Congratulations to Aaron Clark who defeated Geoff Anderson 150/106 in the final of the Consistency Singles on Sunday Morning. This now wraps up the Season proper, just in time for our presentation morning Sunday December 17.

A Nomination sheet has been posted on the Club Notice Board and to assist caterer Ronny it would be appreciated if those attending the Free barbecue Luncheon around 1pm, plonk there name down Sooner rather than Later.

This invitation to lunch is extended to all including, “hubbys”, wives, partners and the children. So why not come along and acknowledge your champions, have a nice lunch a couple of refreshments and enjoy the comradery.

Social Bowls this week saw just 9 take to the green Thursday, whilst a mere 8 graced us for the chook run on Sunday morning, must be that time of the year when members have a heap of “stuff” happening. Anyhow the results went something like this.

On Thursday Cliff “anyone seen my Bowls” Harris using a foreign set proved still to good, as he and partner Danny Carnivale had a comfortable win 30/11 over Noel & Dave to clinch all the chocolates on offer, whilst on Sunday Danny made it a nice double for the week when he teamed up with Trent to get the day’s best card, courtesy of a solid 18/11 win over Bob & Ben.

With Christmas just around the corner president Kevie has organised a few extra’s in the shape of Raffles the next couple of weeks, commencing this Thursday December 14 with some 25 Hams to be won. Saturday Night will see the drawing of our Hamper raffle with some $1000.00 worth of Groceries to be won, and then just to wrap it all up in a nice bow Thursday December 21 the club will host a “Monster or Bonus” raffle in conjunction with our normal raffle. Some extra $2000.00 worth of prizes will be up for grabs, so all in all the little old “Bowly” is definitely the place to be this month.  

A Nomination sheet for intending pennant players has been posted on the club notice board for the last month now, and suffice to say the “Noms” received to date are not as good as we had hoped.

With Trials to organise early in the year it would be appreciated if you intend to play Pennants for Narromine Bowling Club in 2018, please wander up to the Club and plonk your name on the list. Only those who nominate will be selected for the trials and or pennants, so to avoid the disappointment of missing out sooner rather than later should be your appointment to wander up to club and ensure a start.

Well it’s been full on for some of our “fishermen” of late, but a couple of them are obviously out of practice, with one member telling me a member of their fishing club was trying to catch them the other day with the bait & hook still on the Bank, I know their biting, but really Riley?

Well that’s all for me this week hope to catch up with you up at the “Bowly” for a quite sherbet or two.   

NARROMINE

Sunday December 10, the mighty Narromine District Cricket team travelled down to Orange to take on the Blue Mountains in the final of the Western Zone Plate to determine the best town the Western Zone for smaller towns and associations.

Just getting to the final in this competition was a fantastic effort for a Narromine which only boasts 16 registered cricketers and we would be taking on a team that could draw players from a much more densely populated area.

The day didn’t get off to a great start with one of the junior members only waking up at the time the bus was meant to leave.

On arrival at the Orange Country club oval, to a beautiful day for cricket and a pitch that looked great to bat on, the day didn’t get much better as Captain Kerr promptly lost the toss and was asked to have a bowl.

Fortunes looked to be turning around in the third over as Bart Goodman collected the first wicket for the day to have the mountain men 1 for none. The mountain men progressed steadily to the 9th over before Goodman picked up the second wicket with the score on 40. The Narromine boys were looking good.

This however was where the joy ended for the next 27 overs with the number 3 and 4 batsman for Blue Mountains (who we were informed played grade cricket in Sydney) combined for and 157 run partnership.

The Narromine lads showed great commitment in the field and never gave up, and their efforts were well rewarded when Kerr dismissed the number 3 in a chanceless innings of 120 just after the second drinks break. He also picked up the number 4 for 68 shortly after.

Narromine gradually collected more wickets in the last session, the innings finished with the Blue Mountains posting 7/311 off the 50 overs which at one stage looked like it could’ve been 350+. Bart Goodman finished with 3 wickets and a run out, Kerr collected 2 and Sambo picked up 1. With plenty of batting depth, Narromine’s finest thought it was an achievable chase on a flat deck and fast outfield.

The chase didn’t get off to a great start losing the early wicket of Lachie Reid with the score on 0, and then his fellow opener Dan Holland with the score on 19. Adam Davis and Kale Bock then began to breathe some life back into the innings with a handy 30 run partnership before Davis was dismissed for 17.

Bock was batting beautifully and combined with Kerr and things were looking good at the first drinks break with Narromine poised nicely at 3/95. Confidence was high.

Unfortunately, Kerr was bowled not long after drinks were taken for a well-made 32. Bock continued on his merry way and all Narromine needed was to keep wickets in hand and bat around him.

He and Jakob Short put together a handy 40 run partnership before Short was dismissed, Matt Hull was sent in to feed Bock the strike but fell quickly, Bronson Barker (21) put on 44 for the seventh wicket but once he fell it became a bridge too far.

Bock was the 9th batsman to fall for an outstanding 86 with the score on 194. Eventually the boys were all out for 205 in the 39th over.

It was an outstanding effort by the Narromine men, who never gave up with either bat or ball. Narromine shire should be extremely proud of the way the cricket team represented our area, the competitive effort that they put in, and the way they conducted themselves on the field (and the bus trip home)

Thanks must go to Simmo Beer, our outstanding bus driver, all the families and friends that came down to cheer us on, Western Zone Cricket for putting on a great day and Bob Walsh at the team at the USMC for their ongoing support of Narromine Cricket.

The inter town competition will halt now until January when the boys will begin to try and get their hands on the elusive Brewery Shield, with games against Dubbo, Cobar and Wellington. Hope everyone has a safe and merry Christmas.

NARROMINE

Last Saturday we had 21  starters in a 4BBB sponsored by George Mack which was won by Blake Richardson & Bud Cape with 54 points. Runners-up on a count back were Col Shepherdson & Dudley Alcorn with 49 points  & third was Toby & Ben Rush also with 49 points. NTPs 9th Bud Cape & 10th Col Shepherdson.

On Sunday we had 26 starters in an Irish Stableford sponsored by the Fishing Club. 

Ross & Carole King had 74 points to win from Steve Gillette & Josh Coen on 72 points. Third was Tony & Duane Mann with 67 points & fourth were Greg Barling & Vicki Gainsford on 66 points. NTPs 9th Tony Harding & Vicki Gainsford  10th Rob Williams & Vicki Gainsford.

Last Tuesday Night Comp we had 99 starters &  the best team were the Leftovers with 88 points. Best scores came from Andrew MacQueen 27, Nelson Mill 25, Keith Hemsworth 24, Charlie Burrowes 23, Chris Samuels 23, Bob Fletcher 23, Dave Paine 23, Rob Williams 23, Michael Treseder 23 & Geoff Johnson 23. NTPs 9th Tracey McIntyre, 10th Mike Gordon & 17th Rob Williams.

Don’t forget the Golf Club Xmas Party this Friday Night with hams & hampers raffled off.

This weekend the golf has been changed around with the Foursomes Scratch & Handicap on Saturday & the 4 Ball Aggregate on Sunday.

HARDING AND FRASER WIN LOCAL COMPETITION

On Saturday last some 20 Geriatric Golfers turned up for the weekly nine hole competitions played on the "Royal Narromine" course which has responded wonderfully well from the recent rain and is in excellent condition thanks to the volunteer course staff who are doing a great job for the Club.

Nine ladies took part  in their competition played in the back nine with Dale Harding recording an excellent score of 26 points to take the event from Vicki Gainsford on 25. Michelle Ashdown won two Srixon golf balls for her effort in winning the ladies NTP.

Apologies for the mix up in last weeks results, Marie Houghton and not Marie Bishop took out second place in that weeks results.

In the Men's event, there were 11 players and it was a battle between the former westerners for victory.Ex Bourke golfer Malcolm (Boof) Fraser on 26 stableford points won from Ex Cobar golfer Bruce Mitchell 23 points on a count back from Bill Burke.

"Boof " also won the men's NTP which this week was only worth one golf ball. No doubt the handicapper will be looking closely at the handicaps of the winners before next week.

In the Pool competition Bill Burke and Terry Willis played Chris Harding and Tiger Berryman in the preliminary round. Willis and Burke advanced to the final with a convincing win where they went on to play Ross King and Bob Fletcher.

King and Fletcher played a valiant match to take the title of champions for the week thus ending the two weekly reign of you know who.

In al it was a very pleasant morning enjoyed by all who attended.

Don't forget the Xmas match on December 23 with special prizes.

Next Saturday the ladies will play the front nine and the blokes will take on the back nine with the hit off at 9.00am. Hope to see you all on the tee.

MACQUARIE CLUB NAMES FEATURE RACE IN NAME OF LATE JOCKEY’S MEMORY

Those involved with western region picnic racing were some of the many who were shattered last week when much-admired jockey Samara Johnson died as a result of a single-vehicle accident outside of Junee.

Canberra-based Johnson died at the scene while her partner, trainer Garry Kirkup, was seriously injured and remains in hospital in a stable condition after being brought out of an induced coma last Tuesday.

Johnson was a regular on the picnic circuit and those at the Macquarie Picnic Racing Club at Trangie have come together to honour her memory.

The annual Macquarie Picnic meeting, to be run on December 29, was due to be the next meeting Johnson would ride at but instead other jockeys will compete for a Cup named in her memory.

Sponsored by Three Rivers Machinery, the 1400m main event will be known as the Samara Johnson Memorial Macquarie Picnic Cup.

Johnson starred at last year’s edition of the Macquarie Picnics, booting home four winners including Dalheroin the Cup for Cowra trainer Neil Smart.

The four victories last year were special for a number of reasons as Johnson also gave trainers Sarah McCilrick, from Parkes, and Dubbo-based Micaela Wheeler their first winners with Oxford Art and As Easy As respectively.

In a promising career that was cut short, Johnson scored feature wins in the Picnic Cups at Lockhart, Harden, Tullibigeal, Macquarie, Ardlethan, Grenfell, Boorowa, and Young. The meeting at Trangie later this month will be emotional for many involved.