PAKENHAM BOWLS
The weather Gods put on a ripper of a day on Saturday as the Pakenham Lions and Mentone Edge assembled at Burden Park to contest the Section Four Division One Grand Final for season 2024/25. Mentone had finished on top of the ladder with Pakenham second, but on neutral ground the Lions were confident; particularly as they had knocked off the Edge at Mentone in the second semi-final.
Pakenham got away to a great start and after the completion of the first twenty ends had three up and a lead of 23 shots to 10.
However, it was never going to remain that easy; Mentone is a good side and had not finished on top of the ladder by accident.
By the time the game reached the midway point the Lions’ lead had been reduced to eight shots with two up and one dead level and it was obvious from the noise and body language that the Edge believed that they were in with a real chance.
The second half of the game was an absolute dog fight.
At no point over the last 40 ends or so was Pakenham’s lead greater than eight shots (and often only one or two).
It was all square twice and Mentone briefly held the lead; however, Mentone’s confidence was severely dented at one stage when Tommy Lodge’s rink picked up a six then followed up with a four on the next end!
The game finished with Pakenham in front by 91 shots to 83 with three rinks up.
After an excellent season, the Ones capped it off by winning the Div 1 sectional Pennant.
Best rink with 25 to 19 was Tommy Lodge (S), “Rotten” Ronnie Dalton (3), Terry “TMac” McRedmond (2) and Janis Parks (L).
The other members of the winning team were “Nifty” Nev Brown (S), Tom Van Vugt (3), Claire Smyth (2) and David “Sainter” Saint (L); Geoff “Voota” Van Vugt (S), John Parker (3), Darren Webster (2) and Mathew “Moose” Coutts (L); and Chris “Foxy” Fox (S), Wayne Parks (3), David Laird (2) and Joshua Kennedy (L) and David Leitch (emergency).
David also performed the essential task of keeping the big score board constantly up to date; particularly important in a game as close as this.
The Ones were not given much time to savor their victory as they were required to saddle up again on Sunday for a Divisional semi-final against Lalor at the MCC Bowls Club’s ground at Hawthorn. Conditions on this occasion were cool and damp although the greens were running well.
It was said that Lalor had flown in two marquee players from Sydney for the day and they obviously had come to play as their entire team was up and about and extremely noisy from the outset. However, it was Pakenham which had the upper hand early in the game to hold a 21-13 lead with two up and two down after the first twenty ends.
Lalor then hit a purple patch and by the half-way mark had snatched a four-point lead with three up and one down.
The game ebbed and flowed over the next twenty ends or so and there was never much in it but at the top of the home straight the Lions still trailed by four shots; although at that stage it was back to two up and two down.
By the finish, although always in the hunt, Pakenham fell short by just nine shots with two up and two down and so, a very good season was brought to an end.
All of the players who competed in the Div 1 side throughout the season should be proud of their efforts and the results.
MIDWEEK
After the completion of the home and away rounds, Pakenham One (Div 1) finished in second place with Mulgrave on top of the ladder.
Pakenham was therefore required to play the second semi-final at Mulgrave while the Dandenong Club (third) hosted Keysborough (fourth) in the first-semi; with the loser of that game eliminated.
Again, the weather Gods were kind, as players were presented with about 25 degrees under clear blue skies with minimal wind.
Pakenham was sluggish at first and after the first fifteen ends was down on all three rinks and trailed by 10 shots; a lead which they would chase for the remainder of the game.
By the mid-way point they were still three down but the deficit had grown to 17 shots.
By the start of the business ends, Mulgrave’s lead had been marginally reduced but they still had three rinks in front.
The Lions then came home the stronger but still finished 10 shots in arrears with only one rink in front.
Pakenham’s winning rink with 20 to 17 was Terry “TMac” McRedmond (S), John Parker (3), David Laird (2) and Paul Philip (L).
Although they lost the semi, by finishing second on the ladder, Pakenham had earned the second chance; a home preliminary final.
Their opponent was the Dandenong Club which had thrashed Keysborough in the first-semi.
That match took place under the Paky Dome last Thursday and to say that both sides were fired up for that encounter was an understatement.
Although playing on their home ground, the Lions again allowed their opponents to get the jump on them and with a quarter of the game completed, found themselves behind by nine shots to 15, with one up and two down.
With heads down and tails up they worked away at the deficit which was reduced to just two shots by the half-way mark and at that point they had two rinks in front.
There was a minor lapse after the break which allowed Dandy to extend the margin a little and to get two up again.
Tension was high over the last 15 ends of the game but with John Parker’s rink picking up eight shots over ends 18 and 19, the Lions finally hit the front on the 19th.
Dandy then picked up four on the last end but Pakenham held on to win by just one shot to earn a place in the grand final.
Best rink with 22 to 16 was “Nifty” Nev Brown (S), Chris “Foxy” Fox (3), Claire Smyth (2) and David “Sainter” Saint (L).
This game was worthy of a grand final in which players from both sides gave their all.
It is a pity that it did not attract a larger number of spectators; Paky had a small, sometimes noisy crowd but unfortunately Dandy had less than a handful of supporters.
Hopefully the actual grand final at Cheltenham on Tuesday 4 March will have drawn larger numbers.
-Des Leigh-
