Pennant Report Round 9 2024-2025

SATURDAY
After smashing the ladder leaders a week ago, the Div 1 side was, unfortunately, unable to repeat that effort on Saturday and was beaten at Cheltenham by 16 shots.
Although Cheltenham got away to a good start and led all day, the game developed into a close tussle at times and by the start of the business ends there were only six shots in it. In fact it would be difficult to get closer than the situation on Foxy’s rink where only 23 shots (overall) were scored in the entire 21 ends. While it is possible for a 21 end game to be completed with fewer than 21 shots scored (think, tied ends) it is most unlikely and the 13 to 10 score recorded on this occasion is the smallest I can recall.
With Nifty Nev Brown’s crew scoring 15 to six over the second half of the game and coming home like a steam train, it seemed that a Pakenham win was possible –unfortunately however, another of the Lions’ rinks went backwards at a similar rate during that period and the good work was negated. In the end, Pakenham was beaten by 79 shots to 63 and came home with only two Pennant points.
The winning rink with 18 to 16 was Geoff “Voota” Van Vugt (S), John Parker (3), Tom “Voota Junior” Van
Vugt (2) and Mathew “Moose” Coutts (L). The Ones head into the Christmas break on the third rung of the ladder, seven points behind Mulgrave but still 11 up on Cheltenham which moved from fifth to fourth. Their first outing for 2025 will be a night game at home against Narre Warren on 17 January.
Pakenham Two (Div 3) were home to Cranbourne Three. The locals got away to an encouraging start and after the first twenty ends led by 26 shots to 10 with three up and one all square. By the half way mark, all four home rinks had their noses in front and the lead had by that stage grown to a comfortable 21 shots.
However, by the time the game entered its final 20 ends the visitors had hit the front on two of the four rinks and had dragged the Lions’ overall lead back to 12 shots. Pakenham’s players then regrouped and pushed back hard in the run home to finish with all four up and at 86 to 65 a lead of 21 shots.
The win was spread across the field with no single rink standing out – in fact the two best rinks both finished with eight shots up. The better of those both on ends won and percentage was Ned Courtin (S), Darren Webster (3), John Tarr (2) and John Hines (L).
Despite the good win, the Twos are still in second spot, now 11 points behind Edithvale and only one in front of Dandenong Three – both those sides also had big wins. Their first game for 2025 will be at Berwick on 18 January.
Pakenham Three (Div 5) hosted the ladder leaders, Dandenong Four. Two of the home side’s rinks got away to great starts but with the third only one shot in front and the fourth trailing by eight shots, Pakenham only had a modest 22 to 18 lead after the completion of the first quarter. By the mid way mark little had changed–the lead by then had been reduced to just three shots and both sides had two up and two down.
After the break, the Lions started to get serious and by the start of the business ends had three up and a (slightly) more comfortable lead of 15 shots. They then finished off better than their opponents to end the day 21 shots in front with two up, one level and one down (by only two shots).
Best rink with 31 to 14 was Des “Grizzly” Leigh (S), Peter Wilson (3), Wayne Oosthuizen (2) and Julian
Colmegna (L). The Twos have taken second spot on the ladder, now only one point behind Dandy, two up on Upwey Tecoma and 14 ahead of Berwick. They will be away at Cockatoo (8 th ) for their first game in 2025 – hopefully, after two failed efforts, this trip into the hills will result in a win.
Pakenham Four (Div 7) were away at Mulgrave Country Club where they were surprised to find that they were to play on the new synthetic green. The Lions got the jump on their opponents and completed the first twenty ends with three up and a lead of 24 shots to 11. They continued the good work and by the half way mark had built their lead to 27 shots, still with three rinks well up. After the break their hosts started to wake up and put up a fight and by the start of the run home had reduced Pakenham’s lead to 20 shots. They continued to fight back over the final twenty ends and heavily outscored two of the Lions’ rinks in the process but with Eric Peterson’s and “Stormin” Norm Box’s rinks holding their own, Pakenham hung on for a nine shot win with three up.
The best rink with 26 to 11 was Eric Peterson (S), Ray Leggett (3), Russell Jones (2) and Bill Bosch (L). The
Fours still hold second spot on the ladder, one point behind Berwick but now 28 up on Mulgrave and 33 ahead of Narre. They will be home to Boronia (6 th ) for the next round.
MIDWEEK
It was a red letter day for Pakenham’s Midweek bowlers last Tuesday with all three teams saluting the judge. Pakenham One (Div 1) got away to a great start in their home game against Coatesville with all three rinks up after the first 15 ends and a commanding score of 24 shots to six – TMac’s rink won the first seven ends on the trot. By about the midway mark the visitors were showing some signs of life and had actually got their noses in front on one of the three rinks and had reduced the Lions’ lead to 15 shots. After the break however, Pakenham built up momentum again and by the start of the business had a lead of 24 shots although they still had one rink down. The home side’s pressure continued until the end and at 75 to 46 the Lions coasted to a 29 shot win.
Best rink with 33 to nine was “Nifty” Nev Brown (S), “Rotten” Ronny Dalton (3), Vince Bevilacqua (2) and
David Saint (L). After a conservative start, this rink outscored its opponents by 23 shots to one over the second half of the game.
The Ones are now in second spot, equal on points with ladder leader Mulgrave Country Club but behind on percentage, with Dandenong only one point in arrears – it’s crowded at the top. They will be away at
Dandenong for the last game before Christmas.
After knocking on the door all season, Pakenham Two (Div 2) finally cracked it for a win and what made it all that much sweeter was that it was away and it was a clean sweep. The Twos arrived at Mulgrave under
extreme pressure but were not daunted. They jumped clear of their hosts from the outset and after the first 15 ends were up on all three rinks and had a lead of 20 shots to five – Rick Burns’ rink actually won the first seven ends on the trot!
By the half way mark, with the score at 40 to 25, Pakenham still held a 15 shot lead but at that stage one
Mulgrave rink had its nose in front. By the start of the run home the Lions again led on all three rinks, although by then their overall lead had been reduced to 12 shots. They finished the game with three up and at 64 to 50, a winning margin of 14 shots.
Best rink with 28 to 19 was Rick Burns (S), Jim Williams (3), Philip Cairns (2) and Julian Colmegna (L). The
Twos still occupy the bottom rung of the ladder and have a lot of work to do before the season ends. They will be at home to Upwey Tecoma for round nine.
Pakenham Three (Div 4) were home to Narre Warren. By the end of the first quarter of that game, the Lions had established a handy 21 to nine lead with two up and one down and by the half way mark had extended that lead to 25 shots. After the lunch break, there was a complete (temporary) turnaround in the game – it is not known what the Narre players had eaten but they came out a completely different team and during the next fifteen ends outscored Pakenham by 24 shots to six to give themselves a real chance of a win. Fortunately the Lions regrouped to finish the match with two up and one down and at 74 to 58, a lead of 16 shots.

Best rink with 38 to 16 (including 16 to nil over the last five ends) was Bruce Perry (S), Peter Wilson (3), Maree Taylor (2) and Karen Oosthuizen (L). The Threes are now in fifth spot, 11 behind Keysborough and 14 up on Churchill Waverley Golf. Their last game for the year will be at Berwick (2 nd ).
HI-LO
The winner for round nine (including the Christmas bonus) with number 35 was “TMac”.

Des Leigh