CARDINIA WATERS BOWLS
MIDWEEK PENNANT
Cardinia Waters had a mixed day on the bowling green on Tuesday – recording a win and a loss from its two games.
Side one slipped over the road and round the corner a bit, to take on Pakenham on their home greens. Like the game earlier in the season Pakenham were simply too good for the village team winning two of the three rinks played, and winning clearly on shots up, 76/55.
John Van Vugt, Bill Hite, Graeme Taylor and Peter Mitchell were the only winning rink for Cardinia Waters. They scored 22/18 against their Pakenham opponents to at least bring home some celebration.
This week is the last game this season for Cardinia Waters midweek side one.
They will finish the season in seventh place, and play bottom team Keysborough at home.
There is a faint possibility of climbing up to sixth if they win, and if Churchill Waverley Golf (CWG) is beaten by Pakenham.
Cardinia Waters is only three points behind CWG, and rising from seventh may just rescue them from relegation. However, Bowls Victoria is talking of a reshuffle of teams next season to get a better balance and only time will tell what to expect.
While side one toiled at Pakenham, side two had a mighty wrestle with Edithvale on the Cardinia Waters home green.
After some remedial work the green played beautifully, and early in the game it seemed to suit the visitors best.
Edithvale got in front, and stayed there until the last few ends when Cardinia Waters took the lead and hung on for a two shots win.
One Edithvale skip will be rueing her unfortunate bad luck, when a bowl moved the Jack from holding two shots up to two shots down.
A rather large sigh of relief was heard from local players and supporters. It was indeed a close shave.
Best of the two winning rinks was that of Tom Gogan, Jenny Edmonds, Michele Bondfield and Alan Copley. Their score was 22/12. Also winning was Stuart Tokely, Marie Stephenson, Gary Bondfield and Jenny Cole who won 24/21.
Next week Cardinia Waters travel to Ferntree Gully to play the bottom team.
What looks a low-key game may actually have an effect on the final four placing. Given that Dandenong RSL is easily on top and can’t move any lower, it’s up to Willow Lodge or Cardinia Waters to claim second place and a home final.
Currently Willow Lodge is in second place and Cardinia Waters is third.
Only three points seperate them, and whoever claims second place after next week gets that home final. Willow Lodge play top team Dandenong Club, and Cardinia Waters face the bottom team.
So if form runs true, then Cardinia Waters could well and truly host a final at home, which would be against Willow Lodge.
SATURDAY PENNANT
Last week I wrote about the slight chance of side two making the finals.
Well exactly as I proposed, Cardinia Waters side two overwhelmed top-of-the ladder Black Rock, and Mordialloc beat Highett, to see Cardinia Waters leap frog Highett to grab fourth spot and a game in next weeks’ finals.
It was an emotionally charged game on the home green, and Cardinia Waters took the game right up to Black Rock, eventually winning on all three rinks and closing off the game by 21 shots up.
For some time early in the game it appeared that one rink was in trouble.
Stuart Tokely’s rink started slowly and after six ends was well behind 0/11.
In a herculean effort they came back, caught up, and then beat their opponents 21/17.
Stuart played with John Carr, Terry Nye and Jenny Cole. There was a great group of spectators watching the game and their vocal support buoyed the local team on.
Best winning rink was John Moore, Marie Stephenson, Alan Copley and Brian Byrne who won 26/12. Also victorious was the rink of Micki Horton, Graeme Taylor, Ian Smith and Ian Kennedy who won 21/17.
Next weekend the finals start and Cardinia Waters side two will play Cranbourne away.
Last time the two sides met Cranbourne won easily, so it will take another herculean effort to win, but as was proven last Saturday anything is possible.
Side one travelled to Chelsea for their final game of the season last Saturday.
Whilst they lost, some heart can be taken as they fought hard on a green that most visiting sides struggle on.
In their two rinks down, one up, and a drawn rink game Cardinia Waters brought home three points. The winning rink was John Van Vugt, Bill Hite, Jim Barrie and Donny Gibson who won 20/16.
They led almost all of a closely fought game, but it was a late three shots up on the 19th end that sealed the result.
Keith Lewis’s rink managed an 18/18 draw. They were six down after 15 ends and came home best to scramble a draw. Keith played with Jill Naylor, Del Dance and Bill Tippelt.
Side one hasn’t had the brightest season, and now faces relegation as they finished seventh out of eight teams in their section.
Their last win was in round nine against Pakenham, who took home this season’s wooden spoon. The off season will determine much of the shape for next season.
Bowls Victoria have speculated a major overhaul of how teams move in and out of the divisions. They see the need to have a more balanced competition. Cardinia Waters will certainly look forward to a better performance next season and are hoping the impact of Covid will not be the issue it was this season.
-John Moore-
