DOUBLE TROUBLE

17/6/22
ASHTON-ON-RIBBLE OPEN DOUBLES
At Ashton Bowling Club, Preston

First Qualifying Round
With LEE DALTON v KATH SALISBURY & CATH SIMPSON W 21-8 (Off 3-3)

A few months ago, I assigned myself and one of my bestest pals Lee Dalton to have a go at some proper doubles action. Neither of us have played it much at all, we were there for the crack really and as Mr Lee put it himself, "This is a proper night out Mr John, better than going out getting pissed". Couldn't agree more.
Neither of us will forget the first end of our debut in tournament doubles. Kath sends a brilliant lead bowl after winning the toss. Whilst Lee's opener was on good land it ran on and clunked in to the ditch, then his second replicated the first, all be it without quite as hard a clunk. Two down, leaving me to get us out of the shit. Or maybe not...
My first one also has way too much umph and... clunk! Three down. Then despite feeling I'd taken a load out of my next effort, it rolls with intent again to the trap on the green's edge and we couldn't keep a bowl on the green between us. Four down!
Only ten minutes earlier I remember asking Lee if he knew what the signal was for four points - we soon found out 😆
Gathering our dead woods from the gutter, I had to quote D-Ream because, frankly, things really COULD only get better after that debacle.
If our opponents thought we were as cabbage looking as we were daft though, we slowly got in to things and proved we had half an idea at least, limiting the ladies to a couple more singles before going on a scoring spree - including a four - with all eight woods on the green too. I sent some decent leads to keep the pressure on and when I did hiccup from time to time, Lee was playing well to rescue the situation.
The early promise of our opponents wilted a little and once we had a decent lead it felt like we were just about in charge.
The last thing we were expecting this evening was another game, but despite the worst start possible, we were texting our other halves that we were going to be late. We were through to the next round.

Second Qualifying Round
With LEE DALTON v NICK DAWSON & DAN MILNER L 8-21 (Off 3-3)

Our opponents were another notch or two above our first round experience and we didn't really get a look in against Nick and Dan. They were a very good foil for each other as Nick consistently drew good lead bowls and Dan was dangerous, delicately adding to Nick's good work or quite often messing things up when it looked like we were in.
I wouldn't say we were completely and uttterly outclassed, Lee in particular played some good shots. But experience as well as a bit of extra quality made it pretty much obvious what direction this game was going in. I had a real bad patch in the game that didn't help to make the scorecard look better, yet all in all we got more out of the night than we expected. Not just a second game, but also an insight in to some good doubles play and a decent crack which was priority number one.
With our opponents on nineteen and Lee's bowl the winner, he gives it with tongue very much in cheek, "Come on Sutty!! We've turned screw 'ere now!".
"The only thing we'll be turning soon is the ignition key for the car home", was my prompt reply.
I wasn't wrong. We hung on for another end or two until Nick and Dan finally polished us off. Unfortunately they hit the buffers in their third round qualifier going down 16-21 to the strong pairing of Phil Wilson & Bryan Clarke.