PAKENHAM BOWLS
SATURDAY PENNANT
Pakenham One (Div 1) suffered a heart-breaking one-point loss at Cranbourne on Saturday.
Thanks to a great start on Foxy’s rink, the Lions held a four-shot overall lead after the first 20 ends of that match but at that point the other rinks were all behind by small margins.
The home side then started to push hard and by the half-way mark the lead had unfortunately evaporated and Pakenham trailed by seven shots.
The game then developed into something of an arm wrestle but with 20 ends to go, with one up and one all square, Pakenham had reduced the deficit to just three shots and had the whip out for the run home.
However, it was not to be and at 72 to 73 the Lions fell agonisingly short by just one shot.
The better of Pakenham’s two winning rinks was Chris “Foxy” Fox (S), Glenn “Google” Bainbridge (3), Brian Norton (2) and Peter Bott (L).
That rink picked up a six on the first end and was never headed, finishing with six to one over the last five ends for a final score of 26 to 12.
The Ones face a tough task next round at home to Beaumaris.
Playing at home under the dome, Pakenham Two (Div 3) made an excellent start in its encounter with Berwick to lead 22 to 12 with two up and one all square after the first 20 ends.
However, by the half-way mark both sides had two rinks in front and the Lions’ lead had been cut to only five shots.
After the break there was a marked shift in momentum and with the rinks skipped by “Stormin” Norm Box and Keith “Golden Arm” Archer leading the way, the locals approached the home run with three rinks up and one level pegging and a comfortable 25-shot lead.
Apart from one minor hiccup, the Lions then coasted (more or less) to a 22-shot win and with three and a half rinks collected 17 of the 18 Pennant points available.
For the second week in a row, the rinks skipped by “Stormin” Norm and “Golden Arm” both finished with the same winning margin (10 shots) but again, despite the fact that Norm’s rink scored 19 shots to six in the second half, it was Keith’s which did slightly better, both in terms of percentage and ends won.
Keith’s crew was Terry “TMac” McRedmond (3), Jen “Chookle” Bainbridge (2) and Sandra “Wildwoman” Wilde (L).
The Twos will be away against Beaumaris Two next round.
Unfortunately, at the time of preparing this report, information regarding the Div 5 game between Pakenham Three and Narre Warren Five at Narre was a bit sketchy.
What is clear however is that the visiting Lions lost the match by 10 shots and with only one winning rink, collected just two Pennant points.
The successful rink, with a score of 24 shots to 10, was Peter Wilson (S), Rick Burns (3), Mick Knight (2) and Russell Jones (L).
The Threes will need to regroup for next Saturday’s (home) game against Mulgrave Four which, at this stage of the season, remains undefeated.
Given the brief, but very heavy showers on Saturday, Pakenham Four (Div 7) certainly appreciated being under the shelter of the dome with the Twos and they made the most of the opportunity…although their game against Narre Warren Six was always close.
After the completion of the first 20 ends, both sides had two rinks up but the Lions held a slender two-shot lead.
However, at the half way mark, although each side still had two up and two down, the visitors were in front by five shots.
After the break, the game swung back in the opposite direction, particularly due to heavy scoring by Helen Wright’s rink and by the start of the business ends Pakenham held a (shaky) two-shot lead – still two up and two down.
Overall, the Lions then outscored their opponents in the home run to record a 14-shot (82 to 68) win and with three successful rinks collected 16 Pennant points.
Best rink with 27 to nine, and outscoring their opponents by 17 shots to three over the second half, was Helen Wright (S), Wendy Pownall (3), Brenda Moloney (2) and Richard Grace (L).
The Fours will be away to Mulgrave Seven next round, who actually beat Mulgrave Six in their round-six home derby!
MIDWEEK PENNANT
If the situation after the first 15 ends of last Tuesday’s (Div 1) game between Pakenham One and Berwick One at Pakenham was taken as a guide, Pakenham would have been predicted to bolt in – but that was not what eventuated.
At that early stage the Lions led on all three rinks with a score of 25 to seven and one of Berwick’s teams was yet to open its account.
However, as is often said, “Bowls is a funny game.”
Pakenham was still in front at the lunch break and with three rinks up and the score at 39 to 23 seemed to be travelling quite comfortably.
However, after the break, two Wickers’ rinks started to push back hard and the situation began to even up a little; although Max Mannik’s rink provided a surge against the flow to steady the ship and take the Lions to a 13-shot lead at 48 ends.
The Lions still with two up but with one all square.
Berwick kept pushing to the end – however, the home side held on for a 63 to 55, eight-shot win, with one up, one drawn and one down (but only by a shot).
Best rink with 22 shots to 13 was Max Mannik (S), Terry “TMac” McRedmond (3), Kerry Lewis (2) and Peter Bott (L).
The Ones will be home again next round to Keysborough One.
Pakenham Two (Div 3) played Cranbourne Two away.
The hosts made a good start against their visitors and by the completion of the first 15 ends had two rinks up and an overall lead of 20 shots to 11.
The Lions pushed hard over the next period of play and by the lunch break, although still behind, had taken the score to a much more manageable 33 shots to 36.
During the first five ends after the break however, one of Cranbourne’s rinks went on a scoring spree and by the start of the business ends their lead had been opened up to 57 to 45.
The game finished with Cranbourne winning by seven shots.
Pakenham’s only successful rink fought out a very creditable 29 to 17 win after starting the day behind on the scoreboard.
That rink was Keith “Golden Arm” Archer (S), Peter Wilson (3), Lynne Smith (2) and Allister Stewart (L).
The Twos will play away again next round against Berwick Three.
Pakenham Three (DIV 5) was away against Narre Warren Four.
Despite never being far off the mark, the Lions did not, at any stage, get a grip on that game.
After 15 ends they were down on two, even on the third and trailed 12 shots to 18.
At the half-way mark the situation had changed very little although the deficit had increased to nine shots.
That was still the margin at the start of the business ends and also at the completion of play – however Pakenham had one rink in front by then.
The winning Lions’ rink, with 29 shots to 20, was Rick Burns (S), Eric Peterson (3), Gillian Harper (2) and John “Giovanni” Donazzan (L).
With the season approaching its midway point and the ladder beginning to take some meaningful shape, the Threes are currently on top, five points clear of Narre Warren in second place and a full round ahead of Mt Waverley in third but they must maintain momentum.
They will be away again next round against Mulgrave Six.
HI-LO
The winner for round six was Gayle Harkness with number 25.
-Des Leigh-
