Arrive at the bowls club. First thing to unload, the ham sandwiches I make every year for the buffet. Certainly is an autumn morning. Misty, cool and damp. Had heaps of rain yesterday, but the green looks wonderful. Grounds team been up early this morning not only to mow the green, but all the grass around. Looks very smart.
Lots of eager volunteers setting things up. My first opponent is here before me. Exchange a few jokes. Just after 10am our President, Jenny Dymond, announces the order of play. Not many spectators, but like the formality. Senior Singles, played over 18 ends, on rink 2.
It's a surprise my opponent doesn't ask for trial ends. I certainly wasn't going to. Think he's been playing indoor bowls during the last couple of weeks. My jack, which I play long. No surprise he's well short. Three to me.
Pretty soon I've built up a lead. Looks like his back is causing a problem. Pulled a muscle on the first end. But he's a national umpire and has more bowls knowledge in his little finger than I'll ever have. Got too much respect to go easy. Once well in the clear and he can't catch up, I play standard length ends to give me some practice against my next opponent. Pretty easy victory, 25-10. Scorecard below.
12.00am
Had a twenty minute break after the first final. Should be starting my next match on rink 5, the Handicap Final. But my opponent also has three finals today and has just finished winning a very tight Men's 2 Bowls competition. Stuff a few sandwiches down and we start at 12.30. Since there's a handicap difference of 1 in my favour, he's got to get to 22, me 21.
Although I've won our previous two encounters, I'm under no illusions how hard this match will be. My jack and I'm off to a good start and by end seven I'm 7-4 ahead.
Then lose five of the next six ends to go 8-12 down. The game really is tight, with inches making the difference. I pull back to 10-12 down, another couple of ends to him make it 10-14. Back to 15-14 in my favour.
I then suffer a loss of line, bowling too narrow on a few hands. That's all it takes to lose four out of the next five ends, now 17-21 down. He only needs one more to win!
On the next two ends he's holding shot. Manage on both to trail the jack through to win one each end. At 19-21 we're both only one end away from victory. And again he's holding shot as I play my last. No luck this time and victory to him after almost three hours play, 19-23.
Really was one of the closest matches. At this level even a handful of wayward bowls over almost three hours can make the difference. My loss of line in the last third of the match for a few ends counted against me. Also a couple of ends where I missed by millimetres trailing the jack through to steal the end. Scorecard below.
Then lose five of the next six ends to go 8-12 down. The game really is tight, with inches making the difference. I pull back to 10-12 down, another couple of ends to him make it 10-14. Back to 15-14 in my favour.
I then suffer a loss of line, bowling too narrow on a few hands. That's all it takes to lose four out of the next five ends, now 17-21 down. He only needs one more to win!
On the next two ends he's holding shot. Manage on both to trail the jack through to win one each end. At 19-21 we're both only one end away from victory. And again he's holding shot as I play my last. No luck this time and victory to him after almost three hours play, 19-23.
Really was one of the closest matches. At this level even a handful of wayward bowls over almost three hours can make the difference. My loss of line in the last third of the match for a few ends counted against me. Also a couple of ends where I missed by millimetres trailing the jack through to steal the end. Scorecard below.
3.30pm
Rather a late start for our Club Pairs final. One of our opposition is my opponent from the first final. His back is somewhat better. As usual Geoff is lead, I'm skip. Really loved playing pairs this season and it's showing in this match. Very few stray bowls. Within seven ends we've got a commanding lead, 10-5. Never in danger, the match ends with a 23-10 victory to us. Scorecard below.
5.30pm
Everyone gathered in the clubhouse for the presentation ceremony. Special occasion, but also a tinge of melancholy. The end of the competitive season for 2017. Just two more social roll ups in the coming week and Closing Day next Sunday. In April there seemed so much bowling time to look forward to. Within a week there'll be seven months of nothing. No surprise I'm just about the last to leave the ground. Below are snaps of my presentations.
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| Rickwood Trophy Senior Singles Champion |
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| Frank Nash Shield Handicap Singles runner-up |
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| Jack Stocker Cup Club Pairs Champions |
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