Sports News

Hook, Line and Sinker with Lindsay Doust

G'won, get outside

Last weekend saw a lot of fishing activity due to the great weather we've been having of late. Outside fishing for so long was virtually a non-event but in the last couple of weeks we have had consistently flat seas and some good catches.

Last weekend also saw the Clarrie Hall Electric Bass Competition for the bass fanatic.

Just the other day, I was asked for some marks for fishing outside, as the person does not have a GPS and sounder. What did we do before the electronic boom - the old days of taking landmarks two ways to get the right spot? I can recall those days very well, particularly the days when there was lots of fog and no landmarks to be seen. Today, a GPS takes us to within a few metres and the sounder puts us right on the spot, even telling us the depth.

The same modern technology is also employed in the dams for bass and cod fishing and in rivers for species such as bream and flathead.

I was also asked about the best time to target bass in dams, particularly using lures, soft plastics and flies. We all wish we knew what turns them on and off. However, one thing we seem to have discovered is that the barometer and thermometer have much to do with it.

I like a high barometer. From about 1015 up is good but 1020 and over seems to be the magic reading. With water temperature, they are generally best from 25 degrees up. Even when we have this all together, sometimes we'll still come up with nothing.

In the rivers the barometer and temperature also play a part but not quite as critical as in the dams. So, with all that in mind, happy fishing until next week. Remember we are coming into what is often our best fishing period.

There should still be some nice bream and whiting on the beaches, whiting and flathead in the rivers and freshwater fishing should be good until around about May.

Dibnah, Ellis lead elite field for Coraki

Casino international star Michelle Ellis shakes hands with Lismore's Kane Webber on the 18th green after their nine-hole shootout at Lismore in January - the day before Webber returned to Colorado University to continue his studies and golf scholarship.

This Sunday the Coraki Golf Club will host the Optus World Ladies Pro-Am, featuring more than 40 professionals from the American, European and Australian tours.

Players from England, Scotland, New Zealand and Sweden will join some of Australia's best female golfers in a field that boasts the winners of more than 50 international and countless Australian tournaments. This would have to be the most prestigious field to assemble on a Northern Rivers course and follows the highly successful Lismore Golf Club Centenary Pro-Am in bringing top-flight professional talent to our region.

The event is an LPGA sanctioned event and the $16,000 prize money will count towards the Order of Merit.

According to Coraki President, Mr Neil Clarke, the event is a real coup for the small club, which is gearing up for the biggest day in its history. "With good weather we are sure we'll have a big crowd out to see some of the biggest names in women's golf, including former British Open winner Corinne Dibnah," Mr Clarke said.

"The course is in great condition and support from our many sponsors has been incredible," he said.

Other notable players are Scotland's Dale Reid (OBE), who has won more than 20 events in Europe over her career, as well as Casino's own Michelle Ellis, a member of the US tour and a runner-up in the British Open in 2002.

US tour players Joanne Mills, Lorraine Lambert, Ann-Marie Knight and Fiona Pike are in the field as are Sarah Bennett (England), Renee Fowler, Angela and Wendy Hawkes (NZ), Therese Hertstedt (Sweden) and up and coming Australian pros, Kylie Pratt and Katherine Hull from Queensland.

Pratt, the sister of Australia's highest ranked female tennis player, Nicole Pratt, is currently second on the Australian Order of Merit.

The first group will tee off at 6.30 am with a professional playing in every group. Top golfers will be on the course all day until approximately 5.30pm and spectators are most welcome. A barbecue will be available throughout the day with proceeds going to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

Casino keep perfect record in pennant

As his opponents watch on Jeffrey Bird of Lismore City sends down a bowl in the ninth end of City's Second Grade clash with Casino. Lismore City won 5-1.

The pennant season is now in full swing with some quality bowling being played from the outset.

One of the most exciting contests from round two was the Grade 5 match between Ballina RSL and Lismore Workers Heights. The match was decided by one shot with Ballina RSL getting up 62-61 even though Workers had won two out of three of the head-to-head contests. Ballina's only win was by just three shots with R Telfs side winning 23-20. The other two contests saw Workers win 17-16 (winning skip - R Hills) and 24-23 (M Keller).

Casino has started Grade One well with two whitewashes from the first two rounds. They are the only team across the grades to maintain a perfect record. In Grade Two the early frontrunners are Evans Head on 11 points followed by Lismore Workers Heights on 10.

Results from Round Two of the 2004 NRDBA Pennant competition

The leading team/s in each grade are given at the end of each section.

Number One: Alstonville 5 (52) d Ballina 1 (50); Sth Lismore 5 (65) d East Lismore 1 (51); Casino 6 (76) d Lennox 0 (42). Leading team - Casino RSM 12.

Number Two: Lismore City 6 (68) d Casino RSM 0 (53); Evans Head 6 (83) d Ballina RSL 0 (41); Lismore Workers Hts 5 d Ballina 1. Leading team - Evans Head 11.

Number Three: Evans Head 5 (78) d Kyogle 1 (50); South Lismore 5 (74) d Ballina 1 (56); Lennox Head 6 (80) d Broadwater 0 (44). Leading team - Evans Head 10.

Number Four: Lismore Workers Hts 5 (77) d Ballina RSL 1 (46); Alstonville (I) 5 1/2 (59) d East Lismore 1/2 (48); Alstonville (II) 5 1/2 d Woodburn 1/2 (49). Leading team - Lismore Workers Hts 10.

Number Five: Ballina RSL 4 (62) d Lismore Workers Hts 2 (61); Lennox Head 5 (60) d Bonalbo 1 (41); Casino 4 d Evans Head 2. Leading team - Ballina RSL 9.

Number Six: Lismore City 4 (67) d Ballina 2 (63); Ballina RSL 5 (78) d Nimbin 1 (56); Kyogle 5 1/2 (63) d South Lismore 1/2 (57). Leading team - Kyogle 9 1/2

Number Seven-A: Kyogle 6 (71) d South Lismore 0 (40); Lismore RSL 5 (64) d Lismore Workers Hts 1 (60); Evans Head 6 d Casino 0. Leading team - Kyogle and Lismore RSL 11.

Number Seven-B: Evans Head 5 (57) d East Lismore 1 (52); Alstonville 5 (70) d Casino 1 (41); Ballina - bye. Leading team - East Lismore 7

Individuals star as finals loom - Cricket

Norths Goonellabah RSL 'keeper Rodney Wells whips off the off-bail as Casino's Michael Kilkeary just makes his ground for a third run from a Todd Summers glance to fine leg.

Two centuries and a hat-trick were highlights of the opening day of Round Seven of the LJ Hooker League.

Alstonville's Greg Potter and Easts captain Bruce Jobson both brought up three-figure scores while former Easts player Mark Denmeade added cream to his outstanding start to 2004 with a hat-trick for Lennox Head.

Jobson, opening the innings against Ballina at Fripp Oval, scored an unbeaten 103 to help Easts reach 7-252. He was ably supported by Tom Cooper (57), with whom he shared a 95-run second wicket partnership. Ballina are desperate for a victory from this match as they are fast slipping out of finals contention. There are only two rounds remaining after the completion of this round. Easts are sitting comfortably in second place.

The other century of the round, Greg Potter's fine 108 for Alstonville against Marist Brothers, at Hill Park Oval, may prove to be a pointless exercise. With the exception of opener Gary Boyd (24) no other Alstonville player reached double figures and the team was dismissed for 194. In reply Marist Brothers, have already knocked off ten from the total, without loss. Brothers (7th, 23 pts) should go on to take the points and threaten the top teams for a place in the finals. Their final two games will be against Souths (6th, 24 pts) and Ballina (8th, 18)

Mark Denmeade (54) has brought a stiffness to the Lennox Head (9th, 8 pts) attack. A timely hat-trick against fellow strugglers Brunswick Valley (10th, 7pts) at Saunders Oval helped him to post his second 'five-fer' in consecutive matches. His hat-trick came just after Brunswick's Scott Thompson had posted his half-century. Once Denmeade completed his hat trick Brunswick buckled to 8-88. Joe Reynolds (30) helped to steer the side to a stronger position, reaching 179 before the fall of the final wicket. Lennox is 1-14 in reply.

The match between Souths and Tintenbar East Ballina (5th, 27pts) at Kingsford Smith Oval is set up for an exciting finish. Tintenbar are sitting just outside the four and will need to post a couple of victories prior to the end of the season to be able to defend their premiership. Souths won the toss and posted a creditable 203 on the back of solid middle order performances by Richard (57) and Michael (41) Nind and a fine 43 by tail-ender Scott Coster. Showing their intentions from the outset Tintenbar have started their chase with gusto. They reached 0-13 at stumps off three overs, thanks to opener Brett Crawford (10) who is leading the way with ten runs as Scott Coster was taken for 11 off his only over.

The potent Casino bowling line-up will be put to the test on Saturday at Oakes Oval as they try to restrict Norths Goonellabah RSL to a total of less than 200. With 30 balls of their innings remaining Casino are on 6-189. After losing the wicket of captain and opener Adam Shields for only six, MichaelKilkeary (41) and Todd Summers (34) put on a half-century stand to steady the ship. However, the scoring rate was a concern, with only 30 runs coming off the first 15 overs. But a busy half century from Mal Hancock pushed up both the Casino total and run-rate. Unfortunately he lost his wicket just before the end of the day's play.

Workers hunting for their pioneers

This season marks the 40th anniversary of both the Lismore Workers and Southern District cricket clubs. Their inclusion into the Lismore and District Cricket Association competition in 1963/64 increased the number of teams from four to six.

The formation of the two clubs was not without vocal opposition from existing clubs as they saw players leaving their clubs to help form the new entities.

But the long-term vision of the games administrators at the time was for the overall health of the game and both clubs are now integral components of a very strong Far North Coast cricket culture. The President of the LDCA at the time was former Lismore Mayor, Harold Fredericks, was concerned that parochialism would hinder the development of the game. In August 1963 he was quoted as saying "The only valid reason a club had for voting against the new clubs' admittance was to protect its own club". (N.S. 30 Aug 1963)

Worker's current club secretary, Chris Axtens, is looking to get contact details of the 1963/64 first grade team and the pioneer members so that invitations can be sent out prior to the April function.

If you have a contact address or phone number for the following players please contact Chris Axtens on 6621 6015 or club vice-president Bernie McDonald 6621 3495.

Pioneer members: A. W. Raison, J. Newell (President), T. Harmon, R. Savins, G. Geering, G. Savins, L. Moss, G. Maher, N. Deegan, A. Rundel, C. Hann (Treasurer), R. Solomon, F. O'Flynn, A. Anderson, S. Perdriau, G. Morgan, E. Tappenden, B. Chute and D. Carscadden (Secretary).

1st Grade: G. Geering, R. Savins, L. Moss, D. Allen, G. Savins, J. McDonald, J. McGuiness, R. Blake, R. Fairfull, I. Wilson, K. Thurtell, F. Eyears, G. Moss.

If you can help the club in their search please call club president John Maxwell on 6629 1326, Chris Asxtens on 6621 6015 or John Cocciola on 6621 7564.

Coaching standard defended - Soccer FNC

As sign-on days are with us again it is a good sign for soccer in the region that this season's first controversy is about looking to improve an already impressive coaching environment.

There has been a minor flurry in the media recently about the level of coaching resources available on the Far North Coast. Home-grown international Craig Foster made a call for additional resources to be made available through Soccer Australia to the region.

This prompted a response from Soccer Far North Coast's General Manager Matt Kelso who wanted to reassure local soccer community members and the parents of potential new players that the level of coaching in the region is of a very high standard.

In a press release issued earlier this week Kelso pointed out that "over the last three years SFNC has been implementing cutting edge programs and seeking their own high profile input with the introduction of the North Coast Suns and Flames summer league teams and the involvement of the Foster brothers critical ingredients in this new look coaching and development program."

Tim Jerks, the manager of SFNC Coaching and Development, weighed in with some impressive statistics that show a three-fold increase in the number of state representative players from the region over the last three years.

"Last year we had 20 players playing in state teams. This is triple the number in 2001. We currently have one former graduate on scholarship in the AIS, while numerous others have been offered trials in this national program over the last three years. In addition, four players from the North Coast Suns now look likely to sign contracts with state league clubs in Queensland in 2004, while one more has been contracted to Newcastle United. This is purely a result of the types of programs we have introduced", Jerks said.

Billabong team to feature in Ballina

The Ballina Skate Park will again be the centre of attention for youth across the region on Monday afternoon. Pay television station Channel V will be bringing their Detour national tour to the skate park featuring members of the Billabong Australian skate team strutting their stuff on "the best regional skate park in Australia". That quote comes from one of the world's great street and vert skaters, Bucky Lasek, no less, when he was in Australia on the corresponding tour last year.

The Billabong team will feature Jon Lorcan, Russell Grundy and John Dickinson.

The skating will only be part of the show, to be hosted by Channel V's James Matheson, Jabba and Mikey. Top Australian Hip Hop bands 1200 Techniques and Resin Dogs will be performing on the mobile stage and the whole show will be broadcast live nationwide on Channel V from 4pm till 7pm.

All of the presenters and artists have confirmed that they will be happy to sign autographs on the day.

Earlier in the day, at 1pm, Channel V will be taping the Billabong team and some of the local skate community in action.

The Ballina facility is now three years old and the original timetable for the development means that stage two of the three-stage plan should be getting underway in the near future.

Seagulls to host Eels and Sharks

Rugby League is starting the 2004 season on the Far North Coast with a bang. NRL heavyweights the Parramatta Eels and the Cronulla Sharks will be squaring up against each other at Ballina's Kingsford Smith Park on Saturday night from 6pm.

The day will start off at noon with an under-15 representative match between the North Coast Academy of Sport and Burleigh Heads. The Academy's under-18 team will be next on the park, at 2.45pm, to take on Redcliffe, followed at 4pm by a Group One trial match between the Ballina Seagulls and the Mullumbimby Mustangs.

Both NRL teams will arrive in Ballina on Friday afternoon with Cronulla conducting a coaching clinic at Kingsford Smith Park between 3 and 4pm, followed by a team training session.

Parramatta will then hold a coaching clinic between 5 and 6pm followed by their training session.

On Saturday morning both clubs will hold autograph sessions for their fans at Ballina Fair. Parramatta players will be available from 9.30am to 10.30am followed by Cronulla's stars from 10.30am and 11.30am.

Tickets for the game are $16 for adults and $6 for children.