Good performance

Next round of the Huntingdonshire County Senior Singles. Two bowls, first to 21. Playing away at Buckden Bowls Club. Perusing the club noticeboard beforehand, I clock my opponent is an established County team player. Gulp!

Having won the toss, I give my opponent first jack. Figure I can watch his deliveries in the trial ends to give me a clue on the line. Seems to work. Happy with my length too.

But my opponent is canny. He delivered his trial jack to maximum length. I did too. Now he delivers the first end jack as short as can be.  Smart. It's his home green so he judges distance much better than me. I'm two down.

I battle back. Getting at least one bowl in close almost every end. But he's good, and is gradually pulling ahead. At least I'm keeping him to mostly single bowl wins, occasionally gaining one or two myself.

The sky has been full of huge grey clouds rolling overhead. Light rain. Suddenly the heavens open and we're into the clubhouse at 12-6 to him. After ten minutes of heavy rain we're back out. Still dramatic weather, with huge claps of thunder overhead and lightening bolts flying around. Take some comfort from the many metal poles surrounding the green.

The green is now very heavy. So much water underfoot at one end, I almost slip over. When delivering from that end, the bowl has to battle its way through before hitting drier ground. From the other end the bowl seems destined for the ditch until it hits the water and rapidly slows down.

All to my advantage, since it's upset my opponent's judgement of distance. He's delivering short, while I'm giving a full blooded effort and getting both bowls close. Pretty soon I've almost caught up, now 14-12 to him.

All too soon the green starts to dry and my opponent opens a gap. It's 19-15 to him and his first bowl is a few inches from the jack. My first is perfect, nudging between his bowl and the jack. His second is just behind the jack.  Got to go for it. And my second is again delivered inch perfect to the other side of the jack. But wait! It's not inch perfect at all. A fraction too long, it nudges the jack. From hero to zero in seconds, and rather than gaining two and the score being 19-17, I lose one and find myself 20-15 down. It's all over in the next end when he gains another one.

That's my first season's County fixtures over. At least I've gone out on a high. And with this kind of form, at club level there's no-one I can't beat.