Pennant Season 2019-2020 Round 11
PAKENHAM BOWLS CLUB – PENNANT ROUND 11 – 2019/20 SEASON
The final Pennant games for 2019 have now been won or lost and at the commencement of what seems to be the longest Christmas break in memory, Round 12 on 25 January 2020 seems to be away off in the distant future – hopefully when Pennant resumes in the New Year, those teams which are currently on a winning streak can find their mojo again and pick up where they left off and those which are struggling can regroup and return with renewed energy and purpose!
SATURDAY
After two home games in a row, Pakenham One (Div 1) were on the road again on Saturday for their round 11 match against Armadale One, oddly enough, located not at Armadale but in Caulfield South. Pakenham players soon discovered that although the surface at Caulfield was the same as the familiar needle punch carpet in use at Pakenham, it is laid on a much softer base and behaves somewhat differently to their home green – in Big Dev’s words, it was doing “some weird s—t.” As a result and also because they were up against some pretty handy opponents, the Lions were outscored in the earlier stages of the game and by the half way mark were 10 shots behind with only the one rink up.
At the commencement of the business ends the deficit had marginally increased to 11 shots and a huge effort was required of the Pakenham players if they were to “bring home the bacon.” However in the all important run home, the Lions outscored their opponents by 23 shots to nine to snatch the win (and 14 Pennant points) at the final hurdle. Best rink with 23/15 was Chris (Foxy) Fox (S), Keith (Golden Arm) Archer (3), Kevin (Smurph) Murphy (2) and Ian (Lefty) Anderson (L). That rink was down 13/4 at the half way mark but staged a magnificent, gutsy comeback, outscoring their opponents by 19 shots to two after the break, including winning the last seven ends on the trot – and the five they picked up on the final end was the cherry on top of the Christmas cake!
The Ones still sit on the third rung of the ladder but are now only eight points behind Warburton and almost a full round clear of Mulgrave Country Club in fourth. They will resume hostilities after Christmas with a home game against the improving Yarra Glen (sixth), who convincingly knocked off ladder leaders Croydon in their game on Saturday.
Pakenham Two continued its recent disappointing form, rounding out 2019 with a loss at home to Carrum One. Their game started badly and after the first twenty ends they were already down by 25 shots. Things didn’t improve much from there; however they did outscore their opponents in the run home but it was too little too late and with the score at 78/94 they eventually lost by 16 shots with one rink up and another drawn. The winning rink with 24/14 was Terry Sullivan (S), Brian Norton (3), Bill Bosch (2) and Luis Aguilar (L). Jim Barrie’s rink put in a mighty effort, outscoring Carrum 11 shots to two over the last five ends to salvage a draw.
Now in ninth position on the ladder, the Twos play Glen Waverley (eighth) away, next round.
The Threes (Div 4) had a less than memorable day at Narre Warren, losing by 37 shots and returning home with zero Pennant points. They have dropped to eighth spot and will need to make the most of their home ground advantage when they play Hampton Park (tenth) next round.
The stewards might well have taken a long hard look at the players from Pakenham Four last Saturday – it’s a wonder they weren’t all swabbed! Like a bolt from the blue, after a faltering start and an early deficit, they turned the game around to record a 29 shot, 102/73 victory against Noble Park and with all rinks up collected maximum Pennant points. Best rink with 22/14 was John Hickman (S), Ray Leggett (3), Judith Ferrari (2) and John Barlow (L). Also winning by eight shots (25/17) were Alan Waterson, Graham Epps, Gail Wilcock and Brian Welsh. At 28/21, Lindsay Stevenson, Eric Peterson, Gail Bowman and Richard Burns celebrated a seven shot win while with 27/21, Alan Wilcock, Craig Cameron, Joan Montgomery and Ray Wood got up by six shots. A great effort by the whole team – let’s hope they experience that winning feeling again when they turn out at Carrum in a little over a month’s time.
MIDWEEK
After what has been an up and down season so far, Pakenham One (Div 1) were finally able to string consecutive wins together again last Tuesday, with victory at home over Mulgrave Country Club. In the early stages the game was evenly balanced although it was the Lions who held a slender lead. By the half way mark however, the game had swung in the visitors’ favour and it was Pakenham which trailled by six shots. After the break the Lions chipped away at the lead and by the start of the business ends were back in front again, albeit by just six shots. From that point there was little difference between the two sides in the run home; however it was Pakenham which won a tight game, 64 shots to 59, with one up, one drawn and one down. The winning rink with 26/12 was Ned Courtin (S), Stormin’ Norm Box (3), Ian (Lefty) Anderson (2) and Val Moore (L).
The Ones now sit on the seventh rung of the ladder. They will be away at Berwick (fifth) when play resumes on 21 January.
After a 32/94 drubbing, Pakenham Two (Div 2), returned from Cranbourne with zero Pennant points and bloody noses – enough said. Now in eighth, they have a chance for redemption when they meet Keysborough (tenth) at home in the first round of the New Year.
They may have been only two shots down at half time, with the game there to be won, but things went slowly downhill for Pakenham Three after that and they eventually lost a home game to Keysborough by 41 shots to 55 and found nothing in the way of Pennant points in Santa’s sack. Now in seventh, they play Noble Park (sixth) next round.
HI – LO
Winner of the HI-LO (and double the money) for round 11 was Bill Bosch with number 21.
Merry Christmas to all – have a wonderful, happy festive season; all the best for the New Year and do stay healthy and safe. Take care on the roads – there a lot of idiots out there!
Des Leigh (Grizzly)
