Analysing the opponent

Massively important Club Handicap competition quarter-final this morning. Been focusing on this match for three weeks. My opponent one of the top Club players. His handicap 6, mine 5. He's needs 22 to win, me 21.

We've not played before. He transferred this year from another club where he'd been the Men's 4 Bowls Champion for the last five successive years. Also got through to the semi-final of the Champion of Champions, in which all club champions are entered. But it's also a vital match because I'm playing him in the semi-final of the Club 2 Bowl competition. If I can win this morning not only will it give me the psychological advantage for that tie, but will send a message to other top Club players I'll meet.

Arrive at the green half an hour before we play. My opponent tends to turn up with minutes to spare. Plenty of time for me to prepare. Get rid of all the worm casts on rink 1. Roll a couple of bowls up and down rink 6. Surprised how quick the green is, given the amount of dew on the surface. That'll soon dry out in the bright sunshine.

True enough, my opponent arrives bang on 10.30am. He's not played away from the clubhouse before, and not on rink 1. Hoped this would give me a slight advantage, but that's not evident in the trial ends. He's bang on the jack. And for the first four ends his accuracy is amazing. It's all I can do to avoid dropping more than two. All too often just a foot short. After four ends I'm losing 0-7 and it looks like it might be a slaughter.

Learned to keep calm and wait for the chance. Comes on the fifth end when I finally get shot bowl. Studied my opponent's style in the Club Triples and noticed he has a fairly short backswing. Always surprised how most players struggle with a maximum length jack, so I've made it my specialty. I've reckoned my adversary might initially find it difficult to make the distance, and when he does it will be at such an effort his line will suffer.

How stupid do I feel when, on my first chance to set a full length jack, I roll it into the ditch? Idiot! We're back to his favourite length. But my accuracy is increasing and it's two to me. Make sure the next end is full length and no mistakes. Another two to me. My judgement was right. He is bowling short. When he does get the length, his line is out. All square by the ninth end, 7-7.

We exchange jack for a few ends. He's playing very short ends when he gets the chance. Only takes me a short adjustment to be on the jack, thanks to solo practice. From the thirteenth end it's all maximum length jacks and a run of five winning ends and 18-10 to me. Since the fifth end I've won 18 to his 3. My opponent's early confidence has been shaken, but not enough for the match to be over. He scores five in the next two ends, 18-15. After one to me he gets another three. It's 19-18. But I'm still calm.

On his favourite length jack he's short with his first two. I'm holding two. His third is short again. My third nudges close to the jack, though I'm still sitting with two, having pushed my former second away. He needs a good last bowl. Not good enough for shot bowl, but I'm only sitting with one now. With my last bowl I take the wide side and manage to roll it close enough to the jack for second bowl. I've won!!!!

Feel unbelievably elated after the match. Ranks as one of my best results ever. Long held an ambition to play for the Men's 4s A Team. No chance while I'm still B Team captain. Hoping to get someone to replace me for 2018. This kind of result will boost my chances.

Although I reached four semi-finals in 2016, the year ended disappointingly. Only runner-up in one final. This year already won one championship, the Club Triples. Got four semi-finals and two quarter-finals to play. Could this be the year of Club gold?

Here's this morning's scorecard.