BBC BROADCAST WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27th (Terry Norwood)
Some info to start off with:
- The Rookie Singles Championship was decided last Sunday. Congratulations go to Arnold Lenczuk who defeated Terry Norwood in the final. Arnold won his matches 21 – 20, 21 – 19 and the final 21 – 18.
- The Men’s Bowls Committee will put on a BBQ for bowlers on Wednesday October 18th at 4pm. All bowlers are welcome and the committee will be gathering numbers in the coming two weeks.
- Coach Robin Staples is making himself available to assist any bowler from beginner to anyone with the ‘yips’. Robin will be on the green for the next five weeks on Tuesdays between 2.30 and 4pm. So bowlers, get along if you’d like Robin to cast an eye over what you are doing … or not doing!
- Bowls Secretary Kevin Stafford is in the process of organising with Robertson and Bundanoon Clubs the Crowe-Brenning Day and the Southern Highlands Cup event. It looks as though October will be the time for these to be staged, so keep your eyes and ears open for the dates which will be announced soon.
Social Bowls Wednesday
Thirty-five eager bowlers turned out for social bowls on a day when the weather was somewhat unpredictable. It was a sultry afternoon and then we caught the edge of a passing storm which interrupted play. Nonetheless, hardy group that the Bowral bowlers are, play resumed after about 20 minutes and most games reached the 21 ends. With the uneven numbers, one of the matches had a swing bowler as lead for both teams.
In the match on rink 8, Mark Rundle, Richard Denman and skipper Mike ‘fisher’ Holmewood took on Graham Hartnup, Don Chapman and ‘Gentleman’ Jim Starkey. Mike’s team had the better of the opening ends and led 8 – 4 after six. They pressed on and, when they notched up a scorching five shot haul on the ninth end, they had their opponents reaching for the oxygen at 5 – 14 down. However, at that point, as so often happens, the team that is down digs deep and gets a result. Team Starkey did this and worked itself back into the match. By the fourteenth end the scores were equal and on the eighteenth still equal at 17 – 17. And then, over the last three ends Jim’s team ground out a great comeback to win 22 – 17. And good to have you back after a break Don.
New bowls and all, Jim’s in fine touch!
On the next rink, Denis Lees, Alex Crowther and Chris ‘irrepressible’ Forrester battled things out against Brian ‘misère’ Bailey, Peter ‘ambidextrous’ Flight and Robin ‘coach’ Staples. Chris’ team won the first two ends and with a three shot lead had spring in their step. However, they were soon on the backfoot as Robin’s team stormed into the game taking the next eight ends on the trot and notching up 18 shots! It was obviously Chris who did the rain dance and brought the game to a pause! Chris’ team then broke the drought with a much needed five shot haul on the eleventh. This cut the lead to ten shots and gave them a glimmer of hope. However, despite hanging in during the second half of the game, Chris’ team was unable to reduce the deficit. The final score in favour of team Staples was 26 – 16.
Rink 10 saw Graham Denman as the swing bowler for the match where Ted ‘Smurf’ McPhee and Joe O’Donnell took on Graham ‘straight tower’ Hunt and Clive Neutze. Having a swing bowler is never an ideal way to play bowls, either for the swinger or the others, but this group entered the fray with plenty of chat and energy. Both teams found their touch early so that the score was 4 – 4 after five ends. In what was proving a close encounter, the scores were level again at 8 all after ten ends, and again at 10 all after fourteen. Game on! Team O’Donnell edged to the lead on the next end, but Clive’s men got the better of them finishing strongly over the final ends. Team Neutze ran out winners 19 – 13. To the casual observer, there was some pretty good bowls sent down in this match.
In another triples match on rink 11, Joel ‘Grrr’ Hunt, Terry Norwood and Arny ‘man in black’ Lenczuk battled for bragging rights with Ian Duncan, Ian ‘the’ Crow and Tony ‘sparkles’ Oakes. Arny’s team made the better start to the match winning four of the opening five ends to lead 7 – 3. With Ian Crow and Tony each firing in a couple of beauties, team Oakes then grabbed six shots on the next two ends to take the lead 9 – 7. And then, still getting the better of their opponents they pushed out to a five shot lead after eleven ends. At that point the game flipped because Joel was never off the jack as he led team Lenczuk back into the game. When time was called after eighteen ends, the Joel led recovery had seen Arny’s team take the lead at 20 – 16.
Joel led his team’s recovery with some fine draw bowling!
In the usual 18-ender, Bill ‘the’ Pope, Keith Edwards and ‘junior’ Cummins took on Barry Werfel, John Flemming and skipper Paul ‘rowdy’ Rubie. This is a game that could have been decided by the rain: junior’s team calling for the Duckworth Lewis rule to apply if the rain had continued! Rowdy’s team had the mat for all but three of the first 14 ends so little wonder junior joined Chris in the rain dance. The score was 16 – 7 after those fourteen ends and with the rain gone it was desperate times for team Cummins. But they rose to the occasion! They grabbed five shots on the next end and also won the next two ends so that with one to play they were within one shot. On the last end however, John Flemming came to the rescue for team Rubie with a good (lucky? intended?) wick. The final score in favour of Rowdy’s team 19 – 15.
Rain appeal forgotten, ‘junior’ led his own recovery!
In the final match, Wal Markow, Paul McInerney and Gordon ‘the cobbler’ Lewis battled against Keith Scriven, Julie Hayden and skipper Peter ‘miraculous’ Morales. This game opened with three 3’s, two of them to Peter’s team and one to the opposition. Team Lewis then took the next three ends however, and were comfortably in the lead at 10 – 6. Then, not unexpectedly Peter’s team won the next three ends to square the match at 10 all. The Cobbler’s team got their noses in front and managed to hold the lead until team Morales notched up three shots on the seventeenth end to go ahead 17 – 16. Back in the lead on the next end, team Lewis then found themselves down 18 – 20 with one end to play. With all the G & D you’d expect of a team led by the Cobbler, they grabbed those two shots to square matters at 20 all. Not satisfied with a draw, the teams launched into a deciding end, and in a nail-biting finish, team Morales came out on top by two shots. Great stuff! And the message down the bush telegraph was that Julie had quite a game!
From all reports, Julie had a fine game!