Two bowls difference

Men's Fours B Team league match this evening. Playing at home against Brampton Bowls Club B. I'm deputising as captain due to the official captain being away on holiday. Playing skip for one of our three teams, each of four players delivering two bowls per end over twenty-one ends.

Although Brampton B are bottom of Division 3, they've had seven points deducted for cancelling a match. Soon obvious they're better than their lowly position. We're ahead on two rinks, one of which is ours, but it's very close on the other. Not having played since Saturday, I'm having a wonky start.

By the half way point it's very close on our rink. And so it continues right through to the eighteenth end. They steal the match with three singles, to win 18-21. Played much better in the second half, although as skip it's easy to go from hero to zero. On one end my shot to knock out an opposing second bowl was played to perfection to give us five. On another I moved the jack but retained shot bowl, only to move the jack again on my final shot to give them one.

We lose 19-21 on the other, with a win 17-14 on the final rink to come in. So the points allocation is 2-5, Brampton gaining the bonus point for the highest total bowls 54-56. Retire to the clubhouse for a tea of pizza and chips. There's no doubt the St Ives ladies serve up the best after-match meals in the County. 

Here are the scorecards.