Tricky tie

Mixed singles club competition fixture this evening. Up against a capable lady player. I should win, but mustn't underestimate my opponent.

Format is four bowls and the best of three sets, each of seven ends. Generally makes matches much closer. Typically not much of a lead opened up after just seven ends. No matter how convincingly you may win the first set, you're opponent is still in with a chance of winning the second to level the score.

Her choice of ends, she selects rink two. Not played on this rink before. One hand should be narrow, but I'm astounded just how little bend there is.

Good first end, three up to me. Not all over, though. My opponent wins the next three ends to go 4-3 up. I win four, but it's still not over. As we go into the last end I'm only one up. Manage to score two. First set to me.

It's a similar story in the second set. By the fourth end I'm 5-1 up, but my opponent isn't giving up and on the last end I'm again only one ahead. Manage to score a single to win overall two sets to nil.

Not a particularly convincing performance. We both won seven ends and my opponent won more ends in the first set than I did. Bang on the line either hand, but struggled to get a consistent length. Fortunately my opponent was having a nightmare on one hand, trying to bowl the straight line but ending up too wide. Seemed to be rolling on the wrong side of what must have been a slight rise in the green. Just as well she didn't think to use the other wider hand, where she couldn't have had any less success. Might have been in real trouble.

Another club competition win. The makes four wins out of four. Hurrah! Here's the scorecard.