City Oval’s Joel Clark wins 2022/2023 BHBR Men’s Novice Singles title
City Oval’s Joel Clark has won the 2022/2023 BHBR Men’s Novice Singles title in the Ballarat Highlands Bowls Region.
Joel defeated Invermay’s Stephen Riley by 3 shots in the final played on Sunday, 4th December 2022 at Webbcona Bowling Club.
A carpenter by trade, Joel took up the game in 2021 when work commitments allowed him time to join his friends on the bowling green.
“A group of my friends started playing lawn bowls the year before I joined and I was unable to join them at the time due to work,” Joel said.
“I took it up last year when time allowed, and really enjoyed it.”
“I spent the first half of my first season playing lead in David Murphy’s rink in Division 5 before playing as second in the latter part of the year.”
“It was a great experience playing in David’s rink and made even better when our Div 5 team won the premiership against BMS.”
Joel started this season in Division 2 and has played most his games alongside experienced campaigners in Liz Kierce, Leigh McKenzie and Chris Smith.
Leigh, a former winner of the region Novice event prior to the BHBR formation, has been pivotal to Joel’s development as a bowler.
“Having Leigh McKenzie as third in my rink has been a great help to my bowling, he’s been fantastic,” Joel said.
“I’ve learnt plenty from Leigh, and also from good mate, Tony Spargo, who was runner-up in the Novice event last season and also leads in Div 2 as well.”
“City Oval is a fantastic club with great people and I’m enjoying my time here.”
Congratulations to Joel on winning the 2022-23 BHBR Men’s Novice Singles event and good luck representing the region in Bendigo early next year.
22-23 BHBR Men’s Novice Singles Finals
Played on Sunday, 4th December 2022 at Webbcona Bowling Club.
SEMI FINALS
SF1: S Riley (Invermay) 21-18 N Cook (Victoria)
SF2: P Robinson 16-21 J Clark (City Oval)
FINAL
S Riley (Invermay) 18-21 J Clark (City Oval)