Pakenham Bowls Club – 2021/2022 – RD 12 & 13

ROUND 12 & 13 – SATURDAY 19th FEBRUARY 2022
Pakenham’s first and second sides were both searching for back to back to back wins last Saturday – unfortunately however, it was not to be and it was left to the number three side to wave the flag (which they did – big time).

DIVISION ONE – Rounds 13
The top side (sixth) played away against second on the ladder, Berwick. With one rink up and two all square, the Lions were travelling quite well after the first twenty ends of this game but as the afternoon progressed it gradually slipped away from them. By the mid way mark, with one up and three down, Pakenham trailed by 14 shots (manageable) and that was still the situation at the beginning of the business ends. However the Wickers outscored the visitors in the run home to take the win by 78 shots to 56 and collected 16 Pennant points.

Pakenham’s only winning rink with 20 to 11 was Neil “Big Dev” Devlin (S), Dave Wood (3), Keith “Golden Arm” Archer (2) and newly crowned Eastern Ranges Novice Singles Champion David Saint, at Lead.

The Ones have retained sixth spot on the ladder but are now more than a full round behind Beaumaris in fifth and have Mulgrave, Clayton and Upwey-Tecoma all breathing down their necks. Next weekend they play another double header with Mordialloc (ninth) at home on Friday night (6:30 pm start) and Clayton (tenth) away on Sunday afternoon. The Lions should approach both of these games with confidence and provided the weather holds and the greens remain dry, should relish the opportunity to play on an excellent grass deck at Clayton.

DIVISION THREE – Round 12
Despite recent wins, Pakenham Two’s season has already been shot to pieces and they are now very much playing for pride (and hopefully having a little fun). They had their chance at Cranbourne RSL (third) on Saturday and held narrow leads at all of the important milestones, generally with two up and two down. However they were outscored in that all important home straight and at 72 to 79 eventually lost a close game by seven shots.

The better of two winning rinks for the Lions with 26 to 15 was Peter Bott (S), Jennifer Bainbridge (3), John Ewe (2) and Trent “Rowdy” Bedford (L).
The Two’s have a mortgage on the eighth rung of the ladder – they will play Narre Warren (fourth) at home in the penultimate round of what has been a forgettable season.

DIVISION FIVE – Round 12
Pakenham Three made the most of having the home greens to themselves on Saturday. They didn’t give the visitors from Mulgrave Country Club a chance in a one sided game which cried out for the application of a mercy rule. After the first twenty ends they led by 26 shots to 10 and had three rinks up. By midway through the game they had all four rinks in front and the score had blown out to 63 to 24. With no easing of the pressure, the gap continued to widen and by the start of the business ends Pakenham led by 94 shots to 32. The visitors were then outscored by more than two to one in the final twenty ends and the Lions romped home, with a final score of 120 to 43 and 18 Pennant points in the bag.

Best rink with 37 to 9 was Ray Leggett (S), Adrian “ATrain” Wheelan (3), Ray Illing (2) and Ian Kitt (L).

The win elevated the Threes from fifth to fourth on the ladder, now less than half a round behind Monbulk in third but still only half a round ahead of Willow Lodge in fifth. They will be away at Dandy RSL REC (seventh) next round.

MIDWEEK – ROUND ELEVEN
DIVISION TWO
After last week’s disappointing one shot loss, Pakenham One (fourth) bounced back in the best possible way on Tuesday, defeating Cranbourne (third) at Cranbourne and collecting the maximum 16 Pennant points in the process. This game was always expected to be close and that is the way it panned out. After the first 15 ends, the Lions had two up and one down and a lead of 16 shots to 11. At the mid way point, it was still two up and one down, although by then the lead had grown to seven shots. However it was “game on” by the start of the business ends – Pakenham had one rink up by eight, one down by eight and one in front by a single shot – it doesn’t get much closer than that.

Max Mannic’s rink had been trailing for most of the day but really dug deep over the last five ends, outscoring its opponent 13 shots to four and converting an eight shot deficit into a one shot win and with the Lions outscoring Cranbourne 19 to 13 overall in that period, they came home with all rinks up and a 65 to 58 win. Best rink with 23 to 19 was Glenn “Google” Bainbridge (S), Steve “Krusty” Bentley (3), Peter Bott (2) and Gary “Crow” Crowley (L).

The Ones still hold the fourth rung of the ladder but are now only half a round behind Cranbourne at third and more than a full round ahead of Edithvale, fifth. They have a home game against Keysborough, eighth, next round.

DIVISION THREE
After a huge effort in the previous round, Pakenham Two faced a slightly easier task (if there is such a thing) last Tuesday at home against Cranbourne’s seventh placed, second side. This game turned out to be something of a cake walk for the Lions. After the first fifteen ends they had two up, one all square and at 23 shots to 12 had almost doubled the visitors’ score. By the half way mark all three rinks were in front and the score had ballooned to 57 to 16. From there things only got worse for the hapless visitors who eventually went home with zero Pennant points after a 101 to 36 hiding.

Pakenham’s best rink with 38 shots to seven was David Moore (S), Richard Burns (3), Ian Kitt (2) and Helen Wright (L). The win has consolidated the Two’s grip on the fifth rung of the ladder – however they are still 20 points out of the four. All they can do is to continue winning although that is a big ask next week – on the road against clear ladder leaders, Ferntree Gully.

Des Leigh