LAWN BOWLS - Despite delays, full pennant seasons remaining in fixture

The Bendigo Playing Area match committee has revised its original fixtures and with Bowls Victoria extending its state events deadline and the cancellation of November's Victorian Open in Shepparton, the 2021-22 pennant seasons can still go ahead with a balanced home and away draw.

The weekend pennant premier division one will be the first competition to begin with its revised start date Saturday, November 6.

November 6 is one day after the state government's indicative date that community sport will be permitted to re-start when Victoria reaches 80 per cent of 16+ people having been fully COVID vaccinated.

The revised November 6 start date is more than a month after the premier division one season was originally slated to begin on October 2.

The weekend pennant premier division one that features Inglewood, Castlemaine, Bendigo East, Kangaroo Flat, newcomers Moama, Eaglehawk, reigning premier South Bendigo, Golden Square and Bendigo will be played over an expanded 18 rounds with one team having a bye each week.

Once the season starts on November 6 the only break premier division one bowlers will have will be two weekends off over the Christmas-New Year period.

The premier division one season will resume from the mid-season break with a Saturday-Sunday double-header for rounds eight and nine on January 8-9, while its finals series will be condensed into two weekends.

Semi-finals will be played on Saturday, March 19, and the preliminary final the following day on Sunday, March 20.

The grand final will be played on Sunday, March 27.

For the rest of the weekend pennant competition, divisions two through to eight (14 rounds) will begin on Saturday, November 13, while division nine (10 rounds) will get under way on Saturday, November 20.

The finals series for divisions two to nine will remain under the traditional three-week format beginning on March 12 and culminating in the grand finals on March 26.

Meanwhile, all five divisions in midweek pennant to be played over 14 rounds will begin on Monday, November 15.

Semi-finals will be played on March 7 and preliminary finals on March 11.

The division two to five grand finals will be played on Thursday, March 17, and the division one grand final on Friday, March 18.

Division one will feature Bendigo, Bendigo East, Castlemaine, Eaglehawk, Golden Square, reigning premier Kangaroo Flat, Inglewood and promoted White Hills.

Premier Division 1 - Bendigo, Bendigo East, Castlemaine, Eaglehawk, Golden Square, Inglewood, Kangaroo Flat, Moama, South Bendigo.

Division 2 - Bendigo, Bendigo East, Eaglehawk, Harcourt, Kangaroo Flat, Marong, Strathfieldsaye, White Hills.

Division 3 - Bendigo, Bendigo East, Golden Square, Heathcote, North Bendigo, Serpentine, South Bendigo Strathfieldsaye.

Division 4 - Bendigo East, Castlemaine, Golden Square, Kangaroo Flat, Marong, South Bendigo, White Hills, Woodbury.

Division 5 - Calivil, Campbells Creek, Castlemaine, Dingee, Eaglehawk, Inglewood, Kangaroo Flat, Marong.

Division 6 - Bendigo, Bridgewater, Eaglehawk, Harcourt, Kangaroo Flat, South Bendigo, Strathfieldsaye, Woodbury.

Division 7 - Bendigo East, Bendigo VRI, Golden Square, Heathcote, Kangaroo Flat. South Bendigo, Strathfieldsaye, White Hills.

Division 8 - Golden Square, Harcourt, Kangaroo Flat, Marong, North Bendigo, White Hills, Woodbury.

Division 9 - Campbells Creek, Castlemaine, Bendigo VRI, Bridgewater, Golden Square, White Hills.

Division 1 - Bendigo, Bendigo East, Castlemaine, Eaglehawk, Golden Square, Kangaroo Flat, Inglewood, White Hills.

Division 2 - Bendigo, Bendigo East, Castlemaine, Golden Square, Heathcote, Kangaroo Flat, South Bendigo, Woodbury.

Division 3 - Bendigo East, Campbells Creek, Eaglehawk, Golden Square, Harcourt, Kangaroo Flat, Marong, Woodbury.

Division 4 - Bendigo VRI, Bridgewater, Calivil/Serpentine, DIngee, Golden Square, South Bendigo, Strathfieldsaye, White Hills.

Division 5 - Bendigo, Bendigo East, Castlemaine, Eaglehawk, Harcourt, Inglewood, South Bendigo, Strathfieldsaye, White Hills, Woodbury.

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