BBC BROADCAST SATURDAY AUGUST 9th (Terry Norwood at the desk)
Some bibs and bobs to begin with:
- The Mixed Pairs Championship continued on Saturday with the playing of three of the quarter final matches (one game to be played on Wednesday 13th), so more on that below.
- Another reminder that the AGM of the Men’s Bowling Club will be held at 10am on Sunday August 17th. So, gents, pop that time and date into your diaries so we can gather a solid number. The Club will be open at 9.45 for the early arrivers.
- The Women’s Club is organising the Tulip Festival event for Thursday 11th September. Nominations to play in a womens or mixed pairs team are open until September 5th, so come on gents, get your name down so we can support this terrific event.
- And another reminder that the RSL Shield is coming up soon and the schedule is now posted on the notice board awaiting names. Once names are listed, the Match Committee will organise teams of four to engage in the three weeks of competition comprising fours, singles/triples and pairs/pairs. There is prize money up for grabs with $100 each week and then 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th overall.
Mixed Pairs Championship
The weather wasn’t very favourable for bowls on Saturday, but the Match Committee decided to push ahead with the program if the weather didn’t deteriorate. When play commenced, the sky was very overcast and a fluky, stiffish breeze out of the east made for fairly challenging conditions. For a couple of hours, misty mizzle made conditions quite uncomfortable, but play continued regardless. By the end of play, the sun, of course, made a very brief appearance just to add insult to injury!!
In the match on rink 8, Jim Neely and Gail Fraser battled against Elizabeth Shepherd and Richard Denman. Richard and Elizabeth were flushed with the success of a last round upset victory and so expectations were high. Alas, for Richard and Elizabeth the fairy tale was to evaporate as the title defenders Gail and Jim put them to the sword! Before Elizabeth and Richard could catch their breaths, they were nine shots down and by the eighth end they were 18 – 1 behind. With Jim in wonderful form and Gail chipping in when needed, they showed no mercy and they picked up end after end. So dominant were they that the victory was clinched in eighteen ends. While Elizabeth and Richard didn’t bowl as well as in their previous outing, Jim and Gail bowled like the champions they are. and will take some beating in the semi-final.
The delivery styles of Gail and Jim . . . all grace!
On rink 9, Tisi Lear and Mark Barrow picked up their suspended game against Many Challender and Terry Norwood. Six ends had been clocked up the previous Sunday with the score 8 – 4 in favour of Mandy and Terry. Tisi and Mark nabbed a single on the seventh end, but then Terry and Mandy strung together five ends to push their lead to 15 – 5 and they looked to be in control. However, Tisi then produced some fine form for she and Mark to win the next four ends and reduce the deficit to two shots at 13 – 15. Game on! To their relief, Mandy and Terry grabbed a three on the next end, and when they notched up a huge six on the nineteenth end, the game was all but over. Tisi and Mark managed a single on the next end but, unfortunately for them, it wasn’t enough to push the game into a twenty-first end. The final score was 24 – 15 to Mandy and Terry who await their opponents in the semi.
In the third quarter final game, Shylie Brown and Dave Charlesworth took on Charles and Rowena Coode, and the opening ends were very tight for the score to be 5 – 4 in favour of Shylie and Dave after six. It was then that Dave and Shylie really hit their straps to win the next four ends and rattle up thirteen shots for an 18 – 4 lead. Unphased, the Coode combo picked up their form and slowly began to peg back the opposition. They shifted the score to 9 – 18 by the thirteenth end, then 18 – 19 by the eighteenth and when they grabbed a single on the next, it was 19 all with two to play. Very relieved, Shylie and Dave managed a shot on the twentieth, only to drop one on the last when Rowena played an awesome draw. In the playoff end, some excellent bowls were put down, and again, it was Rowena who slipped one in for the victory. This was a terrific game with some very fine bowling.
When the pressure was on Rowena sent down some excellent draws!
The fourth quarter final match will be played on Wednesday with Barb Wainberg and Mick Flynn doing battle against Reta South and Bob Edwards. The winner of this match will take on Mandy Challender and Terry Norwood in one semi-final, while Gail Fraser and Jim Neely will face off against Charles and Rowena Coode next Saturday.
Social Bowls Saturday
Although the weather wasn’t at all favourable, twelve hardy souls fronted for a roll out. And good on them for continuing through the mist and mizzle!
On rink 11, Grahame ‘dragon’ Denman, Peter ‘Virgin’ Flight and coach extraordinaire Robin Staples took on Graham ‘hardnut’ Hartnup, Ian ‘Mr Cool’ Duncan and Mick ‘potters’ Flynn, and it was Robin’s team that blitzed the opening to lead 12 – 0 after seven ends. Whoa, oxygen needed perhaps!! Well, something happened to one side, or the other . . . or both, because Mick’s team starting winning ends, and . . . winning ends, and with a five shotter on the second last, took the lead! And then a single on the last got them home. Wow, a game of two halves !! 17 – 15!
In the other triples game Ted ‘Barry’ McPhee, Gordon ‘cobblers’ Lewis and the ebullient one Chris Forrester tried to stare down Barry ‘smerfel’ Werfel, Arnie ‘dickie knee’ Lenczuk and Bob ‘wily Edwards, and Bob’s trio set the early pace to lead 8 – 4 after seven ends. Chris’ team then edged their way back into contention and by the fourteenth end, the score was locked at 10 all. It was then 12 all after eighteen but Chris’ team then edged to a lead with two to play . . . and then Chris’ team grabbed a three and a monstrous six shotter on the last to head to the Club smiling and back slapping. What a way to nab a ten shot victory! 22 – 12!