NATIONAL representatives, defending champions, past victors and a lucrative first prize, this year’s edition of the Carillon Fours Tournament promises to provide top-class bowling action.
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Staged by the Bathurst City Men’s Bowling Club, which operates under the banner of Bathurst City Community Club, the annual Carillon Fours has been a highlight on the calendar.
Across the 36 editions which have been staged, Australian representatives such as Steve Glasson, Steve Anderson and Rex Johnson, as well national indoor champion Dave Ferguson, have been amongst those who have competed.
This Saturday and Sunday 52 teams will battle it out for a lions’ share of the $10,000 purse and once again some big names are amongst them.
National Premier League bowler Corey Wedlock, who participated in the 2017 event, will return this weekend, while New Zealand representative Richard Girvan is another big-name bowler who will test his skills in Bathurst.
Three members of last year’s winning team will return as well.
“Last year’s winners, which are a strong side from Molong, they’re back again. Bobbie Hamilton, Joel Diduszko, Bernie Diduszko and Blake Bradtke, they are basically the side which won it last year, the reigning champions, and they’ll be back,” Bathurst City president Ross James said.
“Phil Westcott, he’s won it twice and he’s coming back again.
“The timing of it at the end of the year, it’s probably the last major tournament on any circuit, it’s unlikely that there are any more in December people will attend. It’s worth $10,000 so it does attract plenty of bowlers, it attracts the cream.
“I think there are six clubs in New South Wales that have four greens and we are one of them. Four greens are hard to keep going, but we’ve got our greens running pretty well. That’s part of the attraction too, that it’s all in the one place.”
Each team will play five games – three on Saturday and two on Sunday – of 15 ends each. The combination with the most wins are declared victors and if any outfits are tied, as was the case last year, margins come into play.
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“It all comes down to the draw of course … you could draw five internationals and wreak your weekend sort of thing or you could have it easy. So the draw is really vital, but the good sides do keep winning,” James said.
“It can get down to the point of doing a division sum where it’s shot for divided by shots against if it gets really nasty.”
James thanked Bathurst Real Estate and Bathurst Regional Council for their ongoing support of the event. Spectators are welcome to come and take in the action, with the first game on Saturday to start at 9.30am.