Fast Lane
story first published in the Central Western Daily, combined issue for Friday December 25 and Saturday 26 December, 1998.
Yes, it's that time of the year again! Time to look back on the events of 1998 from the Orange Tenpin Bowl, a year filled with exciting tournament action and plenty of big scores, including three 300 games.
Before we get started though there's some current news to get out of the way.
A meeting for all bowlers interested in playing in the Country Challenge series is set for Monday 11 January at 7pm. At this stage more bowlers are required for the competition that includes teams from Orange, Bathurst, Dubbo, Mudgee, Wagga, Canberra and Queanbeyan.
The first round will be held on 13-14 February in Canberra.
There are no scores to mention this week with all leagues on a holiday until mid January or later. The first leagues to start back in 1999 during the week commencing 11 January are the Tuesday Ladies Singles, Wednesday Doubles, Thursday Singles and both Friday evening leagues. Check the notice at the Bowl to confirm other league start dates.
Receiving a nice early Christmas present this week of a brand new bowling ball in the junior leagues competition was Charnelle Bowman from the Monday Juniors.
Qualifying continues for the Bob Jane T Mart and Harvey Norman no-tap tournament with Leo McKay still holding the leading score. The final will be bowled on 24 January.
January
The ninth annual New South Wales Country Championships were contested at the Mayfield Bowl in Newcastle and Orange's Chris Collins turned in a standout performance, smashing the B grade all-events record with a huge 1930/9 series, a 214 average.
Collins, after making rapid improvement the previous year started 1998 in excellent fashion, capturing the men's A grade doubles in a record breaking partnership with John Rapley, rolling 711 in the process. He won the B grade mixed teams, contributing 640, as well as the singles with a 579 block while he fired a 601 in the A grade men's teams event.
February
Qualifying for the 1998 Bob Jane T Mart and Harvey Norman no-tap tournament continued throughout the Christmas break while leagues were in their annual hiatus.
The tournament final was contested by thirty players on 1 February and won convincingly by Brian Shaw with a score of 2830 ahead of John Hayward and Carl Bishop.
The tournament used three formats depending on a player's average with Shaw benefiting from the seven no-tap format. Best of the eight no-tap brigade was Carl Bishop while the leading scratch player (nine no-tap) was Peter Brown who finished ninth overall.
The Orange Tenpin Bowling Association Junior Masters was won by Jason Belmonte and Rhearne Trudgett (open) and Steve Grabham and Belinda Irwin (graded).
Belmonte started slowly but rapidly hauled in early leader David Rosser after shooting consecutive games of 259-213-210 and then pulled away for an easy 183 pin victory, averaging 200, while Rosser held on for second just ahead of the improving Greg Perry.
Rhearne Trudgett scored a thrilling ten pin win over early runaway leader Maree Caltabiano in the girls' open final, catching Caltabiano in the last couple of frames. Melanie Brown finished third.
Steve Grabham beat Ben Bright in the boys' graded final while Belinda Irwin toppled Kristen Byrnes in the girls' graded event.
The Mid City Motor Lodge Orange teams bowled below expectations in the first round of the Country Challenge series held at Bathurst. The women made up for the poor start in later rounds but the men's team never recovered.
League news:
Mark Lijic was the Franklin Fresh player of the month following his four game centre record 1028 series in the Monday Scratch Singles which included 278-279 back-to-back. The super series broke Peter Brown's record of 1026 set a few months earlier.
Other high games during the month included Henry Phillips who had a hot week shooting 268 and 650/3 then 279 and 670/3 while Julie Wilson was also in sizzling touch with three big series of 657/3, 877/4, 882/4.
March
Chris Collins was in top form in the opening round of the Central West Pennants, posting a 202 average as Orange won all ten matches against Dubbo.
The women's team bowled extremely well in the second round of the Country Challenge series led by a 185 average from June Bryant to finish the round in second place. The men's team failed to bowl up to their great league form at the time and languished in fifth spot.
League news:
Junior Kiel Bugden was named the Franklin Fresh player of the month after rolling a 267 game and his first 600 series. Other notable efforts included Steve Reil who was in superb form at the time, rolling 258 and 731/3, 701/3, 699/3 and 1321/6 all within the space of a few weeks.
Also bowling well were Ray Tyquin 721/3, Peter Brown 256 and 672/3, Jason Belmonte 677/3, Ian Hazzard 1297/6, junior Andrew Baker 251, Ken Wiseman 267 and 878/4, Sharon Trudgett 277 and junior Tim Irwin 269.
April
The local Walter de Veer roll-off was held with Jim Dullaway and Chris Collins progressing to the state finals in May. The Walter de Veer tournament is a state teams event for bowlers below open grade held during the annual National Championships.
The first of three Junior Super Tournaments was won by Joshua Hayward ahead of Terry McClure and Kathyrn Beff.
David Hayward competed in the National Deaf Championships in Alice Springs but wasn't able to repeat his brilliant form of the previous two years. His best finish was second in the teams event, fourth in the individual championship and sixth in the Masters.
Best efforts from Orange's representatives in the New South Wales Junior State Championships were Jason Belmonte third in the Masters (203 average), a runner-up finish by Tim Irwin and his two Dubbo partners in the Classic grade Triples, David Rosser third in the A grade all events and Melanie Brown third in Open all events.
Wollongong teenager Jamie Kyriacou upstaged the adults in the Orange Cup, the city's premier tenpin bowling event. Kyriacou averaged 200 to qualify fourth then ran through the stepladder finals defeating Jason Belmonte 193-182, Steve Reil 247-181, Mark Lijic 192-148 and David Hayward 245-167.
Hayward led the qualifying, averaging 218 including 744/3 at one point.
Rounding out the top ten were June Bryant, Ron Bickerstaff, Tony Richards, Chris Groot and Mario Mastronardi.
League news:
June Bryant broke the female three game centre record, firing 235-232-255 for 722. The previous record had been set over a decade earlier by Karen Sharp with 719.
The in-form Steve Reil continued with 710/3, 1305/6 1283/6 and 277 game while Mark Lijic fired 265-259 for a 708/3 series plus 682/3 and junior Greg Perry bowled a 265 game and 687/3 series.
Other notable efforts during April included Maree Brown 680/3 and 868/4, Dianne Kjoller 255, Dianne Gee 651/3, Jason Belmonte 677/3 and Tony Richards 672/3.
Chris Collins was the Franklin Fresh player of month following a 276 game and 695/3 series in the Sunday Sabbath league. He also shot 879/4 in a singles league.
The three-part tenpin review continues next week.
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