Lee Schraner skipped his team of Josh Walker-Davis, Hayden Bojkowski and Jake Rynne to the $30,000 first prize and BCIB Club Dubbo International Fours last weekend.

The weather contributed to some outstanding lawn bowls as international players from Northern Ireland, Fiji, Norfolk Island and New Zealand plied their skills and exercised trigonometry and fine hand-eye skills on rinks superbly turned out by Greenkeeper Darren Connolly and his staff.

The winners were one of many composite teams with players from NSW, Qld and Tasmania pooling their skills to claim the biggest pay day of their careers.

Bowlers flew in from Western Australia and travelled from all over the state through floods and rain-damaged roads.

The prize pool of $100,000 was spread across three tiers of eight teams determined after three consecutive days. Each team played six games consisting of 15 ends before the three finals pools - Cup, Shield and Plate - were decided.

In front of a huge crowd that scrambled for viewing points both inside and outside the clubhouse, team Scranef defeated the hot favourites, Barrie Lester, Dean McWhinney, Corey Wedlock and Gary Kelly (Burleigh Heads, Warilla), in a classic final. The winners had to overcome two recent Commonwealth Games medallists to clinch the Cup by 16 shots to 7.

Tournament Director Anthony Brown says the field was of the highest quality.

“The BCIB sponsored event featured a strong field of international, interstate and local talent, and the standard of bowls throughout was outstanding. The players and Bowls Australia officials were full of praise for the competition, with Club Dubbo now looking to make the tournament an annual event on the world circuit.”

Anthony was joined by Australian coaches and former World Champions Karen Murphy and Steve Glasson for a stunning announcement.

“With the World Lawn Bowls Championships being held in Australia in September next year, club officials are seriously considering staging the tournament at the conclusion of these championships, thus injecting an even stronger international flavour.”

The hard-working Club Dubbo Bowls committee under the astute direction of Glenn Morrison, Tony Spiers, Ros Gilmore and Deb Brown ensured a seamless event was conducted despite many variables caused by some bowlers unable to get to Dubbo because of the floods.

This event delivered on a vision by Club Dubbo, BCIB and Bowls NSW who announced the prestigious event during the Covid pandemic.

“Once we had made the decision and locked in our sponsors, we were always going to provide a showcase of our city, the western region and our wonderful band of bowlers, Anthony said.

Anthony praised Darren Connolly and his green keepers, Club Dubbo caterer Kel Anderson, bar staff and the many volunteers who took on countless tasks to make everyone comfortable.

“Of course, our bar staff and front of house team led by Tim Farrell all added to the success of the tournament.”

He took time to again thank key people.

“The Club would also like to thank our Major Sponsor BCIB INSURANCE BROKERS (Steve Glasson, Karen Murphy, Ian Hooper and Brett Duprez) for their support and involvement”

Results:

After the six preliminary rounds on Thursday and Friday, the top 24 teams were seeded in the three groups of eight based on their rankings.

Cup Finals:

First $30000: Josh Walker-Davis, Hayden Bojkowski, Jake Rynne and Lee Schraner (Tasmania, Queensland, NSW);

Second $10000: Dean McWhinney, Barrie Lester, Corey Wedlock, Gary Kelly (Burleigh Heads & Warilla);

Third (equal) $5400 each: Harley McDonald, Lee Stinson, Jeremy Henry, Aaron Teys (Taren Point, Warilla); Dean Tinley, Phil Reynolds, Ian Law, Blake Nairn (WA, Queensland, NSW)

Fifth (equal) $4000: Michael Phillips, Kyle Hansen, Beau Prideaux, Nathan Black (Bowls Australia Pathway Group); Jono Davis, Damien Jeffery, Adam Jeffery, Matt Sargeant (Dubbo Macquarie, Mount Lewis, Raymond Terrace); Michael Clarke, Peter Harry, Darren Morrison, Shawn Thompson (Merrylands); Cameron Cooper, Ashley Mitchell, David Ferguson, Ben Twist (St Johns Park);

Shield Finals:

First $3600: Tom Hull, Russ Taylor, Shane Pascoe, Shane Garvey (Corrimal, Towradgi Park)

Second $2600: Matt Johnstone, Greg Jeans, Jake Graham, Shannon Gittoes (Newcastle).

Third (equal) $2200 each: Dallas Crockett, Ben Atterton, Matt Goodwin, Matt Norris (Dubbo City, Lorn Park); Fred Ayoub, John Green, Ben Glasson, Nathan Wise (Mount Lewis)

Fifth (equal) $2000: Dennis Williams, Doug Newton, Rod Dixon, Scott Hamilton (Inverell, Cabramatta); Sam Barkley, Simon Beggs, Ali Coleman, Adam McKeown (Northern Ireland); Tes Gorrie, Leisa Burton, Mark Gorrie, Chris O’Neil (Newcastle, Dubbo Macquarie); Shane Rowlands, Ron Donahue, Richard Duncan, David Ivanoff (Narrandera).

Plate Finals:

First $1800: James Berriman, Tony Speirs, Tim Farrell, Karen Murphy (West Dubbo, Cabramatta).

Second $1600: Chris Wallace, David Inglis, Neil Dalrymple, Gary Willis (Bowls Australia)

Third (equal) $1400 each: Tim Crampton, Ross Maguire, Bruce Lack, David Quigley (Zone 8); Cooper Dart, Gavin Dart, James Robinson, Tim Wilkinson (West Dubbo).

Fifth (equal) $1200: Alan Tighe, Darren Richards, Don Morgan, Shannon Tighe (Lightning Ridge); Kate Matthews, Kate Argent-Bowden, Chloe Morrison, Cass Millerick (Bowls Australia Emerging Squad); Steven Green, Daniel Hill, Jarrod Duncan, Richard Girvan (Newcastle); Warren Murray, Phil Morrow, Liam Morrow, Stan Russ (Composite Zone 4).

Day 1 Best Card $1200: Craig Troth, Tom Furey, Daniel Seton, Glenn Seton (Molong, Parkes, Condobolin).

Day 2 Best Card $1200: Peter Walls, Tailor Appleby, Aaron Appleby, David Goven (Newcastle).

Lucky Draw $1200: Olaf Allen, Dana Vinod, Martin Fong, Sitiveni Tikoisuva (Fiji).