It was third time lucky for Dabinett when she won the sixth annual Dunedin Casino Women’s Classic Pairs in Dunedin yesterday.
Dabinett and skip Wynette McLachlan (South Otago) beat Jenny Dyhrberg (Dunedin) and former international Dale Rayner (Wellington) 14-12 in a closely fought final on the North East Valley green.
It was nip and tuck the whole way with the game only being decided on the 15th and last end.
The scores were level at 12-12 before the final end, when Dabinett played the match-winning second bowl.
The toucher lay beside the jack and put pressure on Rayner, who attempted to drive it off but put her first two bowls in the ditch instead.
Rayner hit the target with her last bowl but the jack moved sideways to a McLachlan back bowl.
"It was my lucky bowl," Dabinett said.
"You always need to have one of those in your bag."
Dabinett (60) bought a new set of bowls last season and they have given her renewed confidence and a new lease of life on the green.
It was the third major final for Dabinett this year. She was runner-up in the Forbury Park team at the New Zealand interclub sevens final and in the Bowls Dunedin champion of champions triples.
The win was special because the women’s classic pairs are the best invitation tournament with prize money in the country for females.It was the first time Dabinett had played in the event and she and McLachlan shared the $2200 winner’s purse.
It was the second time this month that McLachlan (70) had played in a major final in Dunedin. She was runner-up the New Zealand club singles.
McLachlan has won money when playing on the Gold Coast in Australia but this was her biggest payday.‘‘It was a great thrill because this is a very big tournament,’’ she said.
"You must make the most of the new partner you play with."
Rayner and Dyhrberg dominated the first five ends to lead 6-1. But McLachlan then scored three on the next two ends to lead 7-6.The game remained tight. It was 9-9 after 10 ends, 11-11 after 12 and 12-12 after 14. Rayner narrowly missed her chance of turning the game in her favour on the 14th end.
"I attempted to push their shot bowl out," she said.
"I just rocked it. Had I turned it over twice, we would have had four shots."
Rayner had five touchers during the game and impressed with most of her weighted shots.
McLachlan was steady as a rock and added to her team’s count by drawing second shot on the 10th and 11th ends.Dyhrberg played accurate draw bowls and drew a toucher for two shots on the 12th end.
McLachlan held her nerve to win the semifinal 14-12 against Sarah Scott (North East Valley) and Sharon McCaw (Dunedin).It was even 12-12 after 14 ends and Scott drew the shot with her second-last bowl.
McLachlan followed up and pushed out the shot bowl to advance to the final.
In the other semifinal, Rayner scored four shots on the second-last end to beat three-time champion Sandra Keith (Mid-Canterbury) and Jan Tucker (Dunedin) 11-8.
In the plate final, Serena Matthews (Mid-Canterbury) and Noreen Paul (Dunedin) beat Shona Mann (North East Valley) and Judy Robertson (Dunedin) 13-8.
The Consolation final was won by Anne Curtis (Nelson) and Helen Carman (Dunedin).
