BNH Pennants – Division 1 & Division 2

Birkenhead came close to clinching the Bowls North Harbour Centre’s division 1 Pennants title at the weekend, even though two rounds remain in the competition.
However, Birkenhead has the bye in the last round, so it is mathematically possible for second placed Takapuna to overhaul it when the competition ends at Manly next Saturday.

That, though, is only a slim possibility.

To do so Birkenhead would have to be kept winless in its remaining match, against third-placed Riverhead, and Takapuna would have to gain maximum points in its matches against Mairangi Bay and Manly.

The key contest seems to have been that last weekend when in the fifth round, Birkenhead beat Takapuna with its only setback being a draw. That gave Birkenhead 43 points, 16 ahead of Takapuna’s 27 with Riverhead on 21.

In great form for the strong Birkenhead side were stalwarts like Evan Thomas and Mark Rumble.

Three of the division 2 Pennants were decided at the weekend, with Mahurangi East winning the Omaha Beach section with 32 points to second placed Takapuna Rymans’ 28, and two other Takapuna line-ups winning the other two sections.  At Waimauku Takapuna Grange scored maximum points in the last round to pip Omaha Beach 32-21 and at Mahurangi East there was a similar late burst by Takapuna Harcourts to edge out Hobsonville Hercules 29-28.

The Takapuna section, in division 2, which had seven teams, will end with the final two rounds next Saturday. Orewa Eagles currently leads this section with 28 points, ahead of Birkenhead Stingers and Browns Bay Orange both on 22.