Pennant Report Round 1 2020/2021 Season

PAKENHAM BOWLS CLUB

 

   

   

After a long delay, the 2020/21 Pennant season finally got under way last Saturday.  Even without the problems caused by Victoria’s lockdowns, the coming season was always going to be shorter than in previous years as the number of teams in each section has been reduced from 10 to eight – consequently, (Covid-19 permitting) there will only be 14 home and away rounds instead of the customary 18.  The rejigging of sections will also result in some of Pakenham’s sides playing clubs which they may not have met before.

The Covid-19 lockdowns also prevented contractors from completing the erection/installation of the roof over the Banks Green which had been expected well in advance of the start of the Pennant season.  These works, likely to take approximately three weeks, are now scheduled to recommence on Monday 30 November

SATURDAY PENNANT

Playing in the middle of what is currently a construction zone, Pakenham One (Div 1) kicked off their season with an emphatic home win over the Upwey-Tecoma Tigers.  With three of the four rinks successful, the Lions collected 16 of the available 18 points and went straight to the top of the ladder (although the results of the Burden Park/Parkdale match have not yet been posted).

After the completion of 20 ends overall, with two rinks holding a handy lead and the other two all square, Pakenham had more than doubled their opponents score and that remained the state of play, more or less, at what would have been the half time break (dispensed with due to Covid-safe rules) – however at that stage the Lions had three rinks up.  From that point forward, the Tigers fought back but were never really in the hunt, with the Lions cruising home to a final score of 110/65.  Big Dev and Brad Martin both skipped rinks which won by 21 shots but the best of those with 17 ends and a score of 29/8 was Neil (Big Dev) Devlin, Stephen (Krusty) Bentley (3), Jennifer Bainbridge (2) and Terry (Tmac) McRedmond (L).

The Ones will be away to Parkdale (a team they have never previously met) in round two.

Although they were not thrashed, Pakenham Two (Div 3) were always battling at Hampton Park against that club’s number one side.  After 20 ends they were down on three rinks and all square on the fourth and by the half way mark, with one rink up and three down, the overall deficit at seven shots was still not insurmountable.  However the home side continued to add to their score and with three rinks up eventually defeated the Lions by 87/68.  Pakenham’s only winning rink with 25/20 was Ned Courtin (S), Gary (Crow) Crowley (3), Ken Clifton (2) and (Stormin) Norm Box (L).

The Two’s are unlikely to get lost on the way to their round two encounter – they only have to head across town to Cardinia Waters (and three of this week’s team actually live there!)

Pakenham Three (Div 4) really did let one get away in their home game against Carrum Two.  After 20 ends they were ahead on all four rinks and had a lead of nine shots overall.  By the half way point, although they had slipped behind on two rinks, the Lions still held an overall lead of four shots.  That was still the margin at the start of the business ends and by that time they had three rinks in front – however the fourth was being hammered.  Carrum then seemed to find another gear and in the run home, heavily outscored the locals. When the dust settled, with two rinks up, Pakenham collected four Pennant points but with the score at 69/93 the visitors took the lion’s share and were looking forward to a happy trip home.  Pakenham’s best rink with a score of 22/18 was: Allister Stewart (S), Richard Burns (3), Vince Bevilacqua (2) and Gail Bowman (L).

In round two, the Three’s will head into the nearby hills for an encounter with Cockatoo One; although neighbours, the Lions have not played that club since the West Gippsland days – a further result of the new sectional draw.

Adding another new dimension to the Saturday competition, the Six-A-Side Pakenham Four played at home against Murrumbeena Park in a nail biting curtain raiser on Saturday morning.  The home side were behind at all the major milestones in what was a closely fought tussle, yet at the final end, when skipper John Hickman stood on the mat, he had the opportunity to salvage a draw with what were his last two bowls of the day.  It was a mighty effort, but he scored only the one shot and the Lions lost with the score at 21/22.  Best rink with a score of 15/7 was Ian Kitt (S), Alan Wilcock (2) and Ray Wood (L).  Next Saturday morning the Fours will be bayside at Hampton for round two.

HI-LO

Strange that most players who draw the numbers one or fifty complain, “they’ll never come up,” yet statistically, in most years, either or both do provide a winner and that was the case with round one – the winner, with number one, was Roger Platt – congratulations Roger.

 

Des Leigh