Pensive mood

It's 12 noon on Finals Day, and I'm on rink two dressed in club top and whites starting the Mixed Singles final. Best of three sets, for the final it's upped from seven to nine ends per set. My opponent one of the club's best lady players. A multiple county champion and former national triples champion. She's already won the Ladies Two Woods final in the morning session.

Under pressure from the start. I'm getting bowls close, but not close enough. Take comfort that I'm keeping her to single bowl wins. Even my win in the third end comes from my opponent's last bowl knocking my nearest in for shot.

On the seventh end it's three to me and just two behind with two ends to play. A chance to catch her! Fatally, in trying to set a long end I roll the jack into the ditch. We're back to playing her favourite short length with a high mat. Drat! No surprise I lose the first set 4-10.

Things change dramatically at the start of the second set. By the sixth end I'm leading 7-1. But suddenly again under pressure, giving away three, then two.

Still ahead by one on the last end, but my opponent has a bowl close in front of the jack. I'm bang on the line, as I have been throughout the match, but my first attempt to pick up the jack is too long. Another close in to the front and I'm now two down! My next is just too short. The match hinges on my last bowl. This time looks like a perfect line and length to carry the jack through and score two. Even the marker jumps in anticipation as my bowl rolls just millimetres past the jack. Second set lost 7-8.

Not sure what I could have done different to change the result. My line was spot on throughout. Length reasonable too. Just came up against a better player, on her game.

Lots to think about. Will soon be analysing my performance for this year. Certainly done better in club competitions. In spite of yet again failing on Finals Day, so long as showing continued improvement at least I'm heading in the right direction.

Still got two important bowling events. Off to Biggleswade on Tuesday for the biannual RAC Insurance Singles. Then up to Scone on Thursday for the biannual tussle against my brothers.

But how quickly the outdoor bowls season is coming to an end! Since the last Men's Fours league match, remaining time seems to be disappearing ever faster down the vortex of a black hole towards winter. Today was the last time I'll play at St Ives Bowls Club for 2016.

Here's the scorecard from today's final.