PAKENHAM BOWLS
PENNANT REPORT – SATURDAY
Pakenham One (Div 1) played the penultimate game of their 18-round season on Saturday while the second and third sides commenced their finals campaigns.
With a record of 15 wins and only one loss for the season, ladder leader Flemington Kensington would have approached Saturday visit to Pakenham One (win/loss ratio of 6/9 plus a draw) with a high degree of confidence and in all likelyhood had already pencilled in a good win.
During the early stages, the game appeared to be shaping up the way most punters would have predicted as the visitors had three rinks up and a lead of 25 shots to 13 after the first twenty ends.
However, the Lions were desperate for a win and began to push back hard – by the mid-way mark they had two rinks in front, one level and with the score at 40 to 41 were only down by one shot.
Over the next twenty or so ends, Flem/Ken was able to open up the lead to nine shots but both sides still had two up and two down and Pakenham’s two winning rinks were really beginning to fire.
Then, over the vital business ends, all four Pakenham rinks outscored their opponents and the Lions brought home a memorable, 81-76 win.
Best rink with 22 to eight – with seven ends on the trot in the middle stages – was John Parker (S), Chris ‘Foxy’ Fox (3), Max Mannik (2) and Gian ‘The Doctor’ Pianezzola (L).
The win brought Pakenham back to sixth place on the ladder, just two points ahead of Brunswick in seventh but more importantly, 18 points up on Bacchus Marsh in eighth.
Regardless of what happens in the final round therefore, it would appear most unlikely that the Lions will finish any lower than seventh on the ladder.
Their round 18 opponent will be Parkdale (ninth), away.
FINALS
By finishing on top of their section, Pakenham Two earned a home semi-final against Berwick, the team which finished second.
This was a game in which Pakenham always seemed to be in control and one in which they steadilly continued to build on their lead.
After the first twenty ends the Lions had three up, one level, and a score of 25 shots to 11.
At the half way point it was still three up and one level while the lead had marginally increased to 17 shots.
By the time the game had entered its business ends, Berwick had gained the upper hand on one rink but Pakenham still had control on the others and the overall lead had grown to 22 shots.
That steady pressure was maintained for the remainder of the contest and Pakenham finished with three rinks up and a healthy score of 92 shots to 62.
Best rink with 27 to nine – and winning the last five ends in a row – was Des ‘Grizzly’ Leigh (S), Paul Currie (3), Dave Wood (2) and Lindsay Stevenson (L).
On Sunday, Berwick (which, by finishing second, had a double chance) played Mulgrave Country Club in the Preliminary Final at Noble Park.
That game resulted in a one-shot win to Mulgrave who will be Pakenham Two’s opponent in the Section Grand Final on Saturday 25 February.
Both contenders will be promoted to Div 3 next season.
With only one loss for the season, Pakenham Three also earned a home semi-final but did not make the most of the opportunity.
When their opponent Narre Warren had previously visited Pakenham, the Lions had prevailed by 91 shots to 66 and perhaps this resulted in a degree of complacency.
Whatever the reason, after the completion of the first twenty ends it was Narre which had jumped away to an early 24 to 11 lead; with three rinks up.
Fortunately, that seemed to wake the Lions up and by the half-way mark they had turned the game around to have two up and one level and a lead of 43 shots to 34.
After the break however, Narre again applied the pressure and by the start of the run home had reduced the Lions’ lead to just one shot.
All four Lions’ rinks were then outscored in the home strtaight and they lost the game by 68 shots to 89.
The Lions’ only winning rink with 16 shots to 14 was Vince Bevilacqua (S), Allister Stewart (3), Ken Clifton (2) and Ian McKenzie (L).
Although the list of personnel was the same, it was a vastly different team which lined up at Mulgrave on Sunday to play Monbulk, the winner of the other semi-final.
This Sunday team dominated from the outset – by the completion of the first twenty ends they had three rinks up and one level and an overall score of 30 shots to 10. By the half way mark it was two up, one level and one down but the lead remained at twenty shots.
With approximately three quarters of the game played, Pakenham had all four rinks up and at 77 to 39, had almost doubled Monbulk’s score.
The final result was a 98 to 53 win for Pakenham with all rinks up.
Best rink once again, with 33 to 15, was Vince Bevilacqua (S), Allister Stewart (3), Ken Clifton (2) and Ian McKenzie (L).
The Threes will now play Narre (again) in the Section Grand Final next Saturday.
Regardless of the result, both teams will be promoted to Div 5 next season.
MIDWEEK
Last Tuesday, the Midweek teams played their final home and away games for the 2022-23 season – all three finished on top of their respective ladders and have earned a home semi-final and second chance if required.
Pakenham One was home to Mentone for what resulted in an easy win.
The Lions jumped away to an early lead which was never threatened at any stage.
After fifteen ends they were three up with a score of 30 to five; that score had grown to 46 to 17 by the half-way mark and 69 to 22 by the start of the business ends.
From that point they coasted home to win with 85 shots to 31.
Best rink with 30 to nine was Chris ‘Foxy’ Fox (S), Keith ‘Golden Arm’ Archer (3), Roger Fraser (2) and Peter Bott (L).
The Ones finished the home and away season with 12 wins and two losses.
They will play The Dandenong Club in the semi-final.
Pakenham Two had a close contest away at Narre Warren, being behind for most of the match but always within touch.
After the first 15 ends they were 11 to 15 behind with one up, one down and one level; by the half way mark they were down on two rinks but still only two shots in arrears and at the start of the run home the deficit was just three shots.
The Lions then outscored Narre on all three rinks over the business ends to finish in front by 72 shots to 59.
Best rink with 22 to 14 was Paul Currie (S), Derek Spraggon (3), Ray Laird (2) and Wayne Oosthuizen (L).
The Twos finished their season with 10 wins, three losses and a draw – they will play Narre Warren in the semi.
Pakenham Three was undefeated for the season – they had a bye for the last round and will play Burden Park in the semi-final.
-Des Leigh-
