Janet Swallow and Christine Boorer won a second Bowls Dunedin title in as many weeks when they led the Outram fours to victory in the champion of champions women’s fours at Outram on Sunday.
Two weeks ago, Swallow and Boorer combined to win the champion of champions women’s pairs.
They bookended a fours team with Mary Stevenson and Dot Mowat on Sunday to beat the Taieri four of Barbara Archer, Helen Carman, Margaret Wilson and Bridget Walker 18-8.
Not until the sixth end of the mandatory 18 did the Taieri four trouble the scorers, by which point Outram held a 10-0 lead.
But after it appeared one-way traffic, Taieri regrouped to limit Outram’s scoring shots and make it work hard for victory in a three-hour encounter.
It was the skill from PBA international Carman at third and the weight on the head from Walker that helped Taieri gain its first shot as the shape of the match began to change.
The pressure from the Taieri four forced an error from Swallow on the seventh end when, in an attempt to draw three, she only managed to click and collect the two shot bowls and punch the jack towards the ditch.
Fortunately for Swallow, as she turned away with her head to the heavens, the jack came to rest close enough to an Outram back bowl to still draw the shot for the end.
Swallow then sent down a masterful draw deep to sit alongside the jack and deny Taieri another scoring opportunity.
Winning these two ends proved to be a confidence boost for Outram, as Mowat and Stevenson complemented the weight put on the head by Boorer, and Swallow provided accurate draw play.
It was an 18th title for Swallow, a 10th for Stevenson (earning her a second gold bar), a second for Boorer and a first for Mowat.
"We just fought on, like we do," Swallow said.
"I’ve got plenty of faith in my girls. It was very relaxed and we just had to get out there and enjoy. It was a great effort all round."
It was the Outram four’s first time playing together in the same team. There are already plans to regroup next year.
-- WAYNE PARSONS
