The week ending Saturday 25th June has been a quiet time with no competitions and just social bowls to entertain the members.
Wednesday 22nd had a good roll up of bowlers with 33 playing in bright cool conditions. Two games of triples were held on the synthetic green while the remainder were on the Gordon Lewis Green. Do not have all the results but I somehow remember that I got thrashed courtesy of Eric Willacy with help from Bob Edwards. I just happen to have forgotten the final score.
A miserly 16 social bowlers were present for a game on Saturday in similar conditions to Wednesday. Do have some results as there were only three games. The Glen Giese team of Graham Denman and Harold Wall 25 shots defeated the Richard Denman team of Graham Hardnup and G Madden 20 shots. Ian Crowe, Tony Oakes and skipper Mick Flynn 14 shots lost to Peter Cornwall, Don Coleman and Robin Staples 24 shots. The Staples team took an early and comfortable lead. The inevitable fight back from Mick’s team saw them win six ends in a row. However, each end was restricted to a single shot so the damage was not too great and the Staples team scored a couple of shots at the finish for the victory. Match of the day was David Coltman and Kevin Gould against Eric Willacy and Gordon Lewis. A win for Eric and Gordon by 10 shots with a score around 24-14 shots. From what I could see from the next rink Eric continued to pepper the jack and with Gordon’s current form I am sure his contribution was not insignificant. So I nominate Eric Willacy for player of the week. A shame that pennants is not to his liking as I am sure the grade 1 team would be delighted to enfold him.
While on the subject of Pennants Zone 5 have released the draw for the upcoming Men’s Only competition in August with the first round Saturday August 14th 2022. The Bowral grade 1 team start off at home to Austral with the other teams Glenbrook and Penrith. Six weeks of home and away matches.
Bowral grade 4 is in Section 1 of 6 groups. First match is away to Picton and the other teams are Bundanoon and Taralga with the same home and away format.
Still on Pennants the morning training continued with numbers dwindling slightly. Just 12 bowlers with 2 facilitators training with the forty bowl challenge. Chairman Stephen Della has been keeping score and top of the list is David Coltman (but only one score) from Tony Oakes (two scores) and Viv Gear (one score). Graham Hunt (two scores) lies fourth. Plans in the lead up to Pennants include another training morning on the 2nd July and internal trial matches on the 9th July. The 16th July has a trial game with Robertson and Bundanoon penciled in to be played at Robertson. There is a question mark against this fixture but not sure if it is the fixture or the start time.
Finally just a little news on the greens following a meeting which included members of the Mens and Ladies Bowls Club, Chairman, green keeper and Manager. Seems the Springetts Green will not be back in play before November after the saturation from the summer rains. Gordon Lewis green will also be coming out sometime soon though not sure when with Pennants only a little over a month away. It also appears that the green keepers designation of rinks will always stand. So for those of us grumbling about playing East West all the time we will just have to shut up and enjoy. Gather the Ladies are playing North South in the morning! Finally the Club is trying to have KCL come to attend to the mini renovation on the Synthetic green. KCL is of course very busy after all the covid delays but the Ladies wish to have this green ready for the Tulip Festival so I hope their efficient pressure has results.