BBC BROADCAST for WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 25th       (Terry Norwood at the desk)

Some general information to start with:

1. Rookies, those members who commenced bowling after January 1st 2021, a last reminder that the closing date for nominations is 5pm on  Tuesday October 1st. The entry sheet is on the notice board awaiting your nomination. The Match Committee will release the draw around midday on Wednesday October 2nd.
2. And to both men and women bowlers, another reminder of the entry form for the Mixed Pairs Championship being posted on the notice board. Entries close at 5pm on Saturday October 5th, so there is now not a lot of time to get organised.
3. The Men’s and Women’s Bowls Committees have now established a Greens sub-committee to liaise with manager Tony Dunn and the greenkeeper regarding the maintenance of all greens and the up-grading of the Wilson Green. Tony wishes to meet regularly with the Greens Committee members to receive feedback and exchange information. Hopefully, Tony will have the advice from a consultant soon on the work needed to improve the Wilson Green. The Greens Committee members are Peter Flight, Graham Hunt, Robin Staples, Chris Forrester, Gail Fraser and Lynn Boshier.
4. During Wednesday bowls, the match Committee inaugurated a novelty event of ‘closest to the jack’ on the 5th end. Peter Flight was the man with the tape (a nice sturdy one), and was kept very busy on the fifth end! And, the winner was . . . Don Chapman! Congratulations Don, bask in the limelight for the week and then see what you can do next week.
5. Bowlers are reminded that, if you roll out the shade cloth during your game, you are asked to roll it back when the game is over. This will help to extend the age of the cloth.
6. Bowlers are also advised that some time late on Friday afternoons the rink markers will be collected and placed in the box where we keep the mats. Anyone bowling on a Saturday will then need to set out your own rink markers, and return them to the box after the game. The idea behind this is to prevent party-going children from moving them around and using them as toys.

Social Bowls Wednesday

The weather was quite friendly at the start of play on Wednesday, although the ever-present wind was blustering across the Waratah Green in awkwardly gusty blasts. And, although the temperature was pleasant at the outset, by 3.30 the promised change had arrived to send many bowlers to search of jackets. Thirty-five bowlers had rolled up their sleeves for a game, so the Match Committee organised six games of triples with one having a swing lead for both teams.

On rink 8, Grahame ‘dragon’ Denman was swing lead for Jim ‘gentleman’ Starkey and Clive ‘dasher’ Neutze on one side, and Col ‘bunnings’ Stone and Peter ‘mid-shipman’ Watson on the other. Peter’s team made the early running to take the first four ends and lead 6 – 0. Clive’s team then had some fine ends to take over the lead and get the game humming. At the end of the first half of the match, it was fairly even with Peter’s team just in front at 10 – 8. From that point, however, he game was anything but even! Peter’s team went on a scoring spree winning end after end and having their opposite players quite exasperated. Clive’s team won two of the last three ends, but the final score was 26 – 13 to team Watson.

In the 18-ender on rink 9, Barry ‘smerfel’ Werfel, Keith ‘foxy’ Edwards and Paul ‘ricochet’ Rubie battled against Russell Dunstan, John Fleming and Terry Norwood. In a very keenly fought, tight opening to the game, singles were scored on each of the first five ends. It was Paul’s team that led at 4 – 1, but the game broke open when team Norwood notched up a four shotter on the seventh end and took the lead. At the halfway point they led 9 – 5 and by the thirteenth end had taken this to 13 – 9. And when Terry and the boys grabbed a very sweet five shotter on the fifteenth end they were in the box seat. There were no dramatics on the last few ends and the final score to team Norwood was 19 – 12. Bragging rights!!

On the next rink, Ian ‘Mr Cool’ Duncan, Peter ‘ambi’ Flight and Charles Stewart took on Joel ‘Grr’ Hunt, Graham ‘leaning tower’ Hunt and Mr potters himself Mick Flynn. Things were fairly even at the opening with Charles’ team a shot in front after four. Mick’s team then edged to the lead and after nine ends were two up at 8 – 6. After a hiccup on the tenth when they dropped a four, they pushed on and held a good lead of 16 – 11 after fourteen ends. And then the tornado hit – the Ian/Peter/Charles tornado . . . an eight shotter! Yes, friends, an EIGHT shot end!! Now down (but not out), Mick’s team rallied and were still within three shots of team Stewart with three ends to play. But now, another tornado hit, a five shot tornado, and team Flynn was out for the count!! The final score in favour of team Stewart was 29 – 20.

On rink 11, Bruce Yahl, Dave ‘pot black’ Charlesworth and Robin ‘maestro’ Staples tussled for honours against Graham Bond, Arnold ‘rosie’ Lenczuk and Bob ‘ebullience’ Crowley. And, it was Bob’s team that won the early ends to lead 8 – 0 after three. Robin’s team won the fourth end to settle nerves, but were still trailing at 6 – 11 after nine ends. With plenty of chat, Bob’s boys then settled into a rhythm to win five of the next six ends and lead comfortably at 19 – 7. Far from done, the maestro got his team cracking, won the next three ends (including a four shotter) and were back in the match at 15 – 19. However, Bob’s team settled, won two of the last ends and secured victory at 24 – 17. Newcomer Bruce continues to impress, as does another relative newcomer Graham.

The triples match on rink 12 saw Bill ‘nonagenarian’ Meredith, Paul McInerney and the venerable Gordon ‘cobblers’ Lewis up against Graham ‘hardnut’ Hartnup, Neville ‘the’ Tanner and Bob ‘wily’ Edwards. Now the Match Committee expected this, like all match-ups, to be fairly even, but that’s not how things unfolded! Both sides did win early ends for there to be only one shot difference after four ends. Gordon’s team then held the lead at 11 – 7 after nine ends and there were still no signs of the mayhem that was to unfold. BANG! Cyclone Gordon then struck and totally destroyed the opposition! Gordon’s team won nine of the last twelve ends and surfed home tsunami-style to a 29 – 10 victory. Stunning!! CPR for the vanquished!!

In the final match on rink 13, Denis ‘rowdy’ Lees, Don ‘gentleman’ Chapman and Stephen ‘makeover’ Day jostled for honours against Viv Gear, Mark ‘also rowdy’ Rundle and Peter ‘miraculous’ Morales. And, as it happened, this was another game that had the Match Committee members scratching their heads. Peter’s team led 3 – 1 after four ends but then team Day really got into stride. With Don in sharp form, team Day won the next five ends to lead 10 – 3, but Peter’s team fought back to be only two down after fourteen ends. However, it was at that point that the Denis/Don/Stephen hurricane hit and swept all before it! A six shotter on the fifteenth, followed by a three, a four and doubles obliterated the opposition. Unfortunately, there were no miracles today for team Morales as Steve’s men charged to a stunning victory at 31 – 12! More CPR . . . for the Match Committee!!