CARDINIA WATERS BOWLS
Midweek Pennant
Cardinia Waters side one had a great win against Keysborough last Tuesday.
So much so, that they moved up the ladder to top spot, albeit by just two points from Noble Park.
The 22-shot result however masked what was a tough day on the bowling green for both teams.
Cardinia Waters began strongly, with Keysborough coming back just before lunch to join them at 29 shots apiece, after exactly 29 ends.
The home side then found top gear, and surged home in the last half of the game to record a nice victory.
Leading the win was the rink of Jim Barrie (skip), Dennis Patmore, John Carr and Cathy Swinkels who romped home with a handy 33-13 win.
John Van Vugt’s rink also recorded a sound win, after a magnificent start.
They led 12-0 after five ends, the early part of the game looking like a whitewash.
However, their Keysborough opponents then lifted their game, but couldn’t bridge the gap, with the final score showing a Cardinia Waters win by seven shots. John played with Del Dance, Terry Nye and Ian Kennedy.
After winning four of the five games played so far, Cardinia Waters are top of the ladder from Noble Park, Pakenham and Cranbourne in that order.
Next week they play the winless Willow Lodge away, and would be expected to win there.
However, under their roof, the home team sometimes hold their own.
Side two hasn’t been able to continue their early season form, losing this week and the previous one, after winning the first three games.
This week they travelled to Mulgrave Country Club, and despite winning one rink, were outscored at the end by the home side.
The winning rink was Steve Hale (skip), Jenny Edmonds, Graeme Taylor and Gary Bondfield.
They led by 11 shots well into the game, but a comeback by their opponents near the end saw the margin cut to two shots.
Next week side two play Mt Waverley at home.
Mt Waverley hasn’t played in this section before, so there is little known as to their strengths or weaknesses.
Both teams have won three of the five games played and are separated on the ladder by a single point and a minuscule amount of percentage.
A close game is expected.
Saturday Pennant
Cardinia Waters faced up to Noble Park on their turf green on Saturday.
The conditions were good, with the turf handling the overnight rain very well.
Very little separated these two teams before this game, so a close one was predicted.
Noble Park was on top early in the game and showed just how good it is at home.
When the afternoon tea bell rang the home side had amassed a handy 18-shot lead.
Not to be denied Cardinia Waters came back in the latter half of the game to win on two rinks, and just failing to overhaul Noble Park by 11 shots.
Jim Barrie’s rink was the instigators of the fight back.
As afternoon tea was taken, they were trailing their opponents by 10 shots.
Then they won the next 10 ends on the trot, to finish with a score line showing 24-15, a 19-shot turnaround.
Jim played with John Carr, Dennis Patmore and Gary Bondfield.
John Van Vugt’s rink appeared in trouble trailing 7-14, but scored a valuable six shots up on the thirteenth end, to launch a comeback.
They outscored their Noble Park opponents in the last five ends to grab a one-shot victory.
He played with Del Dance, Terry Nye and Ian Kennedy.
Cardinia Waters now finds itself in a spot of bother, seemingly anchored in seventh position on the ladder after six home and away games played.
Next week they play Ferntree Gully at home in the last game of the first round…a win is needed.
An interesting aside to this round was the win of Upwey Tecoma over Berwick.
Before this round Upwey-Tecoma were winless, and last on the ladder.
It wasn’t just any old win either, as they romped away by 49 shots.
-John Moore-
