2019 Welch Trophy - Day Two

Summerset Retirement Villages
5 September 2019, 17:18

WELCH TROPHY – DAY TWO

SESSION TWO

 Auckland Indoor Bowls representatives are at the top of the field by five points after the second of five sessions at the 68th Welch Trophy inter-district indoor bowls national final being held at the Pukekohe Cosmopolitan Club.

They have taken the lead with an excellent round of pairs winning three games while North Taranaki dropped back by only scoring one win. Otago improved their position by also winning three games to move into third just half a point ahead of  Hutt Valley.

Progress standings at this stage Auckland 48, North Taranaki 43, Otago 36, Hutt Valley 35.5, Canterbury 31.5 and Tauranga 22.

The leading players after two sessions  are Steve Fisher, Auckland six wins, Rodney Mills, AK 5 wins and a draw, Neil Gash AK and Dennis Behrent 5 wins each.

SESSION THREE

North Taranaki and Auckland are locked at the top of the leader board  in the 68th Welch Trophy inter-district indoor bowls national final at the Pukekohe Cosmopolitan Club

After three sessions of the scheduled five both North Taranaki and Auckland have 63  points each followed by Otago 59, Hutt Valley 51.5, Canterbury 50 and Tauranga 37.5.

After two sessions Auckland had a five point lead. The third session was an enthralling one in which both of the leaders won  one game each of fours. The singles saw North Taranaki catch up to Auckland by winning six games and drawing one to Auckland’s three wins and two draws and then both won one game of pairs each.

North Taranaki has an eight point advantage on ends should a count back be required to decide the winner.

Otago had an excellent round winning all four games to bring them into third with 59 points while Canterbury had two wins and a draw.

The leading players at this stage are Dennis Behrent, North Taranaki seven wins, Simon Poppleton, Auckland 6.5 wins and Alister Wilson NT, Daniel Sinclair OT, Daniel Sinclair OT, Rodney Mills AK, Brandon Williams OT, Nicholas Sinclair OT and Marcus Trlin HV all on six wins each.

SESSION FOUR

Otago has come from behind to snatch the lead for the first time after four rounds of the scheduled five in the 68th Welch Trophy inter-district national final at the Pukekohe Cosmopolitan Club on Saturday

At the end of the second day’s play with one session remaining the points are Otago 83, Auckland 82, North Taranaki 80, Hutt Valley 69.5, Canterbury 63 and Taurang 54.5.

In a dramatic round of fours Otago and Auckland won both of their games. This allowed Auckland to retain the lead at that stage but Otago suddenly became a contender when they moved in to second equal place with North Taranaki which had started out with a hiss and roar on Friday night to lead after the first session.

In the fourth round of singles  North Taranaki scored ten points to Auckland’s eight and Otago’s seven. At this stage Auckland held a two point lead over North Taranaki with Otago in third.

However the pairs saw Otago win three games to North Taranaki and Auckland’s one to propel them into the lead.

The final session on Sunday morning is sure to be a nail biting cliffhanger with the Welch Trophy on the line.