Moama Steamers’ bid for a third Bowls Premier League title fell at the elimination stage against the Tasmania Tridents at Pine Rivers Bowls Club last Friday.
Sporting a new-look team, Moama qualified for finals in fourth spot with a 10-8 record, but the Steamers were outclassed by the dominant Tridents three shots to 15 in the elimination final.
The Tridents were then bested by home team Brisbane Pirates before the Pirates, once again boasting the presence of star bowler Alex Marshall, saw their campaign come to an end at the hands of Melbourne Extreme.
It was an all-Melbourne showdown in the final, with Extreme and Melbourne Pulse going head-to-head.
Both sides traded sets before going to a thrilling tiebreak, with the Pulse taking out the tournament with a one-shot win in the tiebreak end.
There was a silver lining for the Steamers, with Aron Sherriff making an immediate impact for Moama in his first outing.
Sherriff added a remarkable fifth BPL MVP accolade to his name after a stellar tournament, as well as a spot on the BPL all-star team.
It’s back-to-back MVPs for Sherriff after he was named the top BPL performer at Moama earlier in the year, when he was a member of the Gold Coast Hawks.
For Moama’s Natasha Van Eldik, it was a refreshing change of pace for herself and teammate Ryan Bester to be competing alongside Sherriff as opposed to against him.
“It’s much nicer to be on his team than against him, which I have been in the past,” Van Eldik said.
“He’s one of the most decorated bowlers in Australia and in the world. On this Pine Rivers carpet, he’s a magician.
“Ryan (Bester) and I just seem to get them around about the jack and we just watch his magic as he rolls them down.”
Van Eldik admits it would have been ideal to go one better than BPL14, where Moama was runner-up.
But the Steamers will have another chance at BPL16 in November, with Pine Rivers set to host once again.
“To win it with this team would have phenomenal and to give back to Moama who support us unbelievably would have been great,” Van Eldik said.
“You just never know what’s around the corner at BPL.”