The Melbourne Pulse have won their third Bowls Premier League (BPL) title, after defeating the Moreton Bay Pirates in a nail-biting final at Moama Bowling Club.
The Pulse team of Gary Kelly, Barrie Lester and Ellen Fife came from behind to win the second set and force a tie-breaker, where Kelly delivered the winning shot to seal the victory.
The Pirates, led by Alex Marshall, had dominated the first set, winning 10-1 with the help of a six-shot powerplay. They also started strongly in the second set, leading 4-0 after two ends.
However, the Pulse fought back with a four-shot powerplay of their own, followed by a brilliant trail shot by Kelly that moved the jack into the ditch and gave them a two-shot lead.
The jack ended up in the ditch again on the fifth end, with Fife narrowly missing a resting toucher. Kelly then drew two close bowls to the ditch, putting pressure on Marshall to win the game for the Pirates.
The Scottish legend narrowly missed his target, allowing the Pulse to win the second set 6-4 and force a tie-breaker.
The decisive end was a tense affair, with Dawn Hayman attempting to sink the jack with the first bowl, but missing by a whisker. Kelly showed his class, drawing the shot within a foot of the jack.
Marshall had two chances to remove Kelly’s bowl or move the jack, but failed to do so, giving the Pulse the title and sparking celebrations among the Dandenong Club-owned franchise.
Gary Kelly was named the MVP of the tournament after polling 39 votes from a possible 54. He was joined by Syndey’s Aaron Wilson and Moreton Bay’s Dawn Hayman in the All-Star team, along with Pulse coach Jeremy Henry and assistant Andrew Breeden-Walton.
The Pulse have now won three of the last five BPL titles, adding to their triumphs in BPL15 and BPL16.
The next edition of the BPL, BPL20, will be held in November 2024 most likely at Pine Rivers in Queensland.
