Lester Dee: A Grateful Farewell Despite Final Tournament Outcome

The recent Intercentre competition was quite the spectacle, showcasing the commendable efforts of our Men's team. Despite not quite hitting the bullseye of our desired outcome, the journey was one heck of a ride, filled with nail-biting matches and edge-of-your-seat moments. Now, to win a match, you gotta ace two out of the three disciplines: singles, pairs, and fours. And let me tell you, all three matches on the first day were tighter than a drum!

Against Waikato, our pairs were playing musical chairs with victory until the very last bowl, while our fours missed the mark by a measly 2 points. Then came Nelson, where our pairs strutted their stuff and snagged a win, but the singles? Oh, they were one heartbreak away from victory with a gut-wrenching 24-25 loss. And in the final showdown against North Harbour, our pairs came out swinging yet again, while the fours managed to secure a draw, though they were left feeling blue knowing they were two points up playing the last end.

With a sprinkle of luck, we could've wrapped up two or even all three matches on this first day, setting us up for glory. But alas, the second day served us a slice of humble pie as we squared off against the formidable Southland team, the reigning champs. Despite throwing everything but the kitchen sink at them, we had to tip our hats to their sheer brilliance. And so, the last game against Gisbourne turned into a bit of a snooze-fest since we were both already out of the running for the quarter-final stages.

As we bid adieu to selector Lester Dee, the unsung hero behind our team's four-year evolution, we raise our hats and our bowls in salute. Lester's stint saw us clinch a shiny 3rd place finish in the Intercentre during the 2020-2021 season, and boy, did he work some magic! From a modest 24.5% rep match winning percentage to a vastly improved 37.7%, he's been the wind beneath our wings, propelling us toward greater heights. So here's to Lester, paving the way for triumphs in the years ahead. Cheers to progress, and may the bowls be ever in our favour!