BBC BROADCAST WEDNESDAY AUGUST 6th (Terry Norwood at the desk)
Hors d’oeuvres before something more substantial:
- Members have been saddened by the news of the passing of Keith Edwards. Ninety-four years young, Keith finally succumbed to cancer after a long battle. Universally liked, Keith was a terrific bowler and an even more terrific bloke. At Keith’s request, his family generously provided Wednesday bowlers with food and drink, and some trips down memory lane. RIP Keith.
- Another couple of games of the Mixed Pairs Championship were played on Wednesday afternoon so there is more on that below.
- Members of the Men’s Bowling Club are again reminded of the AGM for the Men’s Club to be held at 10am on Sunday August 17th. We’re hopeful of getting a sizable number in attendance so that your Committee can keep the ship sailing in a direction we are all happy with.
- And another reminder of that the RSL shield competition is coming up soon. The schedule for bowlers to list their names is now posted on the notice board, so come on ladies and gents, get your name up so the Match Committee can get you organised into a team of four. Keep in mind that the RSL runs over three weeks with the format being fours, pairs and triples/singles. There is prize money up for grabs with $100 each week and then 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th overall.
Mixed Pairs Championship
As indicated, two more first round matches were staged on Wednesday as the Match Committee accommodates Region events and unfavourable weather. The last of the first round matches will be played on Thursday August 8th, which should clear the way for the four quarter finals on Saturday 10th.
In the match on rink 9, Jill Harwood and Ian Duncan took on Barb Wainberg and Mick Flynn, and although they dropped a shot on the first end, Mick and Barb were soon into solid form and raced to a 10 – 1 lead after four. Jill and Ian then steadied the ship winning the next three ends to get the score to 7 – 10. However, Mick and Barb were getting more shots in the heads and they then won five of six ends to push the lead to a commanding 20 – 8. Far from done, Ian and Jill grabbed four ends to get to within six shots, giving themselves a chance with four ends to play. But the wily Mick was not about to let this game slip, and he and Barb ground out the remaining ends to be 24 – 15 victors.
The winning styles of Barb Wainberg and Mick Flynn!
On the next rink, Elizabeth Shepherd and Richard Denman battled for honours against the more favoured Lynne Boshier and Ash Lewis, and although Richard and Elizabeth dropped four shots on the first two ends, by the fourth they were back on even terms. In a really tight match with all bowlers on their game, the scores were locked at 5 all after six, and then 9 all after eleven ends. Lynne and Ash grabbed a single on the twelfth, but Richard and Elizabeth got their noses in front with a double on the next end, the result of terrific draws. They then edged to a three shot lead, but by the eighteenth end, Ash and Lynne had cut it to one. In a nail-biting finish watched by an absorbed audience, Elizabeth and Richard bowled brilliantly to take singles on each of the last three ends and victory at 17 – 13. In a ripper of a game, Richard and Elizabeth more than matched everything that was thrown at them!
The Elizabeth Shepherd style and the Richard Denman smile; how sweet it was . . . is still!
Wednesday Social Bowls
With thirty eager bowlers turning out for social bowls, the Match Committee organised three games each of triples and pairs. This number of bowlers was clearly encouraged to get out on the green by the sunshine, although the cold, fairly stiff north-west/south-west breeze kept everyone on their toes.
On rink 4 of the Wilson Green, Arnold ‘dickie knee’ Lenczuk and Steven ‘suave’ Goddard took on Peter ‘junior’ Martin and Stephen ‘makeover’ Day, and although they dropped three shots on the first two ends, Peter and Steve led by 7 – 4 after nine. Arnie and Steven then found better range on the tricky grass and by the fifteenth had hit the lead. Peter and Steve hung in, but the Goddard/Lenczuk combo squeaked home by a shot.
On rink 5, Viv ‘first’ Gear, Ross ‘snip’ Barber and Chris ‘ebullience’ Forrester battled against Joe ‘rusty nail’ O’Donnell, Don ‘gentleman’ Chapman and the Gordon ‘cobblers’ Lewis. Perhaps it was the grass, but team Forrester struggled on the early ends to be down 0 – 6. Gordon’s team continued to have the better of ends through the first half and led 11 – 7. However, hurricane Forrester hit on the fourteenth and fifteenth ends, and the nine shot haul turned the match on its head. With their spinnaker set, Chris’ team coasted home to a handy 26 – 16 victory.
On rink 7 of the Waratah Green, Joel ‘AC/DC’ Hunt, Mike ‘fish’ Hook and Terry ‘preston’ Norwood faced off against Col ‘hawaii’ Stone, Wal ‘speckles’ Markow and the wily Owen Williams, and Owen’s team had much the better of the opening ends. This dominance continued with all three out-bowling their opposite, and the score was 12 – 6 after eleven ends. However, Terry’s team then got their act together to roll home the better, and in a tight finish the scores were locked at 16 all. So the honours were shared in the end, but Wal Markow shone with some fine draw bowling.
In a pairs matchup, Graham ‘dragon’ Denman and Peter ‘virgin’ Flight tried to stare down Peter ‘senior’ Marshall and Bob ‘wily Edwards. Peter and Graham got off to a flier with a five shotter, but by the seventh were down 6 – 10. They continued to trail, but when they grabbed a couple of four shotters on the back end, they led 21 – 13 and had the breeze in their sails. They did drop a four of their own, but held on to win by six at 26 – 20.
On rink 11, Mark ‘midshipman’ Shelvey, Terry ‘pep’ Salter and Graham ‘hardnut’ Hartnup tussled against Alex ‘wides’ Christlo, Mark ‘wheel’ Barrow and Paul ‘ricochet’ Rubie and a five shotter on the first end set Paul’s team on a run that saw them in front 16 – 3 after eight ends. Graham’s team won four of the next six ends, but were still well behind. The teams then shared the remaining ends, so it was team Rubie that came away with the bragging honours at 27 – 16.
In the final match, newcomer Clive ‘nails’ Huchens and Graham ‘leaning tower’ Hunt jousted with Barry ‘smerfel’ Werfel and Dave ‘beanie’ Charlesworth, and it was Dave and Barry who took the early lead. Graham and Clive then got cracking and by the eleventh end the score was 12 – 8 to Dave and Barry. Dave and Barry then had a purple patch which put them well on top, and they drove on to a comfortable victory of 28 – 13.