BBC BROADCAST WEDNESDAY MAY 29th (Terry Norwood at the desk)
Some information to begin with:
- Weather permitting, the club Senior Singles Competition commences on Saturday June 1st at 10am with the playing of the first four matches. Play will continue in the afternoon with the second batch of four games to conclude the first round. Best wishes to all sixteen bowlers who’ll be rolling them down.
- Again weather permitting, there will be social bowls for interested bowlers on Saturday June 1st. Rinks 12 and 13 of the Waratah Green should be available, with the competition games on the other rinks.
- Nominations for the Senior Pairs Competition closes at 5pm on Saturday June 1st, so there is now not much time for bowlers to get their names on the list which is posted on the notice board.
Social Bowls Wednesday 29th
A glorious sunny day greeted the thirty-six bowlers who turned out for social bowls on the last Wednesday of May. Despite the breeze coming out of the west, the conditions were close to ideal to be out on the green. Play was allocated to the Waratah Green which was running at a slick pace to keep all bowlers on their toes. With the number of bowlers at thirty-six, the Match Committee organised six games of triples.
On rink 7, Richard ‘denman’ Denman, Bill Meredith and skipper Charles Stewart took on Mike ‘fish’ Hook, Russell Dunstan and Peter ‘miraculous’ Morales. Despite dropping a shot on the first end, Charles’ team roared out of the blocks and, with a five shotter on the sixth end, led 12 – 1. Peter’s team then won a couple of ends, but were still well behind at the half way point by 17 – 5. They did make something of a comeback by winning six of the last nine ends, but, however, the deficit was too great to make up and team Stewart went on to win 23 – 14.
On the next rink newcomer Graham Bond, Peter ‘Virgin’ Flight and Stephen Day went head to head against Denis ‘rowdy’ Lees, Rob Scott and the wily Bob Edwards. Team Day scored two shots on the first end, but were behind 2 – 6 by the fifth. Stephen’s boys then found some form to put four ends together and hit the lead 7 – 6 after nine ends. The game then became a hard grind to the extent that the lead to Bob’s team was only three after the seventeenth. And then an eye-watering five shotter to Bob’s team broke the game open and gave them the upper hand. They went on to win 20 – 14.
In the 18-ender on rink 9, Wal Markow, Keith ‘fox’ Edwards and Paul ‘ricochet’ Rubie battled for bragging rights against Alex Christlo, John Fleming and Owen ‘wily’ Williams. Owen’s team scored two on the first end, but a sizzling five shotter to Paul’s team on the second shifted the smiles from one team to the other! It was then 7 all after six ends and the twelve all after ten . . . game on! With the scores 16 all after thirteen and still even after fifteen this one was going down to the wire. Then, down by a shot with one end to play, Paul’s team pulled out a blinder of an end to score a four shotter and victory by 22 – 18. How sweet was victory!
On rink 10, Graham ‘pop’ Denman, David Charlesworth and skipper Joe O’Donnell faced off against Graham ‘jockey’ Hunt, Neville ‘mad cow’ Tanner and the wily stick wheeler Mike Holmewood. To the surprise of the Match Committee, this game was not a close affair at all. Team O’Donnell won eight of the ends and notched up a healthy thirteen shots. But when they lost ends, they lost heavily . . . very heavily! The score-line was 20 – 6 after eleven ends, and things didn’t change in the back half of the match. The final score in favour of Mike’s team was 44 – 13, with nifty Neville and skipper Mike stars for the victors.
On the next rink, Jill Harwood and the gentlemen bowlers Don Chapman and Jim Starkey wrestled for honours against Joel ‘Grr’ Hunt, Terry ‘PNE’ Norwood and Mick ‘potters’ Flynn. Both sides found their way onto the scorecard early for Mick’s team to lead 6 – 5 after four ends. The score was then 8 all after eight ends and the match was settling into a close tussle. Mick’s team then won five single shot ends on the trot, but by the eighteenth end were only two in front. However, under pressure Mick’s team held firm and ran out victors at 18 – 13. For the losing side, gentleman Jim salvaged something for his team on half a dozen ends.
In the final match on rink 12, Gwen Scott, Arny ‘black feet’ Lenczuk and Clive ‘dasher’ Neutze battled against Ian ‘cool’ Duncan, Mark ‘rowdy’ Rundle and the maestro Robin Staples. Robin’s team won three of the first four ends to lead 5 – 4, but a sizzling five shotter to Clive’s team on the next end got the game humming. Team Staples again took the lead but by the tenth end Clive’s team had levelled at 13 all. In the back half on the match, the maestro kept his team in the lead, but by the twentieth end the difference was only one shot and the atmosphere was tense. And then came the bowl of the game . . . two shots down, Robin plucked victory from the jaws of defeat to take the match 25 – 23. The leads had a close tussle as did the seconds in what finished up a very tight game.
Social Bowls Saturday May 25th
Sixteen bowlers turned out for a game on a pleasant, sunny afternoon. Two games of triples were organised and one of pairs.
In the pairs game, Stephen Della and Steven Goddard got the better of opponents Arny Lenczuk and Bob Crowley. Arny and Bob won ten of the twenty-one ends but the heavier scoring of the two Stevens meant that they ran out comfortable victors at 26 – 13.
In the first of the triples games, Jill Harwood, Owen Williams and skipper Mick Flynn took the honours in a match against Graham Denman, Ted McPhee and Dave Coltman. Mick’s team won thirteen ends and finished well in front at 29 – 13.
In the other triples game, Andy Connor, Peter Flight and Al McGhee came from 0 – 9 down to defeat opposition players Richard Denman, Graham Hunt and Chris Forrester. Chris’ team won ten ends but couldn’t hold off team McGhee which won 26 – 18.