BBC BROADCAST SATURDAY OCTOBER 3rd
Some bits and pieces to start with:
- Another reminder that the annual RSL Shield competition will be staged this year in November on the 7th, 14th and 21st. The competition will be the usual fours, pairs/pairs and singles/triples. The Match Committee will form the teams from the listed names on the schedule so that we spread the talent around as best we can. The schedule awaiting names is posted on the notice board, so let’s get involved!
- Sunday October 11th will see a visiting group in Bowral for a game of bowls and BBC members are invited to join in. The aim is to bowl at 10am and follow up with lunch at 1pm. A schedule is posted on the notice board where you can list your name if you are able to join the group. The total cost is $30.
- The BBC Ltd is holding the AGM at 9am on Sunday October 25 and it would be helpful if as many members as possible could be in attendance.
- And for the next episode of Robin Staples’ Coach’s Corner, check below!! I hope you did your homework and thought about whether it’s better as lead to be resting on the front of the jack, or just behind!! I’m going for behind, but let’s see what the maestro says!! No 16 is also attached as it rounds off the guidance connected to being lead bowler.
Major Singles Championship
Under a very heavy sky, three of the Quarter Final matches got underway at 12.30 on Saturday. All was good until about 3pm when the rain arrived flooding the Waratah Green, so the Match Committee made the easy decision to abandon any further play for the day. The games will resume at 11am on Wednesday 7th. With the aim being 25 shots for a win, the situation in each game is:
Dugald Braithwaite 18 Vs Oscar Whalin 6
Denis Lees 16 Vs Peter Flight 17
Robin Staples 15 Vs Terry Norwood 20
There is still plenty of bowls to be played in each of these matches, so nothing can be taken for granted. Let’s hope for clear weather, and bowl well gents! Mick Fisher, courtesy of a walkover, is keen to see who the other semi-finalists are!
The FOSS Trophy Competition
This event commenced last Wednesday for mid-week bowlers, and anyone who bowls over the next three weeks will automatically be involved in this popular competition. Depending on the numbers, teams of triples or pairs will be organised each week by the Match Committee, and the members of each winning team receive two competition points for a win, with a bonus point being added where the win is by 15 or more shots. Different teams are randomly drawn up each week so its not very likely that anyone will play with the same bowlers more than once . . . but who knows, it is a random draw! And there is a lucky draw each week, so the members of the winning team will bowl free the following week!
After the first Wednesday, the leaders on 3 competition points are Jill Harwood, Clive Neutze and Terry Salter. Behind them on 2 points are Ian Duncan, Russell Dunstan, Viv Gear, Shane Harvey, Gordon Lewis, Mike Hook, Ted McPhee, Terry Norwood, Neil Puckeridge and Barry Werfel. Round two on Wednesday 7th will probably start to sift the wheat from the chaff, so, come on bowlers, get involved so that you can get some points on the ledger!!
Coach’s Corner No 15 (by coach Robin Staples)
Last Corner I posed the question, is a resting toucher in front of the jack any better or worse than a resting toucher behind the jack.
Not much to choose between them, both are excellent shots and to be applauded.
There are a couple of points worth mentioning and they apply more broadly than just resting touchers.
The resting toucher in front of the jack. The great thing about this shot is that the jack is most likely hidden and anytime the opposition cannot see the jack it makes the shot that much harder. Hide the jack and watch the opponent struggle.
The downside of a resting toucher in front is the percussion effect on the jack. A contact on the bowl in front creates that percussion effect on the jack and it will catapult away much further than you might expect. Thus if your skip is planning to place bowls behind the jack to cover, it is very hard to know just where to position these bowls.
The resting toucher behind the jack will leave the jack exposed and easier for the opposition to make contact. The benefit here is, that unless the contact is heavy. A light contact on the jack will very often result in the resting toucher behind retaining shot as there is a cushioning effect and the jack will stay more or less where it is.
Coach’s Corner No 16
Just one last comment on leads before we move onto the role of the second. We have mentioned, often, just how valuable a good lead is to a team. Bowling Clubs everywhere will place new bowlers as leads with the hope that as they gain experience and improve, they will move to be seconds, thirds and skip.
Some new bowlers may become frustrated with this system which may appear a slow progression. The result sometimes is that they “have a go“ either at the jack or an opponents bowl close to the jack. When they connect there is usually cheers all round which can reinforce that these are good bowls.
Careful analysis will probably find a success rate of less than 20%.
And what happens to the bowls that miss? They end up maybe three yards behind and a couple of yards wide. Nowhere near the jack and in all probability the other team will be holding two or three shots. Not the result a good lead should wish.
Occasionally an aggressive skip will call a lead for a weighted shot, but if they do not I would urge leads to perfect that draw shot.
Rest assured that if you draw bowl well, you will be noticed by the selectors and other positions and opportunities will open.