Tara Murray
Melbourne Extreme exceeded all expectations and nearly took home the title at the Bowls Premier League 15.
Extreme, which is run by Club Sunbury, was competing in the competition for the second time having made their debut earlier this year.
After finishing second bottom last time, the side made it through to the grand final, losing to Melbourne Pulse in a tie breaker.
Extreme coach Kelvin Kerkow OAM said the result was huge for the team and the program.
The BPL has been likened T20 Big Bash cricket competition, as a model of the game designed to appeal to a younger demographic and a television audience.
“We learned so much from the first BPL,” Kerkow said.
“We played so well together and we learned a lot from the first one like new plans, when to attack, different combinations.
“It all came together.”
Carla Krizanic, Matt Flapper and Ali Forsyth again made up Extreme’s team. They won 11 of their 18 matches in the rounds to qualify for the finals.
Kerkow said they had hoped to make the finals heading into the event.
He said not only had they been able to plan better for this one, they were able to train and prepare for it more.
“Carla had just had a baby last time so she hadn’t been playing a lot,” he said.
“She had been practicing, but without game time it can be hard.
“We already had a strong team and she was even more valuable this time. Everyone else had stepped up from last time.”
The tournament wasn’t without drama.
Sunbury’s own Krizanic had to withdraw late in the tournament, after testing positive for COVID-19.
Jessie Cottell stepped in to replace Krizanic for the last two days of the event.
Cottell is a highly credentialled bowler in Queensland, currently representing the state side.
“It was devastating for Carla,” Kerkow said.
“Jessie came in. She was the super sub. I know her as she’s from my club. She probably over achieved from what we were hoping to get from her.”
Extreme lost their first final, but made the most of a second chance and won through to face Pulse for the fourth time of the event.
It would go down to the final bowl.
“There was nothing in it,” Kerkow said. “It came down to a tiebreaker. The plan was to make finals which we achieved, it would have been nice to win it too.”
Matt Flapper was the standout for Extreme and was named in the all stars team for his performances.
“Kerkow said they were hoping to have the same team come back for the next event in November, which is at the same location.
“Playing from scratch we learned a lot from the first one. We’ll learn more again from this one and hopefully we can go well again.
“Overall it’s been excellent.”
Club Sunbury bowls director Marc Bullows said they were thrilled with how the team had performed and represented the club.
