BBC BROADCAST SATURDAY MARCH 21st (Terry Norwood at the desk)
Grade Six Pennants
The Grade Six pennants team played host to the rivals Picton on Saturday and were hoping to find their way back into the winners circle. Under threatening skies, play was suspended for some time because of lightning, but all games were finally concluded.
On rink 2 of the Wilson Green, Mick Fisher, Dennis Beatty, Peter Martin and Dugald Braithwaite made a slow start to be 3 – 7 down after seven ends. However, they put together three ends and then, when they cracked a six shotter on the fifteenth, they hit the lead for the first time at 13 – 10. They followed with a single, but the the Picton four then recovered their early form to take the last five ends and the game at 19 – 14. So, a strong effort from Bowral, but 1 competition point to Picton.
On rink 4, Noel Fraser, Jim Neely, Oscar Whalin and Ash Lewis raced from the blocks to lead 13 – 1 after seven ends, and then consolidated to make it 19 – 4 after thirteen. Steadying, Picton then won four of the next five ends to reach double figures, but Ash and the boys were never really going to allow the Picton four back into the game. Restricting the Picton bowlers to singles and the odd double, the Bowral team headed to the Clubhouse after twenty-one ends 22 – 12 to the good. 1 point in the bag!
In the third game, Barb Wainberg, Peter Flight, Dave Coltman and Al McGhee were locked at 7 all after six ends against their opponents, but then edged ahead to lead 13 – 8 by the tenth. Keeping the Picton four to singles, Bowral then cracked a very significant six shotter on the sixteenth to set up a solid lead of 8 shots. With the bit between his teeth, Al and his team were not going to let this one slip, and they charged home 24 – 15. What a great win!
So, overall it was a fine performance by the Bowral side, and two rink wins and a big board victory meant they they netted 9 competition points to the 1 for Picton. This was a great result to kick the side into gear for the coming matches. Well done bowlers!!
Grade Seven Pennants
Leading the competition, Bowral travelled to Camden to take on the RSL side under clear skies and a busy Camden Show nearby.
Chris Forrester, Clive Neutze, Reta South and Bob Edwards made a solid opening to be 6 – 5 to the good after seven ends. With all four in quite good touch, they then advanced the lead to 12 – 6 on the twelfth, only to have the RSL boys begin a comeback. Camden RSL won six of the next eight ends so that the score was 15 all with one end to play, and we had a real nail-biter on our hands. And what a cracking end it was with the shot changing hands several times before Reta got one in and Bowral held on for victory. 16 – 15 was the final score.
On the next rink Arnie Lenczuk, Richard Denman, Ross Barber and Gordon Lewis were under enormous pressure from the start against a very hot out-fit. Down 0 – 10 after five ends, they finally cracked a three, but were soon again under heavy fire from RSL as they bombarded bowls and jack. Anything that Bowral could set up was very soon dismantled by the fine bowling of the RSL bowlers. Hanging in, Bowral notched up eight shots over ends sixteen to nineteen, but they were too far adrift to really get close. 33 – 16 was the final score to RSL.
In the third game, Ian Duncan, Ricci Wilson, Terry Norwood and Robin Staples started reasonably well to be 5 – 6 after the first six ends, but then over the next five ends failed to get enough bowls in the head to be 7 – 14 behind. In the back half, play lifted for Bowral to win six of the ten ends, but a couple of horrific four shotters against them meant that the RSL four were always in front. The game did go down to the last bowl by skip Robin and two cm of luck would have been welcome, but, alas, it wasn’t to be. 26 – 19 to RSL was the score-line.
Overall then, it wasn’t a great day for Bowral. Outgunned, Bowral came away with 1 competition point to the 9 points to Camden RSL, and the competition lead slipped from their grasp. Away next week to Campbelltown, Bowral will have another hit-out on the grass. Should be interesting!!