MR COOL GIVES YOUNG GUNS A GAME
31/8/22Up against two of the Eagle & Child's excellent young prodigies in one evening, the main thing was to bury Mr Hothead's simmering presence and (try to) play Mr Cool.
Calmness, concentration and to simply start enjoying matches again were the priority boxes to tick. If I could do that, then I considered there was a chance of running them both close, maybe even sneaking a win. Armed with my heavier 2.10's, these bowls also restored a bit of pre-match faith in myself on our still super dry green.
Eagle Members League: Div-1
v MATTHEW BROWN L 18-21 (Off 3-3)
Next up it was twenty year old Jack. Aside from his allegiances to Manchester United, otherwise a grand lad and also a very good bowler and another potential star of the future.
This match put my temperamental rehabilitation attempts to the test early on as the jack belonged to Jack and I wasn't getting near enough. He was on his game and I was struggling to break momentum like I managed to against Matthew.
Maybe seven or eight chalks behind at one point, but a couple of strikes (if not exactly resulting as intended) did help get that jack back in my hand. But it was the realisation that the green had slowed a bit as daylight faded that proved to be the catalyst for a comeback.
When I heard the scores at 12-13 it was a surprise to hear that it was so close, but also a boost. I then continued a run of much better bowling and was on the verge at 20-14, until two weak woods on one of my favourite marks let Jack back in and he started to narrow the gap.
Three points later and my young opponent falters though with a slightly overrun lead and a wide pegged second. I was tight with the first bowl and whilst found the road on my next, was a couple of feet short. The measures came out and I won it by an inch. Not a memorable way to finish the game, but relief that I got over the line before Jack got going again.
Eight points from ten this evening was quite a return up against these two and shifted me back up to fifth in the Members League table. More importantly these matches have helped get my form back on track.
Eagle Members League: Div-1
v MATTHEW BROWN L 18-21 (Off 3-3)
Matthew beat me fairly convincingly less than a couple of weeks ago on President's Day, but I felt if I could play better and keep my cool I might run this smooth rolling seventeen year old a bit closer this time.
With heavier woods on our bone dry green I was generally finding better length and managed to give Matthew a good game. There wasn't a lot in the scores until I actually started to pull away and take a 17-14 lead.
Some well controlled striking from Matt denied me the opportunity of a match winning position though, insigating a good fightback for himself to get back in contention with some super shots just when they mattered. At 17-19 I pulled one back and had to save the match on the next end with a decent jack strike of my own. But there was an inevitability somehow that Matthew wasn't going to let this slip and although I came close to messing up his next couple of well placed woods, the best player won in the end.
Boxes were successfully ticked in that I enjoyed the game, played quite well and thus able to accept defeat with grace.
With heavier woods on our bone dry green I was generally finding better length and managed to give Matthew a good game. There wasn't a lot in the scores until I actually started to pull away and take a 17-14 lead.
Some well controlled striking from Matt denied me the opportunity of a match winning position though, insigating a good fightback for himself to get back in contention with some super shots just when they mattered. At 17-19 I pulled one back and had to save the match on the next end with a decent jack strike of my own. But there was an inevitability somehow that Matthew wasn't going to let this slip and although I came close to messing up his next couple of well placed woods, the best player won in the end.
Boxes were successfully ticked in that I enjoyed the game, played quite well and thus able to accept defeat with grace.
Still a bit disappointed though!
Eagle Members League: Div-1
v JACK DICKINSON W 21-17 (Off 3-3)
Eagle Members League: Div-1
v JACK DICKINSON W 21-17 (Off 3-3)
Next up it was twenty year old Jack. Aside from his allegiances to Manchester United, otherwise a grand lad and also a very good bowler and another potential star of the future.
This match put my temperamental rehabilitation attempts to the test early on as the jack belonged to Jack and I wasn't getting near enough. He was on his game and I was struggling to break momentum like I managed to against Matthew.
Maybe seven or eight chalks behind at one point, but a couple of strikes (if not exactly resulting as intended) did help get that jack back in my hand. But it was the realisation that the green had slowed a bit as daylight faded that proved to be the catalyst for a comeback.
When I heard the scores at 12-13 it was a surprise to hear that it was so close, but also a boost. I then continued a run of much better bowling and was on the verge at 20-14, until two weak woods on one of my favourite marks let Jack back in and he started to narrow the gap.
Three points later and my young opponent falters though with a slightly overrun lead and a wide pegged second. I was tight with the first bowl and whilst found the road on my next, was a couple of feet short. The measures came out and I won it by an inch. Not a memorable way to finish the game, but relief that I got over the line before Jack got going again.
Eight points from ten this evening was quite a return up against these two and shifted me back up to fifth in the Members League table. More importantly these matches have helped get my form back on track.
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