PAKENHAM BOWLS
SATURDAY
The 14th and final home and away round of the 2025/26 Weekend Pennant season was played last Saturday.
Pakenham One (Div 1), seventh on the ladder, had a red hot go at Mentone and at one stage appeared to have a chance of pulling off the impossible – knocking off ladder leaders The Edge on their home deck.
In the early stages of the game, things were going as Mentone might have expected and after 20 ends the home side held a lead of 21 shots to 11, with two up and one level.
By the mid way mark, Pakenham had only one rink in front but at that stage they were still in touch as the overall deficit had only increased to 11 shots.
During the next twenty ends or so, the Lions really dug deep and by the completion of 60 ends had Mentone’s supporters looking at the big score board in disbelief – Pakenham had two up and one level and had hit the front, even if only by four shots.
At the start of the business ends scores were level at 52 shots apiece and both sides had two up and two down.
In the run home however, Mentone demonstrated why they had dominated the competition all season as they slowly drew away from the Lions to win overall by 12 shots with three up. Nevertheless, to have won by a relatively small margin on their home ground would not have done much for their confidence leading into the finals.
Pakenham’s only winning rink with 17 to 11 was John “The President” Parker (S), Chris Fox (3), Peter Bott (2) and David Leitch (L).
After a minor hiccup in the middle of the game, JP’s rink hit the front again on the twelfth end and was not headed from that point forward.
In direct contrast to the final result last season where the Ones were knocking on the door of Premier Reserve, this year they have finished seventh and will be relegated to Div 2 in 2026/27.
Pakenham Two (seventh) were home to Beaumaris (fourth) for a game from which the Lions hoped to salvage some pride while the Sharks sought to cement a berth in the finals.
Beaumaris had thumped Pakenham in the rain on wet grass in round seven but were unable to repeat the dose in round 14 – however they were always in front.
After the first twenty ends both sides had two up and two down but the visitors held the lead by six shots.
By the half way mark that lead had grown to 18 shots and the Lions had their noses in front on only one of the four rinks.
After the break, there was a minor shift in momentum but not sufficient to make any real difference and the home side arrived at the start of the business ends still with three down and 15 shots in arrears.
The game concluded with the Sharks winning by 85 to 63 with three rinks up.
Pakenham’s only winning rink with 21 to 12 was “Stormin” Norm Box (S), Luis Aguilar (3), Gary “Crow” Crowley (2) and Jane Ryan (L).
Norm’s crew picked up a five on the first end and were never headed.
The Twos also finished the season in seventh place and will be relegated to Div 4 next season.
Pakenham Three (Div 5) were unable to maintain the form which saw them account for sides above them on the ladder over the past two weeks.
They were slow to get off the mark at Chelsea and after twenty ends were three down and trailed by 13 shots to 20.
By the half way mark they had one up and one level but at that stage Chelsea’s lead had increased to 14 shots.
By the start of the business ends the Lions had made some inroads into the home side’s lead but by then they had only one rink in front.
The final outcome was an 86-71 win to Chelsea with both sides two up and two down.
The better of Pakenham’s two winning rinks was Peter Wilson (S), Ray Leggett (3), Maree Taylor (2) and Eric Peterson (L).
Peter’s rink lost the first five ends on the trot but fought back to be all square at the half way mark and eventually won by 20 to 13.
The Threes finished on the fourth rung of the ladder and have qualified for the finals.
Bowls Victoria have yet to set the finals fixture, however it is likely that Pakenham will play Berwick at Berwick in the first round next Saturday.
Pakenham Four (Div 6) were able to make up the numbers again on Saturday and fielded a full but somewhat inexperienced side against Narre Warren Five.
They accounted for themselves very well at first and completed the first twenty ends with two up, one level and the scores tied at 23 apiece.
However from that point forward Narre began to get its act together and by the half way mark the Panthers had established a comfortable lead of 54 shots to 36, although at that stage both sides had two up and two down.
Narre continued to apply the pressure and by the top of the home straight had three up and a lead of 25 shots.
The game wound down to its inevitable conclusion with the Panthers winning on all four rinks with a final score of 98 shots to 76.
Having been forced to forfeit a number of games through lack of numbers, Pakenham Four finished the season on the bottom of the ladder and will be relegated.
In stark contrast to their stellar 2024/25 season, the Lions Weekend sides will have only one representative in the finals for season 2025/26.
MIDWEEK
Pakenham One (Div 1) were away on grass at Clayton where the situation after the first 15 ends was not promising – one up, two down and eight shots behind.
Overall, there was little change by the mid way mark as at that stage the Lions still had only one rink up and were seven shots in arrears.
From that point Pakenham’s players put in a big effort and by the start of the business ends had their noses in front by five shots with two rinks in front; however the third rink was going backwards.
That trend continued for the remainder of the game and in a very tight finish, Pakenham lost by just
four shots, with two up.
The better of the two winning rinks with 22 to 14 was “Nifty” Nev Brown (S), Ned Courtin (3), Claire Smyth (2) and David Leitch (L).
Despite the loss, the Ones remain in third position, 14 points behind Mulgrave, nine up on Berwick and 17 (more than a full round) ahead of Narre Warren.
Regardless of the outcome of the final round, Pakenham will finish no worse than fourth and will play finals.
However it is important that they win that final game and stay in third spot thus earning a home game for the first round of finals.
Their round 14 game will be against eighth-placed Cranbourne.
Pakenham Two (Div 3), fourth, were away at Ferntree Gully, second.
Early on, the game could not have been tighter with the scores dead level at 19 all, after fifteen ends. However by the half way mark, with only one rink in front and the other two being heavily outscored, Pakenham had dropped behind by 18 shots.
By the start of the business ends the situation remained unchanged – the Lions still trailed by 18 shots and were two down.
There was a bit of a push by Pakenham over the final fifteen ends but it still fell short by 14 shots with only one winning rink. That rink was Lindsay Stevenson (S), Bruce McGennisken (3), Brenda Mooloney (2) and Karen Rayner (L) which finished with 22 to 16.
The Twos remain in fourth spot, now out of touch with Narre in third but with Cranbourne breathing down their necks in fifth, only two points behind and virtually equal on percentage.
The Lions are home to Noble Park One (seventh) for round 14 while Cranbourne are home to Dandy (sixth).
A Pakenham win would not necessarily guarantee a finals berth if Cranbourne were also to win.
HI-LO
The (bonus) winner for the final HI-LO round is Ray Illing with number 27.
-Des Leigh
