BOWLING NEWS WEDNESDAY MAY 3rd 2023 (Terry Norwood reporting)
Some information for a start:
- The Mens Bowls Committee met last Saturday and resolved that the AGM of the committee would be brought forward to align with the Bowls NSW calendar. The AGM will be held on Sunday 2nd July with nominations closing on Sunday 4th June. Voting for any contested positions will be held from June 20th until 5pm July 1st. We need a dedicated committee to carry the club forward so members are encouraged to think about nominating for duty.
- The Mens Bowls Committee also resolved to hold a presentation night at 6.30 on Saturday July 15th. This will be a partners night and the women bowlers will be invited as well.
- Zone 5 will be conducting a men only pennants competition in August/September. Bowral Bowling Club will enter a team(s) should there be sufficient interested members. The Club will be calling for nominations very soon.
- The Board of the Bowral Bowling Club has decided to offer a discounted membership renewal this year. Members who complete their renewal by June 30th will be required to pay only $120. After that date the fee will be the usual $160.
- The final round of the current Pennants season will (weather permitting) be conducted this Saturday May 6th. The Grade Two team will travel to Austral where a third win on the trot could see them move into third position on the ladder. The Grade Six team will host the team from Campbelltown where the bowlers will be seeking their second win of the season.
Social Bowls Wednesday May 3rd
Following the washout the previous Saturday, many bowlers were eager to hit the green and see some bowls action. Unfortunately, an ice-cold, gale-force wind was, not surprisingly, quite discouraging for some of the men. However, twenty-five hardy souls braved the elements and took to the Wilson Green with quite some determination. Because of the numbers, a swing bowler was required and this converted one of the planned triples matches into a fours. The green was running a little quicker than the previous week, but the gale blowing directly across the green from the west proved to be a great challenge.
On rink 2 of the Wilson Green with Grahame Denman as swing bowler for both teams, Joe O’Donnell. Viv Gear and ‘skip’ Tony Oakes took on Arnold Lenczuk, Paul McInerney and Ian Crow. Tony and his team won the first five ends to lead 6 – 0, but by the tenth end team Crow had pegged them back to trail by only three shots. Team Oakes then had the better of the next four ends and led 13 – 7. The next two ends proved vital however; a pair of threes to Ian’s team saw them square the score-line, and they went on to a two shot victory at 17 – 15.
The usual 18-ender was on rink 3, and, with John Cummins back, the line-ups had a more familiar look about them; John Fleming, Keith Edwards and John Cummins against Bill Pope, Denis Lees and Paul Rubie. And much to their delight, team Rubie extracted revenge for the RSL day drubbing two weeks earlier. Denis Lees joining Paul’s team was the difference as Denis proved that his cold winter days on the building site was to his advantage. Denis put in a great display of bowling in difficult conditions to spearhead his team to a 30 – 9 victory.
Sweet revenge for skipper Paul!
In another triples match on rink 4, Joel Hunt, Owen Williams and the ‘cobbler’ (anxiously awaiting the outcome of the Tranmere Vs Northampton Town (the Cobblers) and the Barrow Vs Stevenage League 2 final round soccer matches) Gordon Lewis battled the conditions and the team of Mark Rundle, Richard Denman and visitor Peter Fennell. In the trying conditions, Peter and his team won 8 of the first nine ends and held a handsome lead of 17 – 5. Team Cobbler won the next four ends, scoring eight shots and putting much needed respect into the score-line. However, although the remaining ends were shared, a scorching five on the 17th end ensured that Peter’s team were victorious at 26 – 17. The ‘Cobbler’ will be hoping for more favourable results in the UK on May 8th!
In the final match on rink 5, Jill Harwood, Ted McPhee and skipper ‘Mr Unfazable’ Chris Forrester went head to head against Neville Tanner, Terry Norwood and ‘Mr Finesse” Steven Goddard. Chris and his team handled the conditions much better at the start and led their opponents 9 – 3 after nine ends. However, a four shot haul on the next ends saw team Goddard in better form and they pushed on to lead 14 – 11 after sixteen ends. Steven and Chris were now having a great battle as skips and there was only one shot in favour of team Goddard separating the teams with one end remaining. The final end was a cracker! When the skips went to the mat, Steven’s team was holding a shot until Chris played a beauty to have his team now holding two. However, Steven played his last bowl into the head to move the jack and score two. Victory to Steven’s team by 18 – 15.
Steven and Chris had a battle royal in the second half of the game!