Pennant Season 2019-2020 Round 7

PAKENHAM BOWLS CLUB – 2019/20 PENNANT – ROUND 7

With the Victorian Open in full swing at Shepparton, there were no Mid-Week games played last Tuesday.

SATURDAY

In light of their recent slump in form and the consequential slide down the ladder, Pakenham’s Division One side were in a “must win” situation when they lined up against Cheltenham at home last Saturday.  With some OH&S issues having been resolved, they were finally back on their favoured Crowley Green and were optimistic about the outcome.  However there were a couple of last minute hiccups, first with one member of the side failing to turn up (requiring a late call for a replacement and disruption to a lower side) and then another falling ill and being forced to retire after only three ends of play, resulting in the team playing one short until the substitute arrived.

Despite these disruptions, the Lions were able to establish an early (but slender) lead which they slowly built on as the game progressed.  At the half way mark their lead had grown to 14 shots (40/26) and when play resumed after the tea break the Pakenham players were confident of the outcome.  However in what has become a familiar and worrying pattern, the home side experienced a brief mini collapse and as game enterred the business ends, the “Cockies” were up and about and despite the Lions having three rinks in front, their lead had been reduced to just five shots overall.  Nevertheless, the home side held their ground and with three rinks up, eventually collected 16 of the available 18 Pennant points from a 74/67 victory.  Best rink with a 23/13 score card was Neil (Big Dev) Devlin (S), Des (Grizzly) Leigh (3), Gian (Bear) Pianezzola (2) and Ian (Lefty) Anderson (L); however it must be acknowledged that much of the heavy lifting in the second half of the game was done by Big Dev himself.

The win elevated the Ones to seventh place on the ladder.  They would hope for another win in round eight at Ferntree Gully (previously a grave yard for visitors but not so much nowadays).

Pakenham Two (Div 2) were away at Mordialloc where they faced a tough former Div One side.  In the early stages of that game the Lions were up to the task and after 20 ends held a slender three shot lead.  However the locals soon found top gear and by the half way point were up on all four rinks and ahead by 13 shots.  From Pakenham’s perspective, things got progressively worse after that and they eventually lost by 110/67 overall and collected zero Pennant points.  The one glimmer of hope came from the rink of Paul Currie (S), Jim Williams (3), Terry O’Toole (2) and Val Moore (L) which fought hard all day and at times had their noses in front, only to fall short at the final hurdle by a single shot.

The Twos are now eighth on the ladder.  They are at home to Berwick (seventh) next round.

Pakenham Three (Div 4) had been enjoying some success recently but unfortunately their run ended at Cranbourne last Saturday.  They held their own in the early stages of the game and even at the half way mark were just five shots behind (although that was due mainly to the efforts of a single Lions’ rink).  Unfortunately however, the home side dominated from that point forward to run out overall winners by 88 shots to 54.  Pakenham’s only winning rink with a score of 20/14 was John (Giovanni) Donazzan (S), Kevin (Digger) Goonan (3), Peter Powney (2) and Gail Bowman (L).  The Threes have slipped to the sixth rung of the ladder.  They will keep the Ones company at Ferntree Gully (eighth) next round.

Although playing at home, Pakenham Four (Div 5) faced a tough assignment against the undefeated clear ladder leaders, The Dandenong Club Three.  From the outset it was obvious that the home side was in trouble, with two rinks in particular being outclassed.  Despite the fact that the other rinks pretty much matched their opponents and at times had their noses in front, they were comprehensively beaten, 97 shots to 59 and gained zero Pennant points.  Ray Illings’ rink of Eric Peterson (3) Jan Stevenson (2) and Brian Walsh (L) put up a very creditable performance to come agonizingly close with a score of 20/21, while Josie Mazzarella, Richard Evans (3), K Holley (2) and Helen Wright (L) also fell just short with a score of 17/19.

Now sitting at the bottom of the ladder, the Fours have another hard one next week at home to Mulgrave Country Club, third.

HI-LO

The winner for round seven was Paul Walter with number eight.

Des Leigh