Western District Bowls Division player watches Koroit Blue and City Memorial Red thriller

Carroll watched the second versus third clash between division one teams Koroit Blue and City Memorial Red.

The 87-year-old no longer plays Saturday pennant, preferring instead to turn out for City Memorial Purple in the third division of Tuesday pennant.

“I haven’t played Saturday pennant for a couple of years, I struggle with the hot days,” he said.

“With the Tuesday pennant, you start at 10am and are off by 3pm so it’s not too bad.”

Originally from Yambuk, Carroll moved into Warrnambool 23 years ago.

A decade later, he took up the game of lawn bowls.

“A mate of mine, Kevin Ryan, asked myself and another mate, Kevin Hyland, to come up to City Memorial and give bowls a go,” he said.

“I really liked the game from the start and I still enjoy playing it and coming to watch it.”

While Carroll loves the challenge bowls provides, he also loves its social side.

“My wife Madeleine died last August, we were married for 57 years,” he said.

“The bowls gives me a chance to get out of the house and meet people.”

In his role as a bowls watcher, Carroll is impressed with what he has seen this season.

He said the standard of bowls was at a high level.

He is confident City Memorial Red can again be there at the business end of the season.

“They started the year a bit slow but they are starting to get some really good players back,” he said.

“I think their best team is going to be pretty good and they are a big chance.

“They have good players like David Wells and Neil Crispe.”

Carroll witnessed a thrilling encounter on Saturday with Koroit Blue and City Memorial Red playing out a draw. 

Crispe led his rink to a 26-16 win while Brian Scott skippered his City Memorial Red rink to a 25-21 win.

But Koroit Blue was also able to claim two rinks, with Brendan Keane winning 28-15 and Scott Boschen getting home in a thriller, 23-22. 

Port Fairy Red had an impressive away win, defeating Timboon Gold 110-90.