Results – BNH Pennants 2024 Wrap up

As expected, even though it had the bye in the last round, Birkenhead did enough in its one match at the weekend to clinch the Bowls North Harbour Centre Division 1 Pennants title.
There was a minor setback when the competition concluded at Manly when three of Birkenhead’s top players, John Hindmarch, Evan Thomas and Mark Rumble, lost for the first time in the sixth round match with Riverhead.  But Birkenhead’s other players, Jack Huriwai, Jimmy Heath, Adam Richardson, Millie Nathan, Brian Wilson and Connie Mathieson won their games and while Riverhead won on points the four points ensured Birkenhead’s overall victory.

Its cause was also helped by second placed Takapuna suffering a sixth round 8-2 loss to Mairangi Bay, who made a late rally to also win its seventh round match 8-2 over Riverhead.

Takapuna’s reversal meant that even though not playing in the final round, Birkenhead had an unassailable lead.  Takapuna, however, won its final round match to hang on to second place from the fast finishing Mairangi Bay.

The final points were Birkenhead 47, Takapuna 37 and Mairangi Bay in third place on 32.

One consolation for Takapuna was that two of its players, Wendy Jensen and Steve Hoeft, ended the competition unbeaten, their only blemish in their six games being a draw.

In the remaining Division 2 section match at Takapuna, Orewa Eagles took first place on 38 points ahead of Birkenhead on 32.  The two teams clashed in the final round with Birkenhead having a chance to go ahead if it won both games and so scored maximum points.  However, what was effectively the final ended in a 4-all draw, with the two games ending in 18-15 wins to each side, meaning a remarkable 33-all tie.

The winning Orewa team was Simon Reesby, Warren Seeque, Kerry Greenhalgh, Brendan McPhail, Ian Carroll and Chris Bailey.