SATURDAY OCTOBER 15th
MENS MAJOR SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP – SEMI-FINALS & FINAL
In terms of the weather a perfect day greeted the bowlers and markers on this third Saturday in October. In contrast to the weather that had blighted bowling throughout most of the year, the sun shone brightly, and the breeze was a gentle zephyr barely fluttering the flags. With the Lewis and Wilson Greens still under-prepared due to the poor season, the semi-finals were allocated to the Waratah Green. Since the restitution work carried out several weeks ago, the Waratah Green has been running very truly, and has been the preferred surface of most of the bowlers. Running at about 18, the Waratah provided a ‘no complaints’ surface for these very important matches. The two markers selected for the semi-finals were vice-president of the Mens Committee Glenn Giese and ex-president and ex-chairman Gordon Lewis. And what a picture of sartorial elegance was Gordon in his whites and club blazer: wonderful to see!
Sartorial Elegance Mr Lewis!
With Gordon as marker, the semi-final between Dugald Braithwaite and Alastair McGhee got away on rink 9. Alastair took single shot victories on the first three ends and appeared to have settled nicely into the match. A four shot haul by Dugald on the fifth end however, saw him leapfrog into the lead. With some excellent draw bowling, Dugald had soon extended his lead to four shots. Not to be denied, Alastair had some very fine ends and edged his way to within one by the thirteenth 11 – 10. It was at this point that Dugald stamped his authority on the game applying enormous pressure with some brilliant shots. A four shot haul on the fourteenth end set him up well and he lost only two more ends as he pressed on to a fine victory. The final score in favour of Dugald was 25 – 13. Alastair bowled very well, but found Dugald in hot form on the day.
Dugald beautifully balanced! Excellently away Alastair!
The second semi-final with Glenn Giese as marker was played on rink 1o. This match was between the wily Noel Fraser and defending champion Ash Lewis. It was Noel who made the steadier start winning the first four ends. But, as so often happens, his opponent took the next three ends and then there was only one shot between the two bowlers. With the elegant Ash and determined Noel both reaching into their kitbags of shots, they took ends alternatively until Noel, who’d had a two on the twelfth, followed with a three on the next end. This gave him a lead of four which he extended to five by the sixteenth end. It was at this stage of the match that Ash dug very deeply and took eleven shots over the next five ends and looked set for victory with a lead of 22 – 16. Noel, however, put some very nice draws on the jack to claw back three shots over the next two ends. The 24th end proved decisive; Noel was holding one shot, but with his last bowl of the end nudged the jack to his opponent. Then leading by four, Ash took the match on the next end 25 – 19. This was a fine game in which each of the bowlers had the audience enthralled at different stages.
The style of Ash Lewis! The Noel Fraser delivery!
And so to the final between defending champion Ash Lewis and former champion Dugald Braithwaite. With the semis having started at 10.30am, the finalists took a lunch break before venturing into the final at about 2pm. The marker for the final was the ebullient president of the mens committee Bob Crowley who looked very dapper in his sunnies and flowing beard. As convention demands, the final was staged on a neutral rink, in this case rink 8.
The ebullient President Bob Crowley!
With two such high profile bowlers, this final was expected to be a quality battle of the titans – and nobody was to be disappointed. Despite excellent draw bowling from his opponent, Dugald dominated the scoring over the first seven ends to take a lead of 7 – 2. The brilliant draw bowling by Ash then reaped some success, and by the twelfth end he had established a two shot lead 10 – 8. Dugald then applied enormous pressure and with a crushing four shot haul regained the lead on the fourteenth. With neither bowler faltering, the two battled doggedly and at the end of the 22nd end Dugald held the lead by only one shot. With excellent bowling, he then edged Ash on the next four ends to run out victor 25 – 18. This was a very high quality game well befitting the final of the Mens Major Singles Championship.
A weighted shot from Ash Lewis! The spoils of victory! Dugald Braithwaite!
SOCIAL BOWLS
Fourteen devotees turned out for social bowls on this bright sunny Saturday afternoon. With the final matches of the Major Mens Singles being staged on the Waratah Green, the match committee decided it was appropriate to play the social games on the grass of the Lewis Green. Unfortunately, this green has suffered from the generally poor weather throughout winter and spring and the surface is far from perfect. So, although the bowlers could not blame the weather conditions for wayward bowls, they certainly had a few excuses when it came to the bowling surface. With little sideways movement most bowlers finished up bowling fairly straight down the green.
In a pairs match on rink fifteen, the two Peters, Cornwell and Morales battled with Ian Crow and Steve Goddard. And, as so often is the case, this was a game of different halves. The two Peters won six of the first nine ends to take an emphatic lead of 14 – 5. From that point, they could win only three ends as Ian and Steve took control. Winning nine of the last twelve ends, team Goddard ran out winners 25 – 20.
In another pairs match, Arnold Lenczuk and skipper Robin Staples challenged Julie Hayden and Mike Holmwood. And the scoring in this eighteen ender showed just how fickle the game of bowls can be. Winning the first two ends decisively, Julie and Mike pushed on to lead 11 – 8 by the halfway point of the game. They continued to lead until the fifteenth end when they conceded a painful four shots. This was followed by an eye-watering six shots to Arnold and Robin two ends later and suddenly the game was gone. The final score in favour of team Staples was 22 – 18; and so Robin triumphed … again!
The final social game was a triples match between Graham Hartnup, Richard Denman and skipper Owen Williams against Graham Denman, Barry Werfel and Don Chapman. And again, this match demonstrated that the number of ends won does not necessarily give a clear indication of the final score. Team Chapman won thirteen of the twenty ends compared to the seven of team Williams, and yet there were only four shots separating the teams on the scorecard. Team Chapman won nine single shot ends while Owen and his men had six multiple shot ends. But, that’s bowls; Don and his team were victorious by 19 – 15.
MENS MAJOR FOURS CHAMPIONSHIP
Five teams have been entered into the Mens Major Fours Championship which will get under way at 1.00pm next Saturday afternoon. As well as the first round game (which is effectively a quarter final game), the first semi-final will be played. The Mens Committee is expecting these games to be of a high standard and should make good viewing for members.