BBC BROADCAST WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18th     (Terry Norwood at the desk)

Some bits of information to start with:

1. Given the requests from members, these web postings will now be printed off and posted on the notice board. They’ll be there for about a week and replaced when the next lot are ready to go up.
2. The new shade cloth is doing its job well according to the bowlers who’ve used it. If we can all keep remembering to rewind the cloth each time it’s used, the system will work well.
3. The mixed pairs competition will begin on Sunday October 22nd with the staging of round 1. Round 2, which will be the quarter finals, will follow on the 29th.
4. The BBQ for bowlers was held after bowls on the 18th and all seemed to go well. Many thanks to Steve Day and Don Chapman who jumped in and gave a hand to get things rolling. And, to round off a successful afternoon, the game margin jackpot went off with the winners being the bowlers in the pairs game.
5. A request of all bowlers and members who use the areas around the greens – we ask that any rubbish be placed directly into the black garbage bins and not into the small blue plastic buckets that are the numbered rink markers. The task of clearing those blue rink markers currently rests with the match committee members so you’ll be giving us a hand by using the black bins.

Social Bowls Wednesday October 18th

Thirty-four bowlers rolled up for bowls, the number including Mandy Challender for her first outing with the men. We hope we didn’t frighten you Mandy and that you’ll continue to join us of a Wednesday. The weather was fairly bleak at the start, but the day blossomed into a pleasant afternoon and many of the jackets were discarded, at least until a bit later. The matches were set down as 18-enders given the BBQ to follow, and, given the numbers, the Match Committee arranged five games of triples and one of pairs.

In a triples match on rink 8, Mandy Challender, Peter ‘Virgin’ Flight and ‘gentleman’ Jim Starkey took on Graham ‘bananas’ Hartnup, Joe O’Donnell and skipper Clive ‘dasher’ Neutze. Jim’s team hit their straps early and rushed to a lead of 7 – 0 after just three ends. Although Clive’s team then got themselves on the scorecard, team Starkey had extended their lead to 10 – 2 by the seventh. It was then that the pendulum swung when Clive’s team found some better form. They won seven of the next eight ends to hit the lead by three shots, and they still held a three shot lead with one end to play. And then, on a very exciting 15th end, Jim’s team grabbed three to tie the game at 15 all! With the result swinging, an extra end was played and team Starkey came out on top 17 – 15!

In another triples match on rink 9, Joel ‘Grr’ Hunt, Ian ‘cros’ Crow and Bob ‘wily leftie’ Edwards battled for bragging rights against Brian ‘misère’ Bailey, Arnold ‘black foot’ Lenczuk and Gordon ‘cobbler’ Lewis. Although his team dropped two shots on the first end, Gordon soon had his team firing and they stormed to a lead of 12 – 2 after six ends. This included hauls of four and five, and had their opposition on the ropes. Bob’s team then hit back winning a couple of ends but were soon under more pressure so that after twelve ends the score favoured team Lewis by 18 – 12. And then a ‘wind change’ sent a chill through team Lewis! Bob’s team grabbed a four followed by a five and it was game on! Nonetheless, team Lewis managed to stay in front, and a two on the fifteenth end meant that they held a five shot lead. However, in a gripping finish, Bob’s team grabbed two singles and then a great three on the last to square the game 20 all. Great stuff!

In the match on rink 10, Denis Lees, Barry Werfel and skipper Robin ‘maestro’ Staples took on Grahame ‘smurf’ Denman, Alex Crowther and skipper Mick ‘potters’ Flynn. Although they dropped singles on the first three ends, Robin’s team were soon in the ascendency and led 9 – 3 after six ends. With Denis leading especially well, team Staples continued to get the better of their opponents to lead 12 – 5 after ten ends. And then, as so often happens, a change came over the match. Alex found top form and Mick’s team won the next five ends to edge to a one shot lead. What a comeback! But then, another change hit the game! Driving his team on inspirationally, Robin bowled brilliantly to turn the game in their favour. Team Staples won the last three ends, including a sizzling six to run out victors 21 – 13.

In another triples game on rink 12, Ted ‘Mr Ed’ McPhee, Ian Duncan and skipper Steven ‘unruffled’ Goddard were pitted against Keith Edwards, Wal Markow and skipper George Hindy. Both teams got themselves onto the scorecard early and it was 3 – 2 in favour of George’s team after four ends. It was at this point that team Hindy started to get the better of their opponents which saw their lead at 7 – 4 after nine ends. And then, with Keith, Wal and George all out-bowling their opposite player, they really applied the screws. They won the next four ends, including a three shot haul and a four, to scorch to a lead of 16 – 4. However, far from done, Steven’s team hit back. They won four of the last five ends, including a rollicking five on the eighteenth. But it was all too late. The final score was 17 – 14 in favour of George’s team.

The pairs game on rink 13 saw Michael Hook and Stephen ‘bundy’ Day up against Owen ‘wily Scot’ Williams and Don Chapman. Owen and Don won the first two ends with singles, and, when they lost the third end, they led 2 – 1. And then the match exploded into action on the fourth end! On the fourth, there was an eight … yes eight shot haul to Mike and Steve! Call for the paramedics and the defibrillator! Call for oxygen … anything! Whatever or whoever Don and Owen called on worked, as they won five of the next six ends and hit the lead at 11 – 10. However, unfortunately for them, that was fairly much where their run ended. Stung into action, Mike and Steve regained their form and the lead. In fact, they had much the better of the run home and came away impressive winners at 22 – 15.

The final triples game saw the response to the challenge thrown out out by the 18-enders, the ‘oldies, to the non 18-enders “take us on”! So we did! The ‘oldies’ were represented by Bill ‘the’ Pope, Paul ‘rowdy’ Rubie and skipper ‘junior’ John Cummins. The ‘youngies’ were represented by Graham ‘grouper’ Hunt, Terry ‘timid’ Norwood and skipper, the unflappable one, Chris Forrester. Stripped for action, the ‘youngies’ had the first win with the toss and took the mat. Game on! With Graham on the jack, Chris’ team had the better of the opening to lead 4 – 0 after three ends. However, stirred into action, the ‘oldies’ notched up a three on the fourth end, and when they took a shot on the next, had tied the score. Chris’ team won the next end but two ends later the John’s team hit the lead at 7 – 6. However, a four shot haul on the ninth end sent the ‘youngies’ back into the lead, and from there it was a close battle. Neither side gave an inch and some very fine bowls were played. All bowlers had their moments, but none bowled better than Chris. The final score favoured the ‘youngies’ 18 – 13, but the game felt a bit closer than that. The ‘oldies’ didn’t take a backward step … in fact, the late news is that ‘The Challenge’ is on again next month. Look forward to that! Oh, and from now on it will be Paul ‘ricochet’ Rubie!

Chris was in fine form and Paul had a very good ‘ricochet’ day!