Club says goodbye to grass

The green, green grass of home can no longer be said of the Northampton Bowling Club.

The sole grass surface remaining at Northampton was used for the final time last weekend, when 24 teams met there for the 2021 Yuna men’s triples.

The playing surface will soon be replaced with a synthetic green.

Players representing most clubs in the Batavia Bowling League met for a fitting farewell to the grass green, one of the oldest in the Mid West.

Many had mixed feelings as the green held many special memories.

And the memories will last forever for players from the Geraldton Bowling Club, supplying the top three placings in the nigh-on capacity field.

Merv Grigsby, Garry Cosgrove and John Burnett claimed the major prize with a impressive return of plus 39 shots in a near faultless display, the trio being undefeated in four matches.

Coming second with plus 29 shots, and also not lowering their colours, were Warwick Glenister, Brian Wright and former Northampton and now Geraldton legend Ian Thomas.

Trevor Smythe, Les Panting and Benjo Brennan also won their four games and completed the hat-trick for the city-based club.

The home base side of Vic Forrester, Allan Carson and Eric Simkin claimed the morning round with a solid plus 13 shots from two victories with the composite combination of Neville Simmonds, Alan Cragan and Wes Jones claiming the afternoon contests with a return of two wins plus five shots.

Lawn bowling action swings from a centre north of Geraldton to one south.

The two-day Kailis fours is the gala event of the season at Denison, again attracting players from the metropolitan area.