Johnson and his team were unable to get any more than two shots on the last end to go down 25-26.
After a few days rest it was then off to Bathurst on Saturday to contest the sectional play offs in the Zone 4 Champion of Club Champions singles event, coming up against Manildra bowler Ben Allcorn.
The afternoon game on the Bathurst City green was not a successful one with Madden going down 31-17.
Ian Townsend will join Madden in contesting the zone pairs section two champion of champions event on November 14 where they will face off against the Coonabarabran pairing of Troy Brown and Brett Bowman.
Following on from his unsuccessful trip to Bathurst it was back on to the City greens on Sunday for Madden to compete in the City Club's four championships where he teamed with Gary Sutherland, Gary Bender and Gil Mendoza to down Ian Birk, Richard Forbes, Fred Crowther and Lionel Johnson 30-14.
This has put Madden on a collision course with his pairs partner Ian Townsend who has Col Wotton, Jim Bannerman and Graham Pitt in his side.
Townsend and team earned they way into the semi final with 28-20 victory over Scott Achurch, Josh Sharwood, Barry Achurch and Eric Fitzgerald.
Michael Hughes, Frank Mierczak, Jim Kelly and Scott Van der Dray also are through to the semi finals following their 20-15 win over Stan Campbell, Jack Rayner, Peter Kearney and Don Kenniff.
Dave Robson and partners Davie Hunter, a substitute for Angus MacKinnon and Bill Anderson were the final quartet to make the semi finals when they defeated the Brown family of Anthony, Michael and David combined with M Bennett in a game that got under way late on Sunday.
In first round match ups Achurch and his team won 20-16 over Ritchie Bilby, Paul Crane, Jeff Brown and Graham Corney while Ian Birk narrowly defeated Bob Brown, Joe Banasiak, Kerry Clarke and Ray Sharwood 17-16.
Mixed in with all the championship games have been the social bowlers who also took advantage of good bowling conditions.
Last week's mid week men's bowls went to Bob Gallaher, Peter Kearney and Kerry Clarke with a big clubhouse score of 18+33, beating out the 16+13 from John Lang, Darrell Campbell and John Perry with a winning score that would normally be considered good enough to take top money.
The Thursday men's twilights were washed out but Friday's mixed bowls went ahead with a 13+15 win to Pam Rivett, Neville Turner and Cheryl Wotton, second place going to Kathy Haley, Anne Anderson and Les Barnes with 11+12.
Ian Birk combined with Col Wotton and Mick Bright to take out Saturday's men's event with 16+18, beating home the 15+17.
The fours game comprising Madden, Sutherland, Bender and Mendoza took out Sundays' mixed event with 15+16 with Warren Kennedy, Pam Johnson and Vicki Howard filling the runners up spot with 15+12.
Tuesday's twilight bowlers finally got back onto the green after a break created by Melbourne Cup Day and then poor weather.
Winning 11 of the 14 ends with a margin of plus 15 gave Graham Pitt, Phil Kellond and Jean Gurney the top spot from the pairing of Kerry Clarke and Marg Gibbons with 8+4.
A sheet is now on the men's locker room noticeboard for members to put their names down for the annual presentation and hamper day, to be held this year on Sunday, December 13.
