A stunning win to the home side here, helped by the overcast conditions pushed the green speed above 20 seconds and the game finishing after 6pm, and it appears the visitors had no answers across the board. David Rankin is someone in tip top form and it takes some magnitude to beat him but thats what Mark Douthie has done, a complete display of skippering has seen his rink salute by 5 and play a key role in the win by his side. Yes Paul Walker did win by 14 in a great team effort with his 4 constantly crowding the head, but a win over key personnel like Rankin can almost guarantee an aggregate win. Kardinya did drive home with 2 points, that of Sam Perica by 4 and Marc Abonnel by 7. A 6 right near the end of the game for Abonnel critical to the result. Perica and Gillingham were neck and neck all game but it was Perica who had his nose in front at the end.

This game started out fairly solidly for both sides but it was the Adams rink who was able to pull away to be in front 13-1 at one stage but AJ Heal got going to close the gap and make a game of it, but Adams played some crackers near the end to again pull away and win 14. Wally Manning a perfect leaders game apparently, good to see Manning play well at Manning. No other Cambridge rink won as it turns out so the big score by Adams winning it for his club. Drawn rinks between Nairn/Knott (Nairn coming back from 5-15 to draw at 16-16) and Strahan/Such (Strahan getting a toucher on the last but fell away, Such clawing his way back after also being behind) meant the Williams win over Harris wasn't enough to win for Manning. Williams well up all day, Cameron Harris fighting it out to keep it tight but Williams winning by 7

Osborne Park with a powerful performance at home and you now have to factor them into finals calculations with a bright start to the year. Neville Stevens a solid 4 shot win over Charlie Slavich, Travis Ingram playing well again to help set that win up. I talked about the John Slavich rink and the Cody Packer rink being critical to the result of this contest. Both results went the favour of the Saints, Gary Caffell with a good 11 shot win set up by his front Ian Lilburne and Rob Lawrence, and Cody Packer winning by 19 over Stewart Gosstray. Gosstray having no answer for the brilliance of Packer and another near perfect display of leading by Mark Rollings. Doubleview did get a point, Ryan Moyle continuing his good form with an 8 shot win over fellow Ryan Brown.

Our game was played on a beautiful surface at Sorrento, no excuses there nor the wind which was strangely subdued for the day. Unlike at North Beach down the road, were done by 4.45pm. Sorrento just too strong and it's a horror start for Bassendean. New kid in town Daniel Brown gave his new teammates a glimpse of what he can bring with a masterful display of skippering, ably backed by Shane Loftus and Peter Flack who despite the best endeavours of the Bassendean rink kept turning it back to Sorrentos favour with Brown playing very well. Another new skipper to the club Kyle McIlroy also in some great form, it was a good game of bowls but McIlroy and his team too good for Stein Davies. To keep the aggregate safe, Chris Lander with a 7 shot win over Beau Manton who replaced Stephen Fewster last minute. Bassendean did get a valuable point and who knows if this might be important, myself a solid 4 shot win over Shane Rixom after being up by as much 11, Rixom and his team grabbed numbers late to close the gap.

Rossmoyne have shown they will not be a pushover this year, only 18 shots difference and getting a rink win in the process. That of John Carter, who got out of the gates well and from there that 4-7 shot difference was maintained. A good win over Justin Opie. South Perth did win on 3 rinks however, Scott Walker getting the job done over Eddie Gollan by 11. The scoreline not an indication of the quality of the game, tight heads and good bowls the key but Walker getting most of the ends to grind out a good win. Glenn Pauling as well with a very good 13 shot win over Allan Petchell. This game was also of a good standard but Pauling is all quality and he packed too many punches. Finally Ross Bresland am being told in some serious good form got out to double figure scoreline as well but Rawley Lang came home with a wet sail to only narrowly miss the draw.