PAKENHAM BOWLS – ROUND 6
Last Saturday, 18 December, the final rounds of Pennant Bowls for 2021were played prior to the Christmas break. Weekend Pennant will recommence on Saturday 15 January 2022 while the Midweek competition will resume on Tuesday 11 January.
At the Division One level, three Saturday/Sunday double headers will be played in February and March of 2022 to make up for the Covid-induced delay to the start of the season. Lower divisions have a shorter season of 14 rounds.
SATURDAY
DIVISION 1
Pakenham’s senior side was at home to Clayton 2 (the Cobras’ top side plays in Premier Division). There was one simple direction given by the Lions’coach in his pre-game rev-up, “We are on our home turf, put the pressure on from the outset, establish an early lead and make them play catch-up bowls.”
Unfortunately, as a whole, Pakenham’s players did not exactly put that instruction into practice and after the first 20 ends, with only one rink up and one all square, they trailled 14 shots to 20 overall.
However, the Lions put their heads down and by the half way mark had ground out a seven-shot lead with two rinks in front. At the start of the business ends, the situation was still two up and two down but the lead had been reduced to just four shots.
There was then little difference between the two sides in the run home but it was the Lions with 74-72 who collected the chocolates and banked 14 valuable Pennant points.
Best rink with 27/14 was Geoff ‘Voota’ Van Vugt (S), Max Mannic (3), Gian ‘Bear’ Pianezzola (2) and Terry ‘TMac’ McRedmond (L). The Ones go into the Christmas break in sixth position on the ladder.
They will be away to the top side, Cheltenham, when hostilities resume in January.
DIVISION 3
Pakenham Two travelled down the highway to have a look at Narre Warren’s new roof.
They got an early jump on their hosts and after the first 20 ends had two rinks well up and a 10-shot lead overall. By the half way mark however, although the Lions had three rinks up, they were being spanked on the fourth and had dropped behind by 10 shots. The three winning rinks continued to build on their leads for the remainder of the game but they could not cover the damage being inflicted on the fourth and the side eventually went down with the score at 78/90 – however they did collect six Pennant points.
Best rink with 23/15 was ‘Stormin’ Norm Box (S), Allister Stewart (3), Ray Leggett (2) and Gary ‘Crow’ Crowley (L). Now in eighth spot, the Twos will be at home to Hampton Park, second, in round seven.
DIVISION 5
Pakenham Three played host to Dandenong RSL REC, sharing the home ground with the Ones.
As was the case with the top side, they were slow to get going and after the first 20 ends with two up and two down were a couple of shots in arrears.
However, by the half way mark they had built good leads on the two front running rinks and were up by eight shots overall. They continued the forward momentum after the break, slowly building to an 87-73 win and with two successful rinks, collected 14 Pennant points.
A pleasing element of their win was that the Lions outscored their opponents in the second half of the game, including the run home over the last 20 ends. In particular, Peter Wilson’s rink, which had struggled for much of the day, scored 11 shots to one over the last five to fall short by just two shots.
Best rink with 30/10 was Roger Platt (S), Sam Granieri (3), Eric Peterson (2) and Gail Wilcock (L). Despite the win, the Threes remain on the third rung of the ladder; however, it is very tight at the top with less than half a round (in points) between the leading four. They are away to Hampton Park, fourth, on January 15.
MIDWEEK
DIVISION 2
It is so disappointing that a team which loses a game by a single shot should come home with only two of the available 16 points but that was the result for Pakenham One last week.
They were sluggish at the start of their match at Keysborough and were seven shots down after the first 15 ends. That margin had grown to 10 shots by the half way mark – however the situation was never out of control and the Lions fought back hard to hit the front by three shots at the start of the business ends.
Unfortunately, however, they were outscored by four shots in the home straight and fell agonizingly short by that single shot.
Best rink with 23/18 was Paul Currie (S), Ned Courtin (3), ‘Stormin’ Norm Box (2) and Graeme ‘Wildman’ Wilde (L). Now in sixth place, the Ones have another away game at Cardinia Waters (fifth) in round six.
DIVISION 3
Unfortunately, Pakenham Two also finished 2021 with a loss.
They never quite had a grip on their home game against Ferntree Gully and were behind the visitors at all the major milestones, eventually losing by 60 shots to 76. Best rink with a hard fought 22 all draw was Peter Wilson (S), Bill Bosch (3), David Moore (2) and Sandra Wilde (L).
Now seventh on the ladder, the Twos will be home again to Cranbourne RSL 1 (second) for the first round of the New Year.
Merry Christmas and best wishes to all for the coming year– stay safe and healthy. Good bowling to those involved in Christmas/New Year tournaments.
-Des Leigh
