Pavey prevails in thriller

Men''s champion Brad Pavey, Ryman Healthcare''s Janine Wilde and runner-up Garry Bowyer. (supplied)

Brad Pavey was crowned Ocean Grove Bowing Club men’s club champion last week.

The Ryman Healthcare men’s final was an epic clash between Pavey and Garry Bowyer, which went shot for shot all game.

The 20-year-old Pavey started the match as favourite but Bowyer clearly had no interest in pregame odds.

Bowyer looked like he was about to pounce at 23-21 in front before Pavey hit back. Pavey went into the penultimate end 24-23 and scored the single needed to add his name to the prestigious honour roll.

It was finals fever at OGBC which also saw Kim McConville and Faye Richardson crowned Ladies Club Pairs champions while Peter Patterson took out the Men’s Veterans title.

In conjunction with the three club finals the GBR Mixed Pairs final was played with two Ocean Grove teams taking part. Elaine Price and Gary Burkett battled it out with Marg Carroll and Matt Flapper with the latter earning the right to head to the State Championships in April.

OCEAN Grove 1 moved into top spot on the Geelong Bowls Region premier division ladder after its clash against Eastern Park was declared a washout.

Drysdale’s upset win over Queenscliff in the wet meant Ocean Grove overtook Queenscliff at the top of the premier division bowls ladder.

Ocean Grove Bowls Club coach Matt Flapper said his team was engaged in an intense contest before heavy rain forced play to be cancelled.

“We were locked in a tough battle with Eastern Park, second versus third with a lot to play for when the showers came,” Flapper said.

“It was on and off for a while and when we returned after ‘smoko’ it got heavier when the green was starting to pool up with surface water.

“We have a duty of care to all players and when discussed with the greens staff we decided the surface would take too long to return to a playable standard and we were forced to abandon play.”