Nail biter

Club Pairs competition match this morning, four bowls each played over eighteen ends. Me and my regular partner up against a couple who started bowling last year. So reasonably confident of a win, given we won this competition in 2017.

Pretty soon shaken out of any complacency. Within four ends we're 0-8 down. Our opponents are playing a blinder. The lady lead is very accurate. Whenever we're holding shot my opposing skip knocks our bowl out.

It's not until we're into the second half that we make any headway. Four consecutive winning ends and the score is 9-10. We manage to draw level after the sixteenth end. Surely we've go them now?

Not so. On the penultimate end we're sitting with two when the opposition skip yet again knocks the jack back. Now they're lying with two! Really difficult to get access, needs a very wide line. Three times I try. Three times I fail.

Need two on the final end to draw level. We're holding one. I increase to two. Yet again their skip saves the day with his last bowl, getting second. I need to get very close to the jack to get second. Just fail. In spite of winning ten ends to eight, their barnstorming start means we lose by one bowl!

Such an exciting match. Every end a battle. And with this standard of new bowlers, our Club is in a very healthy state. Here's the scorecard.