BBC BROADCAST WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 17th         (Terry Norwood at the desk)

Some bits and bobs to soak up:

1. The final of the Major Fours Championship will be contested on Saturday 20th with the roll off time being 12.30. The four led by Ash Lewis will take on Oscar Whalin’s team in what should be a terrific game.
2. The Southern Highlands Cup between Bowral, Robertson and Bundanoon was concluded last Sunday with the final round at Robertson. On the slick new synthetic surface, Bowral managed to snaffle 6 points and hold off the challenge from the locals. So, Bowral successfully defended the Cup and will attempt to do so again in November 2026.
3. Nominations for the Consistency Singles Competition close on Saturday 20th when the draw will be conducted and handicaps calculated. There is still room for anyone wishing to enter this competition which is all about drawing to the jack.
4. The executive of the Men’s Bowls Committee met on Wednesday 17th and the draft minutes should be on the notice board by Saturday. The next meeting will be at 10am on Wednesday February 4th.

Wednesday Social Bowls

On a magnificent day for bowling, twenty-eight members turned out for a roll, so the Match Committee organised four games of triples and one of pairs.

In the pairs match on rink 10, Neville Tanner and Peter ‘Virgin’ Flight took on Graham Hartnup and Viv ‘first’ Gear, and Viv and Graham hit the tarmac with purpose to take the first six ends. However, Neville and Peter then found the length they needed and by the fourteenth end were only two shots adrift at 8 – 10. Viv and Graham grabbed a three on the next end but a juicy five shotter to Peter and Neville on the following end had the scores locked at 13 all. In a very tight finish, it was 15 all with one to play, and on the last and holding one, Graham put down a shot he would like to forget!! So, it finished 16 – 15 to Peter and Neville.

In the triples match on rink 8, Grahame Denman, Mark Rundle and Peter ‘miraculous’ Morales battled against Shane Harvey, Paul ‘ricochet’ Rubie and junior Cummins, and junior’s team cracked a five shotter on the fourth end to lead 7 – 5. They then won the next five ends, and at 19 – 6, looked to have the opposition well and truly in hand. The score then became 20 – 11 after thirteen, and then 23 – 14 with three ends to play. However, Peter’s team was not about to quit! Summoning quite some resolve, they won the next couple of ends, and when they grabbed four big ones on the last they had closed to within two by the end! A real scare for junior’s team, but they stumbled home 23 – 21.

In the next game, Ted ‘Mr Ed’ McPhee, Cameron New and new skip Peter Martin took to the green against Arnie Lenczuk, Don ‘gentleman’ Chapman and BBQ Bob (Edwards), and Peter’s team shaded the opposition early to lead 5 – 1 after four ends. However, BBQ Bob’s trio quickly shook off their early wobbles and by the tenth end had surged to a lead of 18 – 6. Peter’s trio won the next three ends, but were outpointed over the remaining ends by a trio that was very hot. The final score was a 29 – 11 victory to the BBQ Bob team as they really flexed their muscles to show what they could do. Bad luck Peter on hitting a team that was really in hot form; your days will come as skip.

On rink 11, Barry Werfel, Mark Shelvey and Clive ‘dasher’ Neutze tussled for honours against Peter Marshall, Joe ‘rusty nail’ O’Donnell and Dave Charlesworth, and Clive’s team dominated the opening ends to lead 7 – 1 after five. However, Dave’s trio found some better touch to win four of the next five ends and to be within three shots at 5 – 8. It was then  though, that Clive’s team really applied the screws and blew the score out to 21 – 7 with two ends to play. Determined to avoid a ‘single figure total’, Dave’s team salvaged a couple of doubles and managed to reduce the loss to 21 – 11.

In the final match, Joel ‘AC/DC’ Hunt, Terry Norwood and the maestro Robin Staples faced up to Barb Wainberg, Gordon ‘cobblers’ Lewis and Bob ‘ebullience’ Crowley, and in a very tight opening, Bob’s team led 4 – 2 after six ends. A couple of threes then moved team Crowley out to 10 – 5, but by the twelfth end the scores were locked at 10 all. With lead Barb all over the jack, Bob’s team again bounced out in front, but, again Robin’s team were back to within two shots with three ends to play. However, with it all on the line, Bob’s team cracked a four, and still led by four with one end to play. In a dramatic last end, Robin’s team surrounded the jack to hold five shots when Bob stepped to the mat for his last bowl. Unphased, Bob rolled his last to be second and secure the game. In a beauty, it finished 21 – 18 to Bob’s trio. Happy birthday Bob!!