IDDON GEMS JUST TOO GOOD

Monday 8th May 2023                            

Chorley & District League Div-2: Penwortham Sports - Eagle & Child 'A'

v DANNY IDDON L 13-21

As much as I get excited about rolling bowls out upon the lush and distinctive contours of Penwortham Sports, even the mere sniff of a win there remains something of a fantasy.
Young Danny is a good bowler with bags of potential. Very steady, unruffled - all the things I'm not! - but not infallible as he left me with enough opportunity to latch on to his coattails and give myself half a chance if I could hang around in this match long enough.
Danny had the edge though, for example taking a good two off me with a perfect turnover, going in the other way to steal. Danny almost apologetic about this gem of a shot, whilst I remember saying, "No, no, it was brilliant Danny. I like it!". Both my head and the scorecard were still in a good place at this moment.

Then, as we rolled in to double figures I gave away a really daft two, pegging in to the infamous slope at the far side of the green. After a wet day the jack held and my bowls might have done too if I'd got land and pace right, but I sent both narrow and in to the gutter. I couldn't believe I'd been so bloody stupid. A wry chuckle to myself turned to annoyance though and my heckles were up as I hear a sarcastic chirp from the sidelines behind me. 
It's either of two spectators, Owen Jackson or the bloke he's stood next to. My money is on Jackson. He got a rise out of me, which totally screwed my concentration from that point on.

More damaging two's went Danny's way and purely on his own merit from my opponent's point of view as good woods were sent, but I had a run of sending more rubbish and the match got away from me.
There's no doubt Danny fully deserved to win the match, but if I hadn't bitten the bait from the sidelines then perhaps I could have run him a bit closer.
That proved crucial as our team lost by just one chalk overall and I couldn't help but feel I personally carried the burden of this narrowest of defeats. Mainly because I allowed myself to get a little overheated by that comment from yon mon, to which I should have just ignored. 

In this squad, strengthened further since last season's promotion, tonight's defeat might well cost me my place too.

SIDELINE SARCASM CLARIFIES SUSPICIONS

I know I'm not good enough for tournament bowls, but I want to have a go. Learning from losing and learning from playing much better players will, I feel, benefit my game in the longer term. I don't think I strut around pretending I'm any good. Delusional with ambitious perhaps, but I definitely know my place. 

It does seem though, that an uncomfortable self-consciousness felt at the Penwortham Sports competition the other week was most likely justified and not just paranoia afterall.
Perhaps I do provide a kind of laughing stock entertainment for some individuals and that Owen Jackson laughs loudest.

As the Penwortham competition's co-organiser (although not present on my most recent appearance) if I'm not up to standard for his comp, then why not just tell me rather than accept the entry fee, disrespect my willingness to have a go and then mock my failure?
Suspicions were confirmed with that one little sarcastic quip and above all, I find it really disappointing.

Yes, I played the same crap shot twice but just in case I hadn't bloody well noticed myself, it was absolutely none of Jackson's business to rub it in.
I've seen Owen Jackson play a couple of times and he is an excellent player. He wins competitions, he plays for the county and on that basis, perhaps he feels he has a right to exhume an air of smugness and arrogance within the parameters of crown green bowling?

But belittling those way below his own grade is not a pleasant characteristic.
On the night, I let Jackson get under my skin. It pissed me off and affected my game when I wasn't playing particularly well in the first place. 
In the light of the days after though, I discover that outside Jackson's inner circle, he wouldn't win many popularity contests. On that note, the title of a favourite Joy Division track of mine springs to mind... No Love Lost.

Anyway, onwards... home fixture Thursday and a singles competition Sunday.
A couple of overdue practice games with the excellent lad next door, Aaron Hayhurst, was a real confidence booster. Two close games, won one each and Aaron says I've improved a lot. 

Now there's an opinion (favourable, yes, but also well informed) that actually matters!
Young Aaron has made the last sixteen for Finals Day in the Penwortham Singles. He's on the way up and it's great to see.