WEEKEND PENNANT ROUND 7 – SEASON 2023/24

SATURDAY

With round seven of the Weekend Pennant competition having now concluded, the first half of the home and away season has been completed and the relevant section ladders have real meaning.   

After last week’s nail biting one point loss, Pakenham One (Div 1) have done it again – this time to Beaumaris by two shots!  A slow start cost them dearly – after twenty ends all four home rinks were down and the overall score sat at 11 shots to 23.  Consequently, despite playing well from that point forward, the Lions found themselves playing catch-up bowls for the remainder of the game.

By the half way mark Pakenham had fought back to have two rinks in front and the deficit reduced to just five shots.  That was still the margin at the start of the business ends but despite narrowly outscoring the visitors in the run home, the Lions fell short by two shots and finished with only one winning rink.

Best rink with 23 to 17 was Geoff “Voota” Van Vugt (S), Daniel Carroll (3), Ned Courtin (2) and David Saint (L).

The Ones are now on the seventh rung of the ladder.  If they had won one of those close games they would have been in fifth – if they had won both, they could have been as high as third.  However, “If” is a big word.  They will be at home to Mulgrave Country Club (fourth) in round eight.

Pakenham Two (Div 3) played in persistent light rain on a sand filled deck at Beaumaris.  They also let their opponents off the leash early and by the completion of the first twenty ends had just one rink level pegging while the other three were behind and with the score at 10 shots to 28, things looked far from promising.   By half time, with both Keith Lewis’ and Keith Archer’s rinks fighting hard, the Lions had two rinks up but the other two were struggling – however a win was not out of reach at that stage as the deficit had been reduced to what seemed a manageable 13 shots.

In an attempt to beat the worst of the weather, both sides agreed to play through without a tea break – in hindsight however, perhaps Pakenham should have insisted on the break as it may have shifted the momentum of the game.  As it was, by the start of the business ends Beaumaris had three rinks in front and their lead had drifted out to 17 shots.

Although the Lions outscored their hosts over the final twenty ends, they were never really in the hunt and with one rink up and one all square and the score at 71 to 83 went down by 12 shots – it was a long drive back to Pakenham.  The one winning rink with 21 to 11 was Keith Lewis (S), Paul Currie (3), Luis Aguilar (2) and Adrian “ATrain” Wheelan (L). 

The Twos finished the first half of the season in fifth position on the ladder – however there are only six points separating fifth and third and there are four teams with three wins, three of which (including Pakenham) also have a draw.  They have a tough assignment next round, away to clear ladder leaders, Mulgrave Country Club.

In direct contrast to the Two’s, Pakenham Three (Div 5) were never in trouble in their home game against Mulgrave Country Club Four, a team which had not experienced a loss this season.  The Lions charged out of the blocks and by the completion of the first twenty ends had established a lead of 29 to 10 with three up and one all square – at that point Charles Harris’ opponent had yet to register a score.

By the half way mark all four of Pakenham’s rinks had their noses in front and the overall lead had blown out to 27 shots.   After the break, the Lions did enough to maintain and slightly build on that lead and finished the day with three rinks up and at 101 to 70, an overall lead of 31shots.   Pakenham was fortunate to have played at home under the dome as all other matches in their section were washed out, including those involving Berwick and Narre Warren which both have roofs but were drawn to play away from home.

The Threes’ best rink with 37 to 16 was Dave Moore (S), Ash Graham (3), Gillian Harper (2) and Mark “Lumpy” Dalton (L).  They outscored their opponents by 20 shots to seven after the break. 

The Threes are second on the ladder, still more than a full round behind Mulgrave but only one point ahead of Burden Park Two.  They will be away against Hampton Park Two (Eighth) next round.

Pakenham Four (Div 7) were to play Mulgrave at Mulgrave but that game was washed out and the points were therefore shared.  In fact there was only one game completed in their section- Narre Warren Six thrashed Mulgrave Seven under the protection of their roof.

The Fours now find themselves in sixth spot, 12 points outside the four.  Their round eight encounter will be at Churchill Waverley Golf (fifth).

MIDWEEK

Pakenham One (Div 1) were at home to Keysborough One.  After 15 ends had been played, the Lions had two rinks up and their noses in front but only by one shot.  However by the half way mark, even though the home side still led on two of the three rinks, it was the visitors who were in front (by three shots) and Pakenham’s third rink was in trouble.

That situation continued after the break and by the start of the business ends, with one home rink being mauled, Keysborough had extended their lead to nine shots.   The Lions finished with two rinks up but went down by seven shots overall.

The better of the two winning rinks with 19 to 10 was Chris “Foxy” Fox (S), Steve “Krusty” Bentley (3), David Laird (2) and David Saint (L).  The Ones will be away at Cheltenham next round.

Despite only getting one rink up, Pakenham Two (Div 3) had a good win at Berwick.   They started well and with two rinks in front, led by 23 shots to eight after the first fifteen ends.  That lead had grown to 40 to 19 by the lunch break at which point they still had two rinks in front and the third was trailing by just two shots.

After the break, Berwick began to make some inroads into the Lions’ lead but by the start of the run home they were still 17 shots behind.   With one Pakenham rink failing to score over the last five ends, Berwick saw a glimmer of hope but that was soon snuffed out – both Lions’ losing rinks went down by just two shots while the winning rink finished 15 shots in front.

Pakenham’s only winning rink was Keith “Golden Arm” Archer (S), Peter Wilson (3), Lynne Smith (2) and Wayne Oosthuizen (L).   The Twos will host Carrum One next round.

Pakenham Three (Div 5) did their best to throw a win away at Mulgrave last Tuesday.  They made a positive start to that game but despite having two rinks up, trailed by two shots after the completion of the first fifteen ends.  However the rink which had been lagging behind then appeared to get its act together and at lunch it was only two shots in arrears and Pakenham led overall by 14 shots.

After the break, Mulgrave began to whittle away at the Lions’ lead which by the start of the business ends had been reduced to eight shots.   The home side  made further inroads during the run home and Pakenham was fortunate to come away with a one shot win – nevertheless, with two winning rinks it collected 14 of the available 16 points.  

The better of the two successful rinks with 22 shots to 12 was Ian Kitt (S), Ken Clifton (3), Gary “Crow” Crowley (2) and Karen Oosthuizen (L).  The Threes will be home to Cardinia Waters Two next round – regardless of the outcome of that game, Pakenham Three will finish the first half of the season on top of the ladder.

HI-LO

The winner for round seven was Mark “Lumpy” Dalton with number 17.

Des Leigh