CARDINIA WATERS BOWLS
Both midweek teams played against Mulgrave Country Club in the last round before Christmas with side one at home and side two away on the Mulgrave turf.
The results were in stark contrast, with side one grabbing a late win and side two suffering a massive defeat.
At home, side one played an intriguing game against a very competent and determined Mulgrave outfit, who made it very clear from the start that they hadn’t travelled to Cardinia Waters to lose the game.
Mulgrave started the best, however, by the lunch bell, Cardinia Waters had grabbed a small lead and enjoyed the break.
What ensued after lunch was a strong effort by Mulgrave to gain ascendancy, but this was thwarted by even stronger efforts for the home side on two rinks.
Keith Lewis’s rink staged an almighty fight-back from being four down after thirteen ends, to winning 19-12 after the twenty first end.
This was an effort which contributed heavily to the fine team win.
Keith played with Dennis Patmore, Bill Hite and Len Judge.
Also winning well was the rink of John Van Vugt, Ashley Graham, Ian Kennedy and Cathy Swinkels. They led all game, especially before lunch, where they were nine shots up at the bell.
After lunch they held their own, eventually running out with a 26-16 win.
Before this game Mulgrave had been in sixth place with Cardinia Waters in seventh.
Now they have exchanged positions on the ladder leaving Pakenham in last position.
However, Cardinia Waters face a large task to further improve their position.
With five rounds left they play four of these games against teams in the four.
The last round is against their local rival, eighth-placed Pakenham; a game usually worth watching.
As mentioned earlier side two had a terrible day playing away at Mulgrave Country Club, losing all three rinks by a combined 39 shots.
One rink was somewhat unlucky only losing by two shots, but from there it was all red ink.
Another rink lost by 11 shots and one by a disastrous 26 shots down.
Side two, however, still cling onto third position behind Edithvale and Mulgrave Country Club.
Their first game after the Christmas break is against Edithvale, but from then on, they play teams below them on the ladder.
They have a reasonable chance of still playing finals, but need to improve on last week’s performance.
THURSDAY NIGHT TRIPLES
A great group of 42 bowlers grace the bowling green every Thursday evening for this popular social game at Cardinia Waters.
The organisers are proud of the popularity of this game, having all seven rinks full and an increase of 12 players from last season.
With the season well past half way, there are six teams battling out the top four in anticipation of the finals in February.
Teams skipped by Jenny Edmonds, John Van Vugt, George Birnie, Steve Hale, John Cleland and Mick Knight are fairly well assured of having a finals chance.
However, only the top four after round 13 can make it.
Making a real presence this year are the rinks of Jenny Edmonds and George Birnie.
Having both been on top of the ladder, they should be in the finals with only five rounds left to play. John Cleland, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday and no slouch on the bowling green, is also gunning for a finals berth.
The season will be extended one extra week, so the round one games that were washed out, can be replayed on February 6.
Merry Christmas to bowlers, readers and staff at Pakenham Gazette.
-John Moore-
