First league match

Playing away this evening against Eaton Socon B. Always a nervous start. Even more nervous since this is our new C Team, full of league novices. Some only took up bowls last year. Even more of a wobbly start. With five minutes to go we're still waiting for two players to arrive. A quick 'phone call confirms one is on his way. Goodness knows where the other is.

Some quick thinking on my part and we start with a player short on two rinks. Anticipating the player in transit will arrive any minute, rink 2 plays six bowls against eight. They're up to strength on the second end when their fourth player finally arrives.

Play with three on my rink 3, making up eight bowls required with lead and number two rolling three each, me two. We'll have a third deducted from our final score.

Rink 2 is losing until they gain six on one end. By end 13 they're 18-12 ahead but decide to make it more interesting, losing the next three ends to go 18-16. With only two ends to go, will they be overtaken? A magnificent final delivery from our skip turns two down to two up on the penultimate end and they win 20-17.

Even more exciting on rink 4. We're losing 8-13 on end 13. A string of wins, then one dropped on the penultimate end, means it's 15-15 as the final end is played. Not looking good when their number 2 puts a bowl right on the jack. Our skip shifts the jack with his first bowl, but they've still got shot bowl. With his final delivery he moves the jack again, one to us and a 16-15 win.

On my rink it's a comfortable win, in spite of playing with two new league players. Our opponents never score more than a single on any end, whereas we win mostly twos and threes. Our 20-8 win is reduced to 13.3 - 8 after a third reduction.

Great away result. All seven points to us. Here are the scorecards.