PAKENHAM BOWLS
SATURDAY
All four Pakenham sides were competitive in very close games on the weekend but unfortunately not one was able to produce a win.
Pakenham One (Div 1) chose to play their home game against Keysborough One out in the wind on the fast Crowley green.
There was no real evidence of a home-ground advantage and after the first twenty ends, although the locals had two rinks up and one all square, their overall lead was only two shots and at that stage the remaining Pakenham rink was yet to register a score.
By the half-way point the Lions had increased their lead to nine shots, but at that stage they had just two rinks in front and one which was being badly mauled.
By the time the game had reached the start of the business ends, Keysborough had turned the tables on their hosts and with two up and two down held a six-shot lead.
The Lions fought back strongly in the run home but eventually, with the score at 67 to 70, fell short by just three shots.
The better of Pakenham’s two winning rinks, with 27 to 13, was Nev Brown (S), Trent Gribbin (3), Kerry Lewis (2) and David Laird (L).
The Ones will be away at Clayton next round.
The Twos (Div 3) were away at Parkdale where it was blowing a gale, making conditions quite difficult.
The Lions held a narrow lead for the majority of that game but in the long run, failed to put their opponents away and came home with an 84-all draw.
After 20 ends, Pakenham had two up and one level and were in front by five shots.
At the break, each side had two up and two down with the Lions still in front but only by a single shot.
That lead had only marginally increased to three shots by the commencement of the business ends but from that point the game did not simply “fizzle out” into a draw.
With play completed on three rinks and the other on its last end, Pakenham was one up on the scoreboard, held two shots at the head, and looked likely to win by three shots overall.
However, the opposition skip drew shot with the last bowl of the day to salvage a draw.
The better of the two winning rinks with 25 to 12 was “Stormin” Norm Box (S), Vince Bevilacqua (3), Gary “Crow” Crowley (2) and Maree Taylor (L).
The Twos will be home to Hampton Park next round.
Pakenham Three (Div 5) played Keysborough under the dome.
That game could not have been closer in the early stages with both sides having two up and two down after the first twenty ends and the score at 17 all.
Despite dramatic swings in scoring, it was still two up and two down at the half-way mark but the Lions had by then eked out a six-shot lead.
Keysborough rallied after the break to turn the tables on the Lions and with the home run in sight, had grabbed a nine-shot lead.
Although the locals briefly rallied, with one rink copping a belting, the game eventually slid out of their grasp and they lost by 16 shots but with two rinks up, still collected four Pennant points.
Surprisingly, they are one of six teams in their section which are now one and one – only Mulgrave has won both games in the first two rounds.
The better of Pakenham’s two winning rinks with 23 to 15 was Charles Harris (S), Ray Leggett (3), Gayle Harkness (2) and Sandra “Wildwoman” Wilde (L).
The Threes travel to Burden Park next round.
Pakenham Four (Div 7) played the Dandenong Club at Burden Park in another game which went down to the wire.
With two up and one level they trailed by just a single shot after the first twenty ends but by the half way point the deficit had grown to seven shots.
Then, with two rinks firing, they clawed their way back into the game and held a one-shot lead at the start of the business ends.
Unfortunately, they were unable to hold onto that lead and when play was completed at 71 to 73 went down by two shots.
Again, Pakenham had two winning rinks – the better of those with 22 to 10 was Ray Illing (S), Judith Ferrari (3), Karen Oosthuizen (2) and Graham Cooper (L).
The Fours will host Keysborough in round three.
MIDWEEK
Pakenham’s Midweek warriors kicked off round one of the new season in great style with wins across the board by all three sides and on all rinks.
Pakenham One (Div 1) were at Mulgrave Country Club where they surprised their opponents to grab a 17 to 12 lead with two rinks up by the completion of the first fifteen ends.
By the lunch break that lead had been extended to 11 shots and although the Lions were down on the third rink, that was by just one shot.
By the three-quarter mark Pakenham had three rinks up (one by a single shot) and a lead of 16 shots and that was pretty much the situation at the end of play with the Lions finishing with three rinks up and at 63 to 45, a lead of 18 shots.
Best rink with 23 to 12 was Ned Courtin (S), “Stormin” Norm Box (3), Peter Bott (2) and David Laird (L).
The Ones will be at home to Burden Park in round two.
Pakenham Two (Div 3) hosted Keysborough Three.
For a home game, that match did not start as well as might have been hoped.
After fifteen ends, despite holding narrow leads on two rinks, Pakenham was behind overall and the third rink had not registered a score at that stage.
However, with one rink firing, the Lions held the overall lead by 27 shots to 21 at the lunch break, despite being down on the other two.
Pakenham’s players then outscored their opponents over the remaining ends to win comfortably by 63 shots to 40 and collected the maximum Pennant points.
Best rink with 26 to 11 was Brian Norton (S), Lynne Smith (3), Lindsay Stevenson (2) and Wayne Oosthuizen (L).
The Twos have a short trip across town to Cardinia Waters next round.
Pakenham Three (Div 5) had the best win of the day, at home, at the expense of Berwick Four.
The Lions were in control pretty much from the beginning to the end of that game and never looked threatened at any stage.
They led 16 to eight after the first fifteen ends, 38 to 22 at lunch (with one rink briefly down by a shot at that stage) and 57 to 32 at the start of the business ends.
They then powered home over the last fifteen ends to record a comprehensive win, 79 shots to 40, and banked the maximum 16 Pennant points.
Pakenham’s best rink was Peter Wilson (S), Vince Bevilacqua (3), Ray Illing (2) and Gayle Harkness (L).
Remarkably, they fought back from one shot down at half time to outscore their opponents 23 shots to two in the second half and won by 30 shots to 10.
Bill Bosch (S), John Donazzan (3), Gillian Harper (2) and Ray Leggett (L) also had a good win, picking up an elusive eight in the process!
The Threes next outing will be away against the Dandenong Club (Four).
HI-LO
The round two winner with number 21 was Ashley Graham.
-Des Leigh-
