STRIFE AT BRIAN'S IS ANOTHER LESSON IN CONCENTRATION

Thursday 4th May 2023
Leyland & District League Div-3: Vernons BC - Eagle & Child Reds
v BRIAN PROCTOR L 18-21

Last Thursday I came back to win from the jaws of defeat, whilst this Thursday I slipped to defeat from the jaws of victory.
Brian started well and I began to detect a little nonchalance as he chalked up an early lead. Body language and patter, just something about him suggested that he thought he was just going about his business on the way to a fairly straightforward win.
At 4-9 down, certainly the next end had to go well and whilst Brian gave it the old, "I think it's just mine there, John?", with feet poised to kick the bowls in, it was an obvious one to get the measures out for.
So tight in fact, a dead end was declared and this was a little break that finally went my way to kick-start a path back in to the game.
I had a decent streak over the middle of the crown and eventually we were 16-16. Somewhere around this time, Brian rattled my cage by the insinuating manner in which he claimed I had declared the wrong peg. His first bowl swerved heavily to the right whilst my first was on the right road if a little short. We both leave the mat to check the bowls and jack. I should've stayed putt, it was Brian's beef. Basically, he badly lost his land on his own green and I was getting blamed for it! I let it throw my concentration and didn't manage to take two there when I should have.
Then we get to 18-18 and jack is in my hand. For the first time, a chance to take the lead in this match and good timing to do so. This was mine to win.
Brian is wittering some bowling cliché along the lines of the game being about who is in charge of the block and my way of shutting that out was just to get on with it. Lesson learned here though, I should have taken a moment at this point, plotted my next move more carefully and then maybe asked Brian, "Have you finished chatting?" before carrying on.
Instead, I rushed it. Sent two howlers, all be it on a tricky mark that Brian would confess was not the prettiest two for himself. Then I went home with regrets for not turning over the opposite peg on the next end which was another odd mark that Brian hadn't nailed, but nevertheless won to take the match.
I was a bit brassed off about this loss and it still grappled with me for a few days after.
Saying that though, Brian won't lose many on home turf this season in this division I suspect and the fact I'm unhappy with tonight's result is a measure of some further improvement I feel. I've started thinking I should be winning away games. Not too long ago, away greens were just a place of damage limitation first and foremost.