PAKENHAM BOWLS
Following what seemed to be an extra-long Christmas break, both the Weekend and Midweek Pennant Bowls competitions resumed last week for the Pakenham Bowls Club.
Back in round three of the 2025/26 season, Pakenham One (Div 1) defeated Mulgrave Country Club by 11 shots on their own deck and with three rinks up, collected 16 Pennant points.
The Ones therefore approached the return bout at home on Saturday with confidence; however, the result was not what was expected.
Mulgrave was up and about from the outset and had established a lead of 23 shots to 13 with all rinks up by the completion of the first twenty ends.
They continued to apply that pressure during the second stage of the game and by the half way mark had marginally increased their lead, despite a huge 10 shots to one comeback by “Nifty” Nev Brown’s rink during that period.
During the “premiership quarter,” both sides scored 14 shots to hit the top of the home straight with Pakenham still down on three of the four rinks and trailing by 11 shots overall.
Mulgrave then finished off a little stronger than the Lions to record an 18 shot victory with three successful rinks.
Pakenham’s only winning rink with 20 shots to 16 was “Nifty” Nev Brown (S), John Hagen (3), Claire Smyth (2) and Mark Ryan (L).
The Ones are now seventh on the ladder, 11 points behind Dandenong and 14 ahead of Beaumaris. Their next outing will be away at Dandenong.
Pakenham Two (Div 3) was away at Keysborough where the Lions encountered a green so wind affected that many bowls delivered on the narrow hand actually tracked out against the bias. Despite having ample time for a ‘practice roll-up’ prior to the start of play, most Pakenham players struggled during the early stages of that game and by the completion of the first twenty ends found themselves down on three rinks and trailing by 12 shots to 20.
However over the next 24 ends or so, the Lions found some consistency and during that period outscored the Burras by 33 shots to 20 to reach the half way mark in front by 45 shots to 40 with two up and one all square.
By the start of the business ends, that slender lead had grown to 11 shots although at that stage both sides had two up and two down.
It was then a full on arm wrestle over the final 20 ends with Pakenham prevailing by 82 shots to 77 and collecting 14 Pennant points.
With a final score of 29 to 14, the better of Pakenham’s two winning rinks was Lindsay “Stevo” Stevenson (S), John Tarr (3), Paul Philip (2) and Eric Peterson (L).
That rink was down after the first five ends but outscored the Burras by 26 to 10 during the remainder of the game and never let them back into the contest.
The Twos still occupy the seventh rung of the ladder and they have a home game against top of the ladder Frankston One next round.
Pakenham Three (Div 5) shared the Paky dome with the Ones on Saturday but produced a far better result from their match against Cranbourne Four, a game which quickly developed into a one sided affair.
After only twenty ends, the Lions had already established a lead of 30 shots to seven and at that stage the carnage had only just begun.
By the half way mark, with the score having blown out to 54 to 22, the visitors would have welcomed the break as an opportunity to regroup.
However during the period following afternoon tea there was no reduction in pressure and by the start of the business ends Pakenham had extended the lead to 83 shots to 34.
The Lions then romped home to finish with a score of 105 shots to 51 with three up and one down.
The best winning rink with 34 shots to seven was Peter Wilson (S), Judith Ferrari (3), Maree Taylor (2) and Gary “Crow” Crowley (L).
The win moved the Threes one rung up the ladder to fourth spot.
They will be home again next week to Keysborough Three (seventh).
Unfortunately, Pakenham Four (Div 6) were unable to field a side and were forced to forfeit to Edithvale.
Successive forfeits and the resulting inability to collect Pennant points have resulted in the Fours dropping to seventh place on the ladder, 14 points behind Dandenong (who replaced them in sixth) but still 20 ahead of Carrum.
At this stage they are scheduled to play Carrum, away, next round.
MIDWEEK
Pakenham’s two Midweek sides finished 2025 in the winner’s circle.
Unfortunately, however, they did not begin 2026 on the same note.
Pakenham One (Div 1), top of the ladder were away at Berwick, fourth.
As far as the Lions were concerned, the game started according to script and by the completion of the first fifteen ends they held a lead of 20 shots to eight with two up and one down.
From that point the Wickers put up more of a fight and by the half way mark Pakenham’s lead had been reduced to just five shots, although it still had two up.
With all the momentum running their way, Berwick then turned the game around, scoring 19 shots to six over the fifteen ends leading into the run home and snatched a lead of 49 shots to 41 at that stage.
The Lions reversed that trend during the business ends but could not quite make up the lost ground and eventually went down by just three shots.
Pakenham’s only winning rink with 23 to 21 was Chris Fox (S), Max Mannik (3), John Hagen (2) and John Hines (L).
The Ones have slipped to second spot on the ladder, now five points behind Dandy and equal on points (but ahead on percentage) with Mulgrave in third.
They will be home to Keysborough One (seventh) next round.
Pakenham Two (Div 3) was beaten at home by Mulgrave in round two by just eight shots and another close game was expected in last Tuesday’s reverse round at Mulgrave; however, that was not to be the case.
With one rink dropping six ends on the trot, Pakenham got away to a disastrous start and after the first fifteen were down 10 shots to 21 with one up and two down.
As the game progressed the situation did not improve and by the half way mark the visitors were down on all three rinks and trailing 21 shots to 59.
From that point until the start of the business ends the Lions pretty much held their own but unfortunately were unable to make any inroads into the deficit.
They were outscored again in the home straight and finished with two down and one all square and a tally of just 44 shots to 89.
Only one rink was competitive on the day to finish with a 21 all draw.
That was Paul Currie (S), Karen Oosthuizen (3), Bill Bosch (2) and Frank Webber (L).
The Twos have dropped from third to fourth on the ladder and will be away again next round at Cranbourne, fifth.
HI-LO
The first winner for 2026 was Karen Oosthuizen with number 26.
-Des Leigh-
