BBC BROADCAST SATURDAY JUNE 28th

Posted Robin Staples

BBC BROADCAST SATURDAY JUNE 28th         (Terry Norwood at the desk)

Something to nibble on before the juicier bits below:

  1. It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the passing of our dear friend Bill Pope who was injured in a car accident recently. RIP Bill, your cheery smile and friendly nature will be sorely missed.
  2. The Handicap Pairs competition has reached an exciting stage, but more of that below!
  3. The Woman’s Committee is organising the annual Tulip Time Competition which will be staged on Thursday September 11th, with entries closing on the 5th. The Men are invited to participate, so come on gents, get your names listed so that you can be entered as part of a mixed four.
  4. Wicklow Bowls Supplies will be running a bowls shop at the Tulip Time event so there will be a chance for bowlers to check out their wares. You can also check them out on the web prior to September 11th should you wish to make an order and have them bring it along.
  5. The figures for participation in bowls at Bowral Bowling Club for July ’24 to June ’25 have now been tallied, and does it surprise that the amiable cobbler Gordon Lewis AM has topped the list?? Our super nonagenarian Gordon has graced the Bowral green 87 times in the last twelve months and left all the youngsters in his wake, in appearances and generally in performance! Congratulations young Gordon!
  6. The Men’s Bowls Committee executive held its most recent meeting at 10am last Wednesday and the draft minutes will be posted on the notice board at the Club asap. With a bit of luck, they may appear in your electronic pigeon-hole as well!
  7. Chris Forrester and Terry Norwood have now re-appeared after their travels to the Nationals at the Gold Coast. They would be grateful if fellow bowlers asked them if they enjoyed the time there rather than ‘how did you go?! They really enjoyed themselves but found success a bit slippery to grab hold of!
  8. Annual fees are now due, so bowlers are encouraged to re-join asap. Club membership cards are not yet ready but will be issued before too long.
  9. The next edition of the Newsletter, Jack Chat, is in ‘publication’ and will be delivered to you very soon. Please, if you have any comments, we are brave enough to have a look at them!
  10. The Men’s Bowls Committee has now produced a ‘Bowls Etiquette Statement’ on appropriate actions on the green. A laminated copy will be posted on the notice board as well as paper copies being issued to all bowlers. Overall as a club we do well, but we could all probably brush up on a point or two.
  11. The Sponsorship Paper prepared by committee member Ian Duncan has now been approved by the Board of the Club, so your Men’s Club committee will now keenly pursue sponsors and attempt to get some names on those flash boards around the greens. If you are aware of any business eager to support bowls and flush with sponsorship money, please contact any member of the Men’s Bowls Committee.
  12. The Men’s Bowls Committee has also endorsed a region recommended Extreme Weather Guidelines policy, laminated copies of which are now housed in the weather box on the corner of the Waratah Green. So, if for example you are worried about the maximum wind chill factor which should be tolerated, ask a member of the Match Committee for the day (the blokes collecting money and organising the cards), to consult the guidelines and call off play if appropriate. It’s for our safety, all of us!
  13. Finally, and certainly not least by any means, the final of the Club Triples Championship was decided while this BBC broadcast was dormant . . . and the winners were Gordon Lewis, Ash Lewis and Mick Spong! (There’s that Lewis name again!) Hearty congratulations gentlemen! The final, against Richard Denman, Clive Neutze and Steve Day was a classic. Locked all square after eighteen ends, team Day was holding shot on the extra end when skipper Mick delivered the killer bowl with his last shot. Magic stuff, and it’s what brings us back to the game week after week . . . we all dream we’ll do that one day!!

HANDICAP PAIRS COMPETITION

The quarter finals of this popular competition were held on Saturday June 21st, and there were some very solid performances as teams jousted for honours. The results of those matches were

Peter Martin/Owen Williams  28   Vs   Ian Duncan/Enid Brown  13

Margaret Butcher/Gordon Lewis  20   Vs   Charles Coode/Arnold Lenczuk  14

Liz Shepherd/Peter Flight  19   Vs   Barb Wainberg/Rowena Coode  17

Mike Hook/Lynne Boshier  15   Vs   Laura Quintanilla/Steve Day  12

And so to the semi-finals which were staged on Saturday 28th in cool but pleasant weather conditions.

On rink 9, Elizabeth Shepherd and Peter Flight battled against Mike Hook and Lynne Boshier, and it was Elizabeth and Peter who hit form first to race to a 9 – 0 lead after five ends. Mike and Lynne got on the score card with a single on the sixth, and when they cracked a five shotter on the eighth it looked as though they were back in the match. Not so however, as Peter and Elizabeth regained control, and a five of their own on the fourteenth gave them an enormous lead of 26 – 8. Singles were all that either team could manage from there, and with the score at 28 – 11 on the nineteenth Mike and Lynne conceded. So, a very impressive win to the Shepherd/Flight combination and they should enter the final next week with confidence.

In the other semi on rink 8, Peter Martin and Owen Williams took on Margaret Butcher and Gordon Lewis, and, despite dropping a double on the first end Gordon and Margaret won the next five ends to lead 7 – 2. Finding better touch, Peter and Owen hit back, and a four shotter on the ninth gave them a 9 – 7 lead. They then pushed this out to 14 – 8 by the fourteenth end and looked to be in a strong position. However, never write off a Gordon Lewis led team! With Margaret winning the battle of the leads, and Gordon edging Owen, team Lewis took control. They won six of the last seven ends to take the semi 21 – 15. It was a massive fight back, and if Gordon and Margaret can muster that fighting form in the final next Saturday, they will certainly take some beating.

Saturday Social Bowls

Four games of social bowls were organised by the Match Committee, two games of pairs and two of triples.

In a pairs game on rink 7, Dave Coltman and Al McGhee took on Terry Norwood and Steve Day, and it was Steve and Terry who won the day by 20 – 14.

In the other pairs match, Graham Hunt and visitor from Melbourne Garry Dodge tussled against Graham Hartnup and Robin Staples, and it was Garry and Graham who triumphed  by 26 – 15.

In a triples match on rink 12, Graham Denman, Charles Coode and skipper Chris Forrester sought honours against Mark Barrow, Barry Werfel and Arnie Lenczuk and Chris’ team blitzed the others by 21 – 10.

In the final match, Jill Harwood, Richard Denman and Rowena Coode faced off against Barb Wainberg, Ian Duncan and Mick Flynn, and it was Rowena and co who prevailed at 29 – 24.