By Esther Lauaki
Samoa was too strong for Bacchus Marsh in a trans-Pacific battle of lawn bowls earlier this month.
The biennial friendship tournament between the Avenue Bowling Club and Faleata village in Samoa started in 2012 – playing for bragging rights and a traditional wooden kava bowl.
The November 11 tournament involved eight members from the Pacific team, including one “honorary Samoan” from Bacchus Marsh, taking on a team of 10 local players.
Avenue Bowling Club secretary Stephen Sullivan said the competition was always tight between the friendly rivals.
“Over 10 ends, Samoa led 36 to 29 and in the second 10 ends Avenue led 37 to 31 which meant that the Faleata Bowling Club won the friendship trophy by 67 to 66 shots overall,” Mr Sullivan said.
“The trophy, a kava bowl, shall remain at Avenue Bowling Club with the addition of an engraving of the result, as with the two previous results which had seen Avenue victorious at the Faleata Bowling Club Samoa.”
The Samoan team donned the Central Wendouree shirts which were donated by the Avenue Club, along with bowls and bowling equipment, on its first visit to the islands.
