Amalgamation talks between Mudgee Soldiers’ Bowling Club and Mudgee Bowling Club will be put aside this weekend as the Mudgee and Mid-Western bowling community band together to throw their support behind three local bowlers in the Zone 5 Singles playoffs.

Dave Walters and Gerry Hennessy (Mudgee Bowling Club), and Steve Harvey (Mudgee Soldiers) will represent the Central Tablelands District at the playoffs to be held at Lithgow City Bowling Club this weekend.

The trio earned their place in the playoffs after winning their respective District titles at Gulgong in May.

Walters, 40, will play in the Open Singles, Harvey in the Reserve Singles and Hennessy in the Seniors Singles.

They will be joined at Lithgow by players from the five other Zone 5 districts - Blue Mountains, Nepean, Lachlan Valley, Southern Tablelands and Western - to see who will progress to the last 16 in the State in October.

Walters is a veteran at playing in the playoffs but it will be the first time for 68-year-old Hennessy and Harvey.

“It is a bit nerve-racking going up against the best bowlers in the Zone but I’ll give it my best shot,” Harvey said.

At 36 years-of-age Harvey will be one of the youngest bowlers playing and one of the most inexperience as this is his fourth year of bowls.

Despite of this, Walters believes Harvey will give the more experienced bowlers a run for their money.

“He is probably Mudgee’s best chance of advancing through,” Walters said.

Hennessy and Harvey travelled to Lithgow City Bowling Club on Wednesday for a social game against the Club’s president and another member and the Mudgee boys walked away with $30 each for their win.

“Let’s hope that is a sign of things to come,” Hennessey said with a cheeky grin.

Both Harvey and Hennessey said the Lithgow City greens played beautifully and with conditions to be ideal over the weekend, expect some great bowling from all bowlers.

In the opening round on Saturday morning Walters will play Paul Wilcox from Lithgow City (representing the Blue Mountains), Harvey goes up against Braun George from Oberon (representing the Blue Mountains) and Hennessy against Charles Brown from Cowra (representing Lachlan Valley).

The winners will play the semi-finals that afternoon and the final will be played on Sunday.