PAKENHAM BOWLS
SATURDAY PENNANT
DIVISION 1 – ROUND 18
It was ironic that the two sides which played off in the 2020-21 grand final should meet again in the last home-and-away round for 2021-22.
Last season’s flag winner Pakenham, which has had an average season, was playing for little more than pride and their opponents, Mulgrave Country Club was looking for a win to provide a further buffer against relegation…the sporting gods are certainly fickle!
The match was played under lights at Pakenham on Friday night before a loud and appreciative audience which included the Gazette’s own cheer squad and the support was greatly appreciated.
‘Krusty’ in particular was walking 10-feet tall and was a leading contender for BOG.
With the exception of the one rink, which copped an uncharacteristic hiding, the game went pretty much according to script.
After the first 20 ends the Lions had two rinks up and one all square and an overall lead of seven shots. By the half way mark it was three up and one down and the lead had increased slightly to 10 shots. Mulgrave kept surging but each time they got close Pakenham would pull away again and by the start of the business ends, with three up and one down, the lead had grown to 22 shots.
The visitors then put in an incredible effort over the last 20 ends, outscoring the locals by almost two to one during that period but it was not enough – with three up and one down, the Lions won by 90 shots to 81 to finish the season on a high note.
Pakenham’s best rink with 31 shots to 14 was big Geoff ‘Voota’ Van Vugt (Skip), Max Mannic (3), Paul Currie (2) and Terry ‘Tmac’ McRedmond (L). The Ones finished the season in splendid isolation on the sixth rung of the ladder – a full round behind Parkdale in fifth but more than a round ahead of Mulgrave in seventh.
DIVISION 5 – SEMI-FINAL
Having played their game on Friday night, the Division One side were free to head down to Hampton Park on Saturday afternoon to join the crowd cheering on the ‘Threes’ as they battled for a crack at the flag.
It was gratifying to see that most of the Ones were in attendance and that they were both loud and enthusiastic in their support.
The Three’s knew that they were up against it, playing Hampton Park on their own turf, as they had been handed a comprehensive defeat the last time the two sides had met at that venue.
However they were not without hope as the Lions, in turn, had beaten the Redbacks at Pakenham in the final round of the home-and-away season – albeit by a single shot.
In the early stages of the game the host side failed to extract the full benefit of their home-ground advantage and after the first 20 ends it was Pakenham, with two up and two down, which held a slender lead, despite one rink trailing badly and looking vulnerable.
The Redbacks then went on a massive scoring blitz and by half time had turned the game around to have three up and an overall lead of 19 shots.
At that stage however, the game was by no means over.
The Lions hit back in the third quarter, outscoring their hosts during that period but unfortunately they were unable to produce the big numbers required and by the start of the business ends they still lagged behind.
Hampton Park then delivered a knockout punch in the home run, again outscoring the Lions and coasting home to a 98 to 72 victory, with two up and two down.
They played the final at Berwick on Sunday against ladder leaders Narre Warren, who easily disposed of Monbulk in the other semi – unfortunately the result of that game was not available at the time of writing.
Pakenham’s best rink with 25 shots to 12 was Ray Leggett (Skip), Adrian ‘A-Train’ Wheelan (3), Helen Wright (2) and Gail Bowman (L).
The other members of the team were Peter Wilson (Skip), Ken Clifton (3), Gail Wilcock (2) and Kevin Holley (L); Vince Bevilacqua (Skip), Sam Granieri (3), Alan Waterson (2) and Judith Ferrari (L); and Bill Bosch (Skip), Ray Illing (3), Alan Wilcock (2) and Ian Kitt (L).
Ray Wood and John Barlow were the emergencies.
Special mention also to the players who were rotated in and out of this team from the bankers throughout the season– they too were part of the effort which saw the Threes make the finals.
Hopefully we will have the numbers to field a fourth side next season and those members will get a game almost every week.
MIDWEEK – ROUND 14
DIVISION 2
Pakenham One held a mortgage on third position on the ladder and could not be shifted, regardless of the outcome of last Tuesday’s round 14.
However with four on the trot and five from the last six, it was important to chalk up another win so that they could carry that momentum into the finals and that was the positive, winning attitude they took to Churchhill Waverley Golf.
The game did not start well for the Lions – after all three rinks had played the first five ends they had only one up (by a single shot) and were down overall 15 shots to seven.
However as they grew accustomed to the green they warmed to the task and by the half way mark, although still having only one rink up, they had taken the lead by five shots.
It was then a case of more of the same and by the start of the business ends they had extended the lead to 11 shots and had two rinks in front.
Both sides scored an equal number of shots in the run home – the Lions therefore held that lead of 11 shots to the finish, still with two up.
Best rink with 23 shots to 13 was Max Mannic (Skip), Terry ‘Tmac’ McRedmond (3), David Laird (2) and Lindsay Stevenson (L).
Having finished the home and away season in third place, the Ones have qualified for the finals and will line up against The Dandenong Club (second) at Dandenong for their semi-final on Tuesday 15 March. The Dandenong Club won the day by a single shot in their most recent encounter but that was at Pakenham. Top of the ladder Narre Warren take on Cranbourne in the other semi.
DIVISION 3
Pakenham Two (sixth) played Berwick (fourth) at home in the final game of their season.
It was a fairly even game throughout but Berwick always seemed to hold the upper hand.
After the first 15 ends Berwick held two rinks to Pakenham’s one but the lead was only two shots in their favour.
By the half way mark, from the Lions’ perspective, it was still one up and two down but at that stage the deficit at just five shots was still manageable.
Over the next 15 ends however, the Wickers applied the screws and by the start of the business ends had extended their lead to 14 shots. The Lions then outscored them across the board in the run home but it was too little, too late and Berwick hung on to win by nine shots.
Pakenham’s only winning rink with 20 shots to 18 was Peter Wilson (Skip), Ken Clifton (3), Roy Harvie (2) and John Barlow (L). Pakenham Two finished the 2021-22 season in sixth position.
-Des Leigh-
