MOIRA Cooknell is embracing her return to Saturday division one pennant ranks.
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The City Memorial Gold lawn bowler is playing lead to Bruce Collie in season 2020-21 after a stint in division two.
"You can still get beaten in division two, don't worry," she joked during round four on Saturday.
"My husband (Ray) and I both played in division one a couple of years ago but then they reduced the rinks to four to three so we went back down to division two."
Cooknell, 61, has been re-instated in Western District Bowls Division's top grade and is relishing the challenge.
"The competition is always good in division one because you're playing against the best bowlers; it's fantastic really," she said.
"Playing under the dome is magnificent now and (I just like) the social atmosphere and the competitive side of it of course is good."
The Cooknells, who have seven children between them, joined City Memorial a decade ago and are regulars at the Cramer Street venue.
"Ray's son Travis plays but he is a police officer so he's not available every week. He wouldn't be allowed to play anywhere else," she said tongue-in-cheek.
"Ray is the chairman of the board, we live our lives here virtually.
"He's here every day and I am here a bit. I still work part-time at Mercy Place."
The husband-and-wife team plays in Tuesday's division one pennant competition. "We enjoy playing together," she said.
"There's a lot of sledging that goes on in bowls (as a general rule), all good hearted."
Cooknell is pleased coronavirus restrictions have had minimal impact on the bowls season.
She conceded it was "pretty worrying" in the lead-up as Victoria battled a second wave and tough rules.
Western District opted to split its playing hours with lower grades now in the mornings and divisions one and two in the afternoons.
"Everyone has had to make adaptions but it gives us all something to do in the mornings," Cooknell said.
"We come down and have a cuppa and watch the morning bowls."
Cooknell and her City Memorial Gold teammates will look to bounce back next week after suffering their first loss of the season on Saturday. City Gold, which won its first three matches, fell to Koroit Blue 66-54.
In other round four matches, Port Fairy Red defeated Terang Green 63-49, Timboon Gold produced a 63-45 win over Warrnambool Blue, Warrnambool Gold thrashed Dennington Jets 78-33 and City Memorial Red had the better of Mortlake Blue 73-37.
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