Where's the clipboard?

Another club competition match this evening. This one the Over 60s, sixteen ends played. Sunny and warm, a perfect evening for bowls.

Chatting before we started, I mentioned to my opponent I'd been playing for a year. He dropped into the conversation he'd been playing continuously since 1943. Crickey, that means 71 years of experience... he was playing before I was born! 

Suddenly thought... am I up against the world's longest playing bowler? My confidence wasn't helped by the fact someone told me he'd bowled in the Commonwealth Games. Gulp!

So no surprise was 8-5 down just past the halfway point. Although I was keeping my arm straight and getting roughly on line, too many bowls were landing short.

Then realised there's no point bowling with a straight arm if the backswing is inadequate. As soon as I put that right not only was I getting the length right, the line was bang on too. My opponent didn't win another end.

That's now straight arm, backswing, grip, stance, aiming point and several other things I've got to remember. Not sure what my next opponent will think when I turn up with a clipboard and checklist.

Of course the next fixtures are the most important of the year. Off to Scotland on Thursday by train, bowls bag in hand. A friendly doubles to get used to the superb green at Scone Bowls Club. Then a three way triples against my two brothers.

For the first time the winner will take home our granddad's bowls cup, which he must have won over fifty years ago. My cousin Ken is bringing the cup all the way from Bolton. No pressure then.

But couldn't be better prepared for the tussle. Had a cracking start to the outdoor season, current tally in competitive matches being...

Singles : Played 4   Won 3   Drawn 1   Lost 0
Team :   Played 4   Won 3   Drawn 0   Lost 1

Here's the scorecard from this evening...