First final of the year!

Men's Handicapped semi-final this evening, first to twenty-one. Up against a difficult A team player. And on arriving at the club, I find my opponent has already been playing in the afternoon's friendly match. Does that mean he'll tire during our game? Certainly means he'll have a better feel for length at the beginning. At least I can ensure we play on a different rink.

So no surprise I'm down 3-6 after five ends. Get accustomed to the green and pull back to lead 8-6 after seven ends. By the thirteenth end I'm ahead 14-8.

Then he wins the next five ends to lead 14-16 on the eighteenth end. As the temperature drops, I'm not adjusting to the heavier green. Too many of my bowls are short. After some adjustment I'm leading 17-16 on the twentieth end.

Very little difference between us until he wins two consecutive ends to stand 18-20 in the lead on the twenty-fourth end. Pretty sure he thinks he's got it in the bag. With only one more to win, maybe he has.

Pull one back to make it 19-20. I move the mat right up the green and bowl the jack to within two metres of the ditch. Aiming to upset his line and length. And it does! Three of his bowls are short, the other off-line. Three of my bowls are close. I win the end by three and the match 22-20.

My opponent is not happy. He thought he was going to win before the match started, and certainly thought he was about to win when he reached 20. He also took the marker's word on the twenty-fourth end that he was three up and didn't bowl his last, thinking he'd won the match. In fact, he was only one up. I've realised that no matter how good the marker is, nothing beats going to have a look yourself.

In spite of the win, didn't feel particularly satisfied. I can bowl a lot better than that. Far too many short bowls. Should never have let him come back when I was leading 14-8. Want decisive wins, not narrow victories. Add to that a marker who couldn't keep still and an opponent who insisted on measuring everything in sight.

So I've made Finals Day for three years out of three I've been playing. Hope I play a lot better in my next semi-final on Friday. I'll need to. Here's the scorecard.