PENNANTS SATURDAY AUGUST 20th
DIVISION ONE
The Bowral Bulls headed to Penrith to take on the competition leaders on their home turf. Penrith had collected all ten points the previous week when visiting Glenbrook, so it certainly looked like a tough mission. However the Bulls had collected nine points in round one when they had defeated the well credentialed Austral at home, so entered the fray with confidence.
The Bowral boys got off to a very solid start in all three games, and matched their Penrith rivals. Andy Connor, Alistair McGhee, Steve Dells and Dugald Braithwaite found themselves in a tight battle with their opposite four. They hung in really doggedly and finally came out on top by the closest of margins, 19 – 18. The team was excited, none more so than skipper Dugald.
Terry Butt, Carl Spilker, Gary Brown and Mick Armstrong got away to a very strong start in their game. With well disciplined teamwork, the Bulls led by six shots at one stage, and with two ends remaining were locked with Penrith at 19 all. Unfortunately for Bowral, Penrith proved too strong in the end to collect five shots and victory.
In the final game, Gordon Lewis, Ashley Lewis, Mick Spong and Mick Armstrong also made a very solid start to head their opponents. The Bulls dominated the first half of the match to forge to a 15 – 8 lead. Unfortunately, the second half of the game was a different story. Our boys managed to win only two of the last ten ends, and finished up going down by seven shots.
The final score on the master board favoured the home team 66 – 55. Not a huge loss, but a team only needs to be in front by one to take home the goodies. Overall then, despite playing some fine bowls at times, Bowral salvaged a single point while Penrith took away 9. On the Division One competition table, Bowral is holding down second place to Penrith (19 points) with 10 competition points. Glenbrook are third with 9 points and Austral are fourth with 2. Next Saturday Bowral hosts Glenbrook, so that will be another huge challenge.
DIVISION FOUR
A sunny, but very windy day greeted the players to the Waratah (synthetic) Green at the Bowral Bowling Club. Bowral was playing host to the team from Bundanoon which had managed a good win over Taralga in the first round. The wind was coming out of the west and was very blustery. Playing east- west, the green was running at about 17 playing into the breeze, and about 18.5 with the wind; very tricky indeed.
In one game Arnold Lenczuk, Graham Hunt, Glen Giese and skipper Bob Crowley got off to a steady start against the Bundanoon four. Down by two shots after five ends, the Bulls then strung together some very good ends to advance to a lead of 17 – 8 by eleven ends. This dominance continued through the second half of the game including a massive 6 shot haul on the final end. The final score of 32 – 12 was a real credit to team Crowley.
In the match on rink 8, Peter Cornwell, Mick Flynn, Tony Oakes and Dave Coltman were behind 5 – 3 after four ends. With bowls in the head, they then hit a purple patch to score twelve shots on the next four ends and race to a ten shot lead. Far from done, Bundanoon then fought back strongly to take six of the next seven ends and the lead by two shots. In an exciting but tense finish, the scores were locked at 21 all with one end remaining. The Bowral boys held their nerve for the final end and grabbed two shots and victory by 23 – 21. Two wins in the competition from two games for team Coltman.
Ted McPhee, Richard Denman, Terry Norwood and Robin Staples comprised the Bowral four in the final game. Although getting away to a steady start, the Bulls found themselves behind 12 – 4 after eight ends. A haul of seven shots on the next two ends, however, had them in better shape on the score card. They slipped behind again over the next few ends only grab a massive six shots (and the lead by one) on the fourteenth end. The Bundy boys then fought back well to lead by three shots with three ends remaining. Bowral grabbed one on the nineteenth and another on the next due to a superb final bowl from skipper Robin who really saved the day when three shots down. Still one behind on the final end, the Bulls steadied to collect three shots and a tension filled victory 23 – 21.
On the master board, Bowral won the day by 78 – 54. Therefore, with the three wins and the overall victory, Bowral took all ten competition points. This result gave the Division four competition table a very pleasant look from the Bowral point of view. The Bulls now lead the table on 14.5 points, followed by Taralga on 9, Bundanoon 9 and Picton 7.5. The Bowral boys won’t get too carried away, however, as they have to travel to Taralga next Saturday and battle against them on their very tricky green.