Tara Murray
Keilor is embracing a new challenge in the Bowls Victorian weekend pennant division 2 competition.
Having finished runners up in ??? last season, Keilor moved sections this season competing in section 1.
Keilor president Joe Watkins said this section was a harder section than what they competed in last season.
He said it was a compliment that Bowls Victoria thought they could compete with the higher standard of teams.
“They are all hard matches and we’re facing a number of premier league clubs whose second sides are in our division.
“There’s some really strong sides with half of their players having the ability to play in the premier division.
“We’re excited by the challenge and we’ll put our best foot forward.”
Watkins said they were stronger than last season, bringing in three or four new players, while only losing one player.
He said they were always looking for new players for all their sides, but overall the club was looking really healthy. Last season they had six of their 10 sides make final.
Keilor started the Saturday pennant season well with two wins from as many matches. It includes a 61 shot win in round two.
On Saturday, Keilor was set to face Deer Park 2, after deadline.
Despite facing harder competition, Keilor is keen on trying to earn promotion into division 1.
Watkins said it would be a big step for them.
The club’s top midweek side is in division 1 this season after winning the overall division 2 title last season. It was the first time the club had won an overall division title since the men and women’s competitions were combined.
Division 1 is the highest grade in midweek bowls.
The side has started with two wins from their first three games.
They currently sit in fifth spot, percentage outside the top four. They face MCC this week.
In good news for the club, its second green will reopen in the next month after upgrades are complete.
The club’s other green was hit hard by heavy rain in recent weeks, but was still playable last Saturday.
In other matches scheduled for Saturday, which was after deadline, Deer Park was set to face Fitzroy Victoria in premier division.
The Parkers are 1-1 after the opening two rounds.
In division 3, Deer Park 3 was set to play Palm Lake in section 1.
Tara Murray
