13/4/22
THE 43RD SPRING WATERLOO TROPHY
First Qualifying Round
At Fleetwood Bowling Club
v LEE JOHNSTONE (Warrington) L 7-21 (Off 5-5)
THE 43RD SPRING WATERLOO TROPHY
First Qualifying Round
At Fleetwood Bowling Club
v LEE JOHNSTONE (Warrington) L 7-21 (Off 5-5)
It was a day of firsts for me in this first set of qualifiers at the famous Waterloo Trophy's new venue.
My first tournament match, I was first out of the hat in the draw, first match on, rolled the very first bowls of this competition's new history at Fleetwood, actually won the very first end... and needless to say was first to be knocked out!
Not knowing what the crack was at these occasions, I was happily practicing away and enjoying the green when I started wondering when the draw was going to be made? Then I thought maybe I should refer to the matchday programme that I had earlier paid an extra quid for, and sure enough the draw was there in black and white... number one, John Sutton, versus number two, Lee Johnstone... Lee Johnstone!
Wasn't sure I knew the face but certainly knew the name. Even being extremely modest on his behalf, Lee Johnstone is a top player.
My first tournament match, I was first out of the hat in the draw, first match on, rolled the very first bowls of this competition's new history at Fleetwood, actually won the very first end... and needless to say was first to be knocked out!
Not knowing what the crack was at these occasions, I was happily practicing away and enjoying the green when I started wondering when the draw was going to be made? Then I thought maybe I should refer to the matchday programme that I had earlier paid an extra quid for, and sure enough the draw was there in black and white... number one, John Sutton, versus number two, Lee Johnstone... Lee Johnstone!
Wasn't sure I knew the face but certainly knew the name. Even being extremely modest on his behalf, Lee Johnstone is a top player.
I knew there was a sniff of getting one of the really big boys, but to actually get the gig put me on edge a bit after managing to stay pretty relaxed about the whole occasion until then.
After Lee lost the toss, I managed to win the first two ends and surprisingly without bowling anything brilliant. I'm on the mat thinking, "Shiiit! I'm two up against Lee Johnstone..." and then proceeded to completely lose the plot.
After Lee lost the toss, I managed to win the first two ends and surprisingly without bowling anything brilliant. I'm on the mat thinking, "Shiiit! I'm two up against Lee Johnstone..." and then proceeded to completely lose the plot.
I didn't really stop, breathe and think about where I sent the next end and flung the jack on a tricky round peg from corner to middle that neither of us did particularly well on, but Lee did enough for a single and the rest is history.
He sent us on repetitive diagonal marks across the middle of the crown on this deceptively long green and got better and better, closer and closer and there was nowt I could do. He was brilliant.
A continuous succession of two's saw the game out pretty quickly for my illustrious opponent.There's little point in dwelling too much, Lee Johnstone is an absolutely first class bowler.
My pre-tournament ambitions were to get on the scoresheet and play well. I did the scoresheet bit, but I didn't play well. It wouldn't have made much difference to the score anyway, but I was disappointed that the old habit of getting the jitters returned and just couldn't find the lines I was aiming for, and if I did, then didn't throw far enough.
More bravery was required. When your opponent is holding two, that second bowl HAS to reach and more often than not it didn't. Do I never listen to my Thursday night captain Harry Glynn? He would have shaken his head in dismay.
That was that, a great experience though and good to stick around a while to watch other matches.
Lee continued to send his next victim over the same marks as me when he could and breezed through the next two rounds - albeit not quite as easily as against me - to make it to finals day. I hope the master bowler from Warrington goes all the way.
Ten miles south in Blackpool, The Waterloo stadium is still intact but gathering dust and weeds with no sign of bowls returning there. It's a very sad situation. But more important even than the bricks, mortar and playing surface itself where generations have bowled for well over a century; the Waterloo competitions themselves. Whilst the original venue dies a seemingly slow death, enough commited people with a plan have been working very hard to make sure the competitions don't die with it.
The new venue will be undergoing development to improve further and whilst history will never forget the original Waterloo, the saviours who brought it to Fleetwood should be lauded in the game and in time, I'm sure they will be.
My experience on it's first day was a smooth, impeccably organised afternoon of bowling on an excellent green. Cheers.
He sent us on repetitive diagonal marks across the middle of the crown on this deceptively long green and got better and better, closer and closer and there was nowt I could do. He was brilliant.
A continuous succession of two's saw the game out pretty quickly for my illustrious opponent.There's little point in dwelling too much, Lee Johnstone is an absolutely first class bowler.
My pre-tournament ambitions were to get on the scoresheet and play well. I did the scoresheet bit, but I didn't play well. It wouldn't have made much difference to the score anyway, but I was disappointed that the old habit of getting the jitters returned and just couldn't find the lines I was aiming for, and if I did, then didn't throw far enough.
More bravery was required. When your opponent is holding two, that second bowl HAS to reach and more often than not it didn't. Do I never listen to my Thursday night captain Harry Glynn? He would have shaken his head in dismay.
That was that, a great experience though and good to stick around a while to watch other matches.
Lee continued to send his next victim over the same marks as me when he could and breezed through the next two rounds - albeit not quite as easily as against me - to make it to finals day. I hope the master bowler from Warrington goes all the way.
Ten miles south in Blackpool, The Waterloo stadium is still intact but gathering dust and weeds with no sign of bowls returning there. It's a very sad situation. But more important even than the bricks, mortar and playing surface itself where generations have bowled for well over a century; the Waterloo competitions themselves. Whilst the original venue dies a seemingly slow death, enough commited people with a plan have been working very hard to make sure the competitions don't die with it.
The new venue will be undergoing development to improve further and whilst history will never forget the original Waterloo, the saviours who brought it to Fleetwood should be lauded in the game and in time, I'm sure they will be.
My experience on it's first day was a smooth, impeccably organised afternoon of bowling on an excellent green. Cheers.
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