BOWLING SATURDAY JANUARY 21st (Terry Norwood reporting)
Some information to keep everyone in the loop:
- The Lewis Green has been top-dressed in the past couple of weeks so will not be back in use for about a month. The Wilson Green, which had a Spring freshen-up, is still not really ready for play being quite loose and bumpy. We all need to keep our fingers crossed and hope that we can receive the right balance of sun and rain in the near future. The Club is hopeful of having both the grass greens ready for play when the Pennants season opens late February.
- The nomination schedule for the Men’s Major Triples Championship is posted on the notice board and members are urged to organise their teams and get them listed. Entries close on Friday January 27th.
- The Chris Benton Memorial event will be staged on Saturday February 4th and bowlers are urged to organise their teams and get them listed on the schedule. The proceeds of the day go to brain cancer charity, so we’re hopeful of having a really high turnout.
- Our English friends, Carol and Lawrence Vipond have finally got their departure date to return to the UK. They have been regulars now for a couple of years for Wednesday bowls and will be sorely missed. The Bowls Committee is organising a farewell for them on Wednesday March 8th to which all bowlers are invited.
SATURDAY ON THE GREEN
Mother Nature turned on a really wonderful day for those who were on the green. The temperature was comfortably warm and medium wind gusted out of the north-east. The Waratah Green was running very nicely north to south; fairly much ideal conditions, although some adjustment to the line was necessary to take account of the wind. Three quarter finals of the Men’s Minor Singles Competition were staged along with two games of social bowls.
Singles Quarter Finals
In the first of these matches on rink 8, Graham Hunt took on Chris Forrester with Tony Oakes doing the marking. Chris made the stronger start winning four of the first five ends and jumping to a 7 – 1 lead. Graham then dug in and cut the lead to three over the next four ends. Although the game then settled into a good battle of high standard bowls, Chris held the upper hand and led 17 – 9 after seventeen ends. With his usual determination, Graham then had his best six ends of the match and reduced Chris’ lead to three shots. At 19 – 16 it looked like either bowler could take it out. It was Chris who swooped with a three and a two and he was suddenly all-but. A couple of ends later it was all over with the final score in favour of Chris of 25 – 18.
Chris is in fine form at present!
In the match on rink 9, Ted McPhee was marker when Steven Goddard went head to head against Peter Cornwell. Every now and again there is a game when one bowler is red hot and the other is a bit out of form. This was such a game! Steven was in scintillating form and Peter, try as he might, found it almost impossible to stay with him. The game was over in 14 ends, with Steven winning nine to Peter’s five. Steven scored the maximum four shots on no less than five ends in a hugely dominant performance. The final score was 25 – 9 and no doubt Steven will enter his semi-final clash with Bob Crowley on Wednesday 1st February with a lot of confidence.
Steven’s in scintillating form!
In the third singles quarter final Andy Connor battled things out against Terry Norwood on rink 10 with Denis Lees having his first match as marker. Andy scored an impressive three on the first end, but Terry took the next three ends to lead 4 – 3. It was then that Andy, bowling especially well, dominated his opponent to win the next four ends and set up a huge lead of 14 – 4. Although Terry won a couple of ends, Andy still held a commanding lead of 17 – 8 after twelve ends. Terry then won the mat, shortened the ends and won seven of the next eight ends to level the match 18 – 18! Two ends later Andy led 20 – 19, but a crucial four shot haul then put Terry in the lead 23 – 20. Andy scored two shots and at 23 – 22 it was a real nail biter! Terry then scored the necessary two shots on the twenty-fourth end to finish the match at 25 – 22. He now moves on to a semi-final clash against Chris Forrester on Saturday 28th.
Social Bowls
In a triples game Rick Reynolds, Ian Crow and Gordon Lewis took on Harold Wall, Richard Denman and skipper Dave Coltman. And what a cracker of a game this turned out to be! Although Dave and his men won the early ends to set up a lead of 6 – 1, team Lewis hit back immediately to be 6 – 6 after six. There was never much between the teams and the scores were locked at 11 all after thirteen ends. Team Coltman then jumped ahead by four, but Gordon and his men wore them down to lead by one shot with two ends to play. In a solid finish Dave’s team scored a couple of twos to finish in front 20 – 17.
Dave leading his team to victory in a close one!
In the other game, Graham Denman was swing lead for Don Chapman and Jim Starkey against Graham Hartnup and Don Coleman. In an absolutely remarkable start to the match team Starkey won the first six ends to set up a 19 – 0 lead! The whole team was bowling well and they had some crushing ends. Team Coleman found some touch however and got themselves on the scorecard. In fact, the second half of the game saw something of a turn-around with Don’s team outscoring Jim’s by twelve shots to ten. The early heavy scoring was decisive however as team Starkey were comfortable winners at 29 – 12.