The Mount Isa 8 Ball Association saw their first draw play out on the weekend, where an upstart Irish Club Outlaws squared up against the MIBC Hustlers who are off to a good start in 2017.  

The Hustlers shot their way to a 5-nil lead with wins to leading players Steve Healy and Garth Apps, but the lead dissipated quickly, conceding the next four frames. The momentum was with the Outlaws as Frank Shuker and Pierre Pardo took handy wins but Apps, Healy and Greg Payne tipped the scales toward the Hustlers for an 8-4 lead.

The Outlaws looked to get away with an unlikely win, but Payne and Eggy Eggmolesse put the Hustlers in control at 12-11. Then, the home side saw Kyle Iceley pot his last black, only to see the cue ball creep into the far pocket for the in-off loss to seal the draw. Pardo and the Outlaws celebrated the points while the Hustlers were dejected, but went third on the ladder.

BUFFS 303S 17 (Adam Langtree 4; AJ Saunders 4; Jason Graham 4) DEFEATED BARKLY INCREDIBALLZ 7 (James Hay 4)

The Buffs 303s were pumped to take on the Barkly Incrediballz who could only field four players. All four contributed to a fighting competition though the forfeits were too much to overcome. 303s won 17-7.

The 303s took a solid 8-2 lead with good wins to Adam Langtree and AJ Saunders. There would be no comeback from the Ballz but captain James Hay stood tall with four solid wins, setting his good form up with a round 5 match against the CPR.

OVERLANDER NEW STARS 14 DEFEATED BARKLY BOOZERS 10

Ninth-placed Overlander New Stars took on the last-placed Barkly Boozers and the Stars prevailed for their first win on the year.

The Boozers had five ex-New Stars, and Neil Ning and Wacko Walford got a jump on their old side for a 4-2 lead to Barkly. Phil Norris and Dwayne Masters levelled up the day at 5-all and the longer the day went, the better the Stars were. The Stars got to 11-7, and closed out well, showing when they have a side together, their play defies their position on the ladder. The Boozers should take confidence into next week as they take on the side now last on the ladder.

BUFFALO BILLS 18 (Nathan Mann 4; Paul Caulfield 4) DEFEATED BOWLING ALLEY INLAWS 6

The Bowling Alley Inlaws showed glimpses of good play, but were always up against it against a contender for top spot, the Buffalo Bills.

It was predictable the Bills, behind James Ghee and Nathan Mann, would be nearly unstoppable but the Inlaws chipped away for a few wins to Mick Jones and Rangi McLennan played well. The 18-6 final score is good enough to put space between the Bills in second and the rest of the league, and also makes the battle for top spot something to watch.

MIBC ISLANDERS 18 (Noel Doyle 4; Gary Cummins 4) DEFEATED BOWLING ALLEY CPR 6

The final match of the round saw the MIBC Islanders propel themselves to fourth with a solid 18-6 win over the Bowling Alley CPR who had no real answers. The CPR down on troops, are in danger of sinking below sixth spot as the take on the Incrediballz next week, while the Islanders go into their bye full of running and with strike players Noel Doyle and Gary Cummins in scintillating form.