UNEXPLAINABLY ODD GAME... BUT A WIN

Thursday 20th April 2023
Leyland & District League Div-3: Farington St Paul's - Eagle & Child Reds
v STEPHEN ROBINSON W 21-17

Few would disagree that the green at Farington St Paul's is currently a bit bobbly, but that also some tricky marks on there can make it a homester's paradise and a visitor's nightmare.
Granted, this is also the least favourite green of my travels so far after two defeats and a general lack of affinity with it. First time, a close but disappointing loss against a chap who got his first win of the season against me at the eighth attempt. Secondly, last season's record tonking there. It's just not a green that I get on with.
This third visit though, didn't just bring with it the usual difficulties I've experienced at St Paul's, but an added ridiculousness that I just couldn't get to grips with for much of the game.
Every single end seemed inconcievably wierd. The jack seemed to travel against it's own weight and whatever the jack line, not once did that correspond with the way to send your bowl in. 
Oddly, this never happened during fifteen minutes of practice with my own jack when everything seemed to make a bit more sense. Other matches didn't seem to be hampered by the same problems either and during our game, even my home opponent Steve was wondering what was going on at times. Both of us questioning what peg had been sent and scratching our heads accordingly.
It was mainly a perplexing and highly frustrating game for me. The laws of physics seemed to be continuously compromised and I was left flapping my hands about and slapping my own bum (very hard) in utter disbelief.
Steve had a far cooler head than me though and shuffled ahead by three or four points early on, that then carried in to the latter half of the game as I heard the scores at 12-16. More often than not, going second or even the third bowl was most advantageous, trying to correct the opponent's lead bowl that often strayed beyond logic.
During a very close measure, that I thankfully won, time for a few deep breaths. I send body language to our captain Harry Glynn that clearly stated, "What the shit is going on?". "Get your head around it", was his stern reply.
A quick thought that only eight days earlier I was making Greg Smith take longer than he would like to kick off the defence of his Waterloo title, what the hell was I doing here in Leyland & District Division Three, sinking towards a helpless and confusing defeat?
Thankfully I started to pull one or two shots out of the bag, regained composure and got some momentum going for the first time in the match. Steve missed half chances to turn the tide as I came back to take a scruffy, but nonetheless satisfying win if only because I succeeded in restoring some order after completetely losing the plot.
My first league win of the new season, I was one of only two winners for our team on the night as Eagle Reds now prop up the table.
Afterwards I couldn't help but think perhaps the jack in our game was faulty or marked up incorrectly. It seemed to do the opposite to what you'd instinctively expect.
For a bowls version of crazy golf, this was it. During the match, in a moment of frustration I called out to the crowded clubhouse area catching the last of the warming sun on a chilly evening, of my 'crazy bowls' theory. 

It got a tumbleweed reception and hopefully wasn't seen as disrespectful to our hosts. I was simply expressing my thoughts whilst experiencing the strangest game of bowls I think I've played so far. 

WINNING REALLY ISN'T EVERYTHING

Thursday 13th April 2023
Leyland & District League Div-3
Eagle & Child Reds - Penwortham Sports
v ADRIAN HESMONDALGH L 17-21

Three consecutive defeats inside eight days... and I'm feeling pretty much as good about my bowls as I ever have! This is, I like to think, a more refreshing outlook from a player just starting to mature in to the game.
You can't win 'em all in bowls, nobody does. But if you can compete and give very good players a decent game, then for me it's not a bad place to be in at the beginning of the season.
Adrian was on it from the off and just from his smooth style of delivery, I knew his early precision wasn't just bluster.
I don't think I've played a visiting player with quite the confidence and knowledge of my home green. This was a really tough match and although I played quite well, it required an extra something against this chap that I couldn't quite produce on the night.
The scores were fairly close throughout. There were some very good ends, tightly contested and some moments of disbelief such as when I went in with a bit of weight to knock my opponent out, with a back up plan of taking the jack out should I slightly miscalculate. Somehow though, I found a gap that literally a bowl could only just get through.
When hearing the score at 15-18, a touch of disappointment. I thought there was less in it and now Adrian had a sniff of the finishing line. Whilst winning the next two ends, I got caught out on one of my favourite marks in front of the clubhouse, where Aidy then finished me off over the next two ends. That hurt, but rarely have I been so unwavered in defeat. I played a decent game here against a very good player.

It's a funny old game. The following week, Aidy gets done over by New Longton's Peter Moxham on his home green on Penwortham Sports. Having played both players, I can't quite envisage how that happened with all due respects to Mr Moxham. It just goes to show that anything can happen in crown green bowls. 

DID THAT REALLY JUST HAPPEN?

Wednesday 12th April 2023

At Euston Green, Fleetwood

Fleetwood Spring Waterloo Trophy
1st Qualifying Round
v GREG SMITH (Alvechurch) L 17-21 (Off 5-5)

On the way to Fleetwood I was expecting nothing, but hoping for something. Something positive to take back. A few nagging thoughts that I'm crackers entering things like this returned, but they were soon dispersed by singing along to a chronological tracklist of New Order on the way, which distracted me enough to defuse any lingering nervousness. 
I check in at the pavilion where the Waterloo Trophy's resurectee, Mark Mills, hands me a photocopy of the draw and something along the lines of "Ha! Oh WOW!!", spills out. Mark realises the reason for such exclamation - Greg Smith (Alvechurch) v John Sutton (Leyland) - and replies, "Oh I see. Well the good news is, he's not here yet! Although I think he's bringing the trophy back, so I hope so..."
Reigning champion Greg Smith won the Spring Waterloo Trophy for a third time in 2022, with one Autumn Waterloo also under his belt and this barely touches the sides of what he's won in the game.
Already regarded as one of the all time best players in crown green, what a completely amazing and utterly ridiculous draw!

Warm up went quite well and I like to get on as soon as possible here if only to get my money's worth! I was sent packing at this stage last year quite abruptly versus another top player, Lee Johnstone.

Soon enough I see one of Greg's distinctive bowls with the segmented black and white pattern cross my view and there he is. Looking fiercely serious already.
I'd worked out we could be on not long after practice given an absentee in the first half of the draw, so thankfully not too much time to dwell on the enormity of the task ahead.
Strangely I still had no nerves whatsoever as we took to the green. Greg wins the toss, then as my first bowl pegs away horrendously, he kindly reminds me he's left handed which I both didn't realise or remember in equal doses. (Massive schoolboy error at this level) It was therefore slightly rude of me to then send my adjusted second well enough to win the end. 
There wasn't too much in it early on, but Greg hadn't quite got going. It was pleasing for me to find some occasionally cracking shots that broke any of his potentially long spells in possession of the block.
It was highly accurate short marks over the crown where Greg eventually found his most productive sequence of scores and at this point I was thinking I'd done alright, no disgrace, but that this was probably curtains.
Alas though, 'generously' Greg gave me a whole twelve inches to play in to and finally I landed one.
Somewhere around this time I hear the score sounded at 12-16. I win one then lose two and it's 13-18 when Greg goes very long, round peg corner to corner from the pavilion and lands his first bowl less than a foot away. Wow!
My reply isn't shoddy, it was on the road but just gave up and proved good enough for second.
Then a moment of madness as I give my second one a little more land, a little more umph and send a proper one, six inches off and a bowl so good, my illustrious opponent even mentioned it after the game. 
Walking over all casual, trying desperately to hide my elation, I thought if my bowling doesn't get much better than this moment, then so be it! This end will live long in the memory.
But then I have an unexpected couple more ends of success when round pegging up and down the long side of the green. One of my league opponents of last season, Andy Lund asks me the score and tells me to stick at it. Just then, for some reason I get the scores wrong in my head. I think it's 17-20 but it's 17-19 and I'm holding a very reasonable two. Crikey.

Greg, who had started to get a bit cross with himself by now and kicked bowls in to the ditch (I can relate to that!) takes a long time with his second bowl. A really long time. But when it came, it was the bowl of a champion. Perfectly executed.
Thinking that was game over when it wasn't, quite, his following lead bowl kisses the target perfectly so I just make sure I reach and with my last bowl, a touch unlucky perhaps not to make a further nuisance of  myself.

Greg does the honours by asking if I want a drink. I'm not quite sure what he thought when I asked for a selfie instead, but the champion obliged and even got me a coffee too after leaving the venue just to find a cash machine. Class.
Playing off 5 in this competition, so technically, 12-16 here against the trophy holder, this was a very decent effort.
On the journey home, more New Order and a sensation of not quite taking in what just happened that afternoon.
I'd relented up until this point of entering the Autumn Waterloo, given the travel, time, even expense. But that match against Greg was more than worth £15 and two hours round trip. A fantastic experience and also a confidence booster, so it's back to Fleetwood for more qualifiers in August.

STEELE NOT FOR BENDING

Thursday 6th April 2023
Leyland & District League Div-3
Farington Cons 'A'183-154 Eagle & Child Reds
v JOHN STEELE L 16-21

Time will tell as the season progresses, but this may have turned out to be a tough opener to the league season.
I started the game well and went 9-6 up, feeling some confidence on this superb green, but fully aware I was in a game here against this chap.
Perhaps this was a key point in the match, for a couple more good ends from myself could have put me in a very good position.  But instead, I sent a memorably poorly short couple of woods to concede a giveaway two and then John kept poking away with good shots to get back in to it. We were 13-13 with the home bowler just starting to sway the balance of power.
In to the nitty-gritty end of our game, and Mr Steele was clearly not for bending. After a brilliant dead-weight winner near the edge of the green that I was a whisker from knocking off, John showed more class with repeated ends wrapping both bowls around the Jack and damage was getting done on the scoreline. I had a bit of bad luck in not messing up his good work, although carry some hindsight annoyance with myself over a strike attempt that was a wrong choice and poorly executed. Same road with just a little extra weight could have sufficed to split his little nest around the jack. I allowed a bit of frustration had set in
When John's smothering of the block finally cracked, he gave me a decent opportunity to save the match.
With one bowl left, my scorer Banksy informs me of the obvious importance of said bowl just as I was lowering myself to deliver. I don't blame Banksy, he was just trying to help, it was my fault for allowing it to distract me and after resetting myself, sent an effort down the right channel but with a bit too much juice behind it. I'll never know what would have happened if I'd have released it first time, but it doesn't matter really. John played excellently in the latter third of the match and deserved the win.
It's now four losses from four visits to Farington Cons, but I was in the match on this occasion and felt much more at ease on there than the previous three games. I didn't particularly take joy from the result and initially was pretty pissed off, but certainly enjoyed the match and that's what matters.
Afterwards though, I realised I played round peg only when I had the jack, just like I have done in practice lately. I didn't really think much about it at the time, it's just a habit I suppose. Definitely a risky strategy away from home, although it wasn't consciously a strategy and so something to consider in my next game!

GREEN MACHINE CRUISES WITHOUT GETTING OUT OF GEAR
Before my match, I noticed Farington player David Green confidently getting the better of our Red Eagle, Barry, with repetitive long and straight marks to the corners, of sufficient accuracy against an opponent not quite reaching or quite finding that same road in. A familiar trait from this player who I've seen play a good few times now.  
I did raise this controversial observation to my captain, Harry, and other Eagle players in the vicinity; that for all David's ability, this was something of a one dimensional display and that he's clearly in it for the overall Merit positions of this division already.
Not sure that sat well with those inside my earshot, so pondering an initial regret for voicing an opinion which may have been received as disrespectful from a comparative upstart such as myself, subsequently I remained convinced I had an interesting point.
David's a good, experienced player and too good I consider, to be plying this sort of bowling trade in the basement division of the Leyland & District League.
I've briefly spoken to David once or twice, nice enough chap it seems and important to go on record as nothing personal to the man when I mutter these notes. But for me, not really an example to look up to in this sport.
Harry explained that David plays to win, he likes to win and he doesn't like losing.
But then we all like to win, but doesn't he relish more of a challenge to win?
David is not on his own with this Merit seeking mentality. There are other players bowling below their station who enjoy regularly mopping up relatively easy wins with an air of inevitability at this level. There are one or two other players in that Farington Cons second string who I can't quite understand are not playing for places in the first team.
Of course, for the team, points difference matters and ultimately, crown green is a ruthless game in which an inkling of sympathy for your suffering opponent could turn the game in their favour.
But I like to think when I've reached a decent plateau in my game, I'll keep pushing and play at the highest level I can. If that means losing more than I win, sleep at night would nevertheless be so much better for me.
Rather than bang on further about this though, at some point this season I should try and remember to ask the Green machine himself and get a horse's mouth account. 

FRIENDLY FIRES UP CONFIDENCE

Thursday 30th March 2023
Eagle & Child Pre-Season Friendly: 

Steve's Superstars v Harry's Hotshots

v STEVE MARGINSON W 21-16

With the Leyland & District League having a last minute reshuffle due to teams having to drop out, one division less means four more matches on the card than last season and as such, an unusually early start to league season bowls in the first week of April was announced. 
With this in mind, an in-house friendly was arranged to stoke up the competitive juices and by incredulous coincidence I was drawn against my Chorley League and Winter League captain Steve Marginson - incredulous as this is our fourth meeting since Autumn 2020 in club competition. 
I won the toss and landed a front toucher, but Steve nudged me out with a perfect bowl and then went on to win the first five ends with strong leads, but only managing to take singles as a more calm and confident self kept a cool head and waited patiently for a break.
I got back on level terms soon enough and edged in to the lead before Steve came back and we were tied on thirteen each in what was a close game of bowls, with only one or two ends that looked straggley to the spectating eye.
I felt like I was just getting going though and went on a good run from this point to hit nineteen and the fringes of victory. Once again though, Steve reacted and pulled back to sixteen before two loose bowls by his standards left enough room to take the match, albeit with a fortuitous double kiss off his woods with my last delivery.
Although Division Three champions last year in the Chorley League, our ambitious skipper has made it clear he is further strengthening the squad, so in hindsight this was something of a statement win. A pre-season reminder that despite losing my way towards the end of the Winter League doubles, I am still here, I'm getting back to some form and I want to be on that first draft of Margy's new teamsheet!