BONKERS COMEBACK TAKES TROPHY

Wednesday 27th September 20238

TIM ROBINSON MEMBERS DOUBLES

Final
Paired with BARRY WRIGHT
v HENRY HOYLES & COLIN PROCTOR W 31-30 (Off 6-6)

All Barry and I had to do was produce more of the same and we were well and truly in with a shout of our names being engraved upon the latest winners plaque of the Tim Robinson trophy.
Emphasis on a good start was once again on my mind as I walked down to the green, but I was also wary of this being our biggest test so far. Expecting nothing less than a close game, this match wasn't to go anything like our previous rounds.
In the first place, we were fortunate that conditions were playable as a transatlantic depression quite typical for this time of the year, had rained off the afternoon doubles league action, but the forecast was generally fairer for this evening.
"Storm Agnes" was upon us, we were told. Beginning with 'A', the first of the alphabetically named season and with classification of the word "storm" used dubiously, in this instance. Even if it was a storm in every sense of the word, why the needless copycat culture of attaching said weather system with a name?
Needless use of Americanisms had already got me chunnering to my wife earlier in the day when engineers doing work across the road produced a sign on the footpath declaring, "Footway Closed". "Footway?!"

A digression it would seem... "My bad!"... so back to the bowling...
Just as our final got started, so-called ''Storm Agnes'' did provide an untimely squall of unpleasant gusts and horizontal rain.
'A' for Agnes, 'B' for Barry, but "Storm Barry" however, didn't arrive as forecasted. 
Barry has played a blinder in this competition and his lead bowling has been pivotal in paving our way to a place in this final. But he started all over the place in this match and we got ourselves in a pickle pretty quickly.
I turned up at the green relaxed and ready to compliment Barry's game decisively tonight, so it came as a surprise when end after end, Barry wasn't there and whilst not starting particularly well myself, the pressure was on from the off.
It was my two bowls versus Henry and Colin's four for maybe half a dozen ends or more. Henry was putting up good leads, whilst skilful Colin showed his green knowledge from the back to inflict further punishment and we didn't stand a chance.
Both pairs starting off six, we only managed one point to Henry and Colin's thirteen in that brutal period, with the worst of the deficit sounded out loud by match scorer John Waddecar, at 7-19.
As the weather conditions eased, Barry removed his waterproof and maybe that was hampering his delivery, for he started getting in to the game after that point.
It all seemed too little, too late, though. We hadn't even been getting the little knocks going our way either - there was a feeling it just wasn't to be.
I'd been petulantly letting a bit of steam off with the usual headshakes of dismay, wittering to myself, back-heeling my woods in to the ditch and even hunching over to stare at the ground for mercy. But I think when we got to the point of shrugging shoulders about the situation and making a joke of it, we seemed to start picking a few points up at last. Something like 15-24 rang a bell when I remember saying, "Let's just try and get to twenty Barry, come on".
For a second time in the game, we had a switch around and I went first. This time it turned out to be a good move.
We had a period of grinding out a few one's that really could have gone either way, but importantly I had the jack more than Henry and then points were starting to be gained on merit with Barry now well and truly back in the game.
An unbelievable bonus of a four took us in to the twenties and just four behind at 22-26. With that sub-ambition of a respectable score now achieved and our opponents just not mopping everything up with the regularity as earlier in the game, it's not as if I dared to believe and I don't think Barry did either at this point. It's a match and you just carry on trying until it's conclusion. So if not a faint sniff of glory in the air, the stench of dramatic failure had at least dispersed.

It went 25-28, then 27-29... now hang on a minute, we're in this! With jack in hand I send a round peg along the clubhouse side that I'm confident of nailing, but my bowl curls off short by maybe a yard. Henry meanwhile, licks it with a perfect shot and suddenly momentum feels like it's swinging back the other way again. I overcook my second wood by a similar distance, but fortunately Barry sent a good one for second place and Colin's last bowl just gave up despite being on the right road to taking the match. We breath again at 27-30.
Henry goes back where we came from, a little higher up and a tricky mark that he didn't do so well on. My first one was close and my slightly narrower second was also counting still as Colin played through but somehow missed everything except a tight gap and so gesticulated instructions were clear for Barry's last wood of the end - "Anything in this area for a three!"... and he delivered. What an end to get a three.
30-30. All-but across. How did we get here? I think Henry and Colin were wondering the same thing.
I round peg towards the roadside corner where I tend to practice a lot, take my time and land a good lead, especially under the circumstances. Henry overruns his first bowl and then goes for a direct hit on his second, but thankfully it whistles by. Barry knocks mine even nearer with a cracking back-up bowl and Colin has to have a go at them. His bowls had been dangerous all night and his first wasn't far off splatting something, but unusually his second is tight and off course. He flings the mat almost immediately after sending and that's it. We took the lead for the first time in the match at the only point it really mattered I suppose.

Crown green bowls can be a truly bonkers game. Just how Barry and I got ourselves back in to this final was one thing, to pinch it on the last end was incredible really. Henry and Colin might be scratching their heads in as much disbelief at how this game just slipped away from them.
You had to feel for our opponents in this situation. They played a better game really, but having dominated and looked highly likely to charge away with a seemingly easy win, perhaps they started to feel a bit of pressure themselves.
Young Henry has improved a lot since I partnered him in the Spring Doubles. He has a lovely smooth delivery and much more control now, particularly when in charge of the jack - which at one point looked like it was going to be all night.
Thirteen years of age, this young lad has barrel loads of potential.
Colin was just shy of becoming the first player to win this competition for a third time.
I doubt Barry and I will be paired together next year for the opportunity to defend the trophy, but make a decent double act I think. 

SO GLAD WE MADE IT

Tuesday 26th September 2023

TIM ROBINSON MEMBERS DOUBLES
Semi-Finals
Paired with BARRY WRIGHT
v TERRY GRAYSTON & STEVE MARGINSON W 31-24 (off 6-1)

Terry and Steve mopped up most of their handicap deficit on the very first end with a four on a simple looking mark that Barry and I made a hash of.
Fortunately that was just a blip and not a sign of things to come. Over the next few ends, we also scored a four and then a three to reestablish a good lead but likewise, that wasn't a sign of things to come either.
Tightly contested, but not a particularly enthralling encounter should anybody but our scorer, Paul Walmsley, have been paying close attention. Mostly, the one or two decent woods would win the end with very few memorable game-changing shots, aside from Barry knocking up brilliantly for a single when we were three down. Steve was very unlucky to find gaps on maybe four or five occasions when hitting something looked the far more likely outcome. The phrase 'nip and tuck' would adequately describe proceedings.
I was generally unhappy with my game tonight and got frustrated because I felt I was letting Barry down. Some nights it doesn't flow and tonight I just couldn't hit my lines as well as I would have liked, which normally isn't so much a problem as being consistent with length.
Barry, who warned me he'd played a stinker in an afternoon doubles league, took a while to get going but improved as the game went on and was once again the provider of a top bowl at key moments of the game. I might be a touch hard on myself, for I did contribute good some moments, but was also rather wasteful in advantageous positions when we could have racked up more points.
We kept our noses in front throughout which probably made a psychological difference, for there really wasn't much else in it.

Barry and I had restored a decent cushion of a lead when getting in to the twenties and the business end of things, although flopping over the line with a raggy end to win it, pretty or not we got over that line and personally it was just a feeling of relief to get there. I'm already feeling much more relaxed going in to tomorrow night's final.
I think I got too hung up on the strong desire of wanting to win during this match and occasionally lost the calmness to concentrate properly, which I've otherwise managed to contain in recent times.  

Fortunately Barry keeps a cool head at all times though and maybe opposites attract in bowls doubles? It's served us well so far.

Tomorrow evening we face Henry Hoyles and Colin Procter who booked their final spot with victory over Lenny Wallis and Matt Hoyles (Young Henry's Dad, no less) 

Henry, who I partnered to the semi-finals of the Spring Doubles earlier this year, is not suprisingly the youngest player to make the final at just thirteen and is improving all the time. Wily Colin is a two-time winner of the Tim Robinson trophy. 

A tough task ahead, but it's all on the night in this game. 

EYES ON THE PRIZE

Thursday 21st September 2023

TIM ROBINSON MEMBERS DOUBLES
Quarter Finals

Paired with BARRY WRIGHT 

v JACK DICKINSON & STEVE WILSON W 31-21 (off 6-0) 

Walking down Balcarres Road to the Eagle green, thoughts about the game ahead centred around the importance of getting a good start.
Thanks to the handicap system, Barry and I were aided with six on the card with our opponents starting from scratch. As such, crowning this advantage with a considerable lead would give us a very realistic chance against competition favourites Jack Dickinson and Steve Wilson.
Sure enough, we win the toss and Barry is on his game again. We win the first four or five ends, I get a few decent hits from the back and we take nine of the first eleven points to go 15-2 up. I sensed we could do it and that Barry thought so too. 
Our early dominance had to give at some point, the game and the points distribution began to even out for a while. When Jack or Steve threatened to get a run together though, we seemed to produce a winner. I particularly enjoyed knocking Jack's brilliant second bowl out near the edge of the green to turn a possible three to them in to one to us. There was a feeling it wasn't going to be their night.
Steve swapped around with Jack to lead though and this threatened to change the direction of the game for a period as our opponents crept back in to the match.

Longer marks pegged across the top of the crown - we just weren't getting near enough to them and Barry, by his own admission is struggling to reach and with damage to our lead becoming a concern, he prompts us to swap too. A few ends later, with less traffic of everybody else's bowls in the way, I land one to finally break our opponent's revival. Ironically, Barry does reach this time and cosies one up even closer than mine for a second counter with the last bowl. An absolute wonder shot from Mr Wright.

With Barry back in charge of the block, we had a good run again and importantly got it back straight away, rather than allow Steve to dictate.
Although personally annoyed with myself at missing a couple of opportunities to nail the game when on the brink, we got there in the end and had replenished a healthy lead.
Jack and Steve weren't at their best, but doubles is a different beast. I'm still learning all the time and can easily misjudge a situation and not always make the right shot choice. But a few good knocks here and there, coupled with another good game from Barry and a better one from me swung things in our favour and once we believed we could win, having struck out with that early lead, our opponents were under the cosh. 
Semi-finals next up and whoever we get, if we continue to play the way we have done, Wright & Sutton have every chance in this competition.
I was up for this from the start, but now I'm bloody well up for it! Whilst cool and collective Barry might play down his competitive nature, quietly, I think he's up for it too. 

ALL WRIGHT ON THE NIGHT

Monday 18th September 2023
TIM ROBINSON MEMBERS DOUBLES
First Round

Paired with BARRY WRIGHT 

v ANDY VURLEY & PAUL WALMSLEY W 31-22 (Off 6-6)

This was the first year I was available to make all the dates for this annual club competition and was quite happy to get drawn together with Thursday night teammate Barry Wright.
Barry and his wife Linda were my first points of contact when joining the club. They made me feel welcome, despite my unorthodox membership credentials of not knowing anybody inside the club, only the then ex-member Jimmy Sloan (who illicitly gained us entry for a practice match with a borrowed key) and that my wife was involved in undercover negotiations to acquire a year's membership as a birthday present! It was complicated, but we got there.

It was a squally night of Autumnal showers in our rearranged first round tie against the pairing of Andy Vurley and Paul Walmsley.
Barry wants to lead out and whilst I had it in my mind that I wanted to lead, I didn't make a discussion about it because most importantly, Barry felt comfortable with that.
It wasn't a bad move at all. He led really well all evening and generally kept the pressure on our opponents who never managed to nudge into the lead at any point.
Four off the first end was a great start and we went on to make a decent gap on the scorecard before Andy and Paul started to press their way back in to the match.
At 19-19, crucially we took two on the next end and then with Barry back in possession of the jack, got ourselves back in control with a three to edge nearer to the finish line.
It was around this point of the match that Andy sends a second bowl that fails to impact on our holding twosome and informs me that, "I've won this competition twice anyway, so it doesn't matter". A mixed message there, from which I could only sense an element of resignation from the experienced Mr Vurley. A win was looking very likely now.
Barry continued to lead well and we saw the game out with a victory by nine chalks, both pairs having started off six.
Barry played really well and whilst I wasn't particularly on fire, I didn't need to be. It was important not to risk spoiling my partner's good work most of the time.
"I don't know where that came from", Mr Wright modestly mused over his perfomance afterwards. More of the same in the next round hopefully, although for any chance of further progression, I'm going to have to raise my game from the back in our quarter-final match against probably the strongest pairing in the competition of Jack Dickinson and Steve Wilson. 

NO DISGRACE DOUBLING UP WITH NEXT DOOR

Saturday 16th September 2023
HESKETH BANK OPEN DOUBLES 

Paired with AARON HAYHURST 

First Round

v STE BAXTER & FIN BAXTER W 21-8

Second Round

v STEVE ANDERTON & MIKE OPIE L 8-21

Earlier in the year, young Aaron Hayhurst next door asked if I fancied joining him in a doubles competition some time. Honoured as I was by his consideration for this, I didn't think it would actually come to fruition until about a month ago when I got a text message asking if I fancied this Hesketh Bank affair.
"Cheers Aaron. Yes, definitely!", to precisely quote my bite-his-hand-off reply.
An honour and a privilege indeed to partner this chap. A cracking bowler with a great future ahead of him in the game, as I have surely mentioned before in these scriptures.
Drawn early for a 9:30am start, our first round game was on the 'back green', which looked very interesting to say the least. A sloping, undulating surface and a triumph in that the groundsmen of Hesketh Bank have toiled hard to recover this playing surface which had become completely overgrown until three years ago. That said, it wasn't in bad nick at all really and I personally found it fun to play on. I took to it straight away and my lead bowls put pressure on our first round opponents from the off. The father and son team of Ste and Fin were probably inexperienced doubles competitors even by my own standards and Aaron and I were fairly comfortable throughout this match, going through with a 21-8 win.
Round two on the contrasting silky grass carpet of the front green, we eventually discover we are to face Steve Anderton and Mike Opie who had a tougher first round test than ourselves. 
Only recently I saw a photo of these two winning a prestigious doubles competition at the Globe in Accrington, and subsequently discover they also won the Fleetwood Waterloo Open Pairs this Summer. Bloody hell, tough draw!
Mike was scoffing a sausage butty just before going on and I wondered if that might sit a little heavy and affect his game for a while? Erm, no.
For half an hour or so, it was a game though. Not a lot in it at all, very close, low scoring ends and a sense we were earning the respect of this champion double act. 
Trailing 8-9, it was clear we were having to punch hard to stay in it, but in it we were until a few unfortunate ends made a huge difference and tilted the balance.
Firstly, my head didn't quite recover after sending both woods off in to the tricky corner that I'd regretfully chosen to go for myself and a bit of confidence was sapped from this, even though Aaron sent a wonderful second bowl to save three and make one to spare my blushes.
After a few more tight ends didn't go our way though, holding two and then losing three off Mike's calculated last bowl was pretty hurtful. An end or two later and we concede what Steve and Mike themselves acknowledged as a cheap four. Neither of us pushing wide or hard enough and of seven bowls narrow and short, our four were furthest away unfortunately. That was a real wounder and belief drained from both of us after that I think.
We swapped around, with Aaron going first but sadly he didn't have an opportunity to get hold of the jack and lead a fightback.
Eight on the card felt harsh, but slip-ups against doubles partners of this calibre are always going to be punished.
I played Steve last year at Sabden's Floodlit Singles, whilst I've seen Mike play a few times here and there. Two quality bowlers but really grounded chaps with it. A less difficult draw might have suited our chances of further progression on the day, but these two were a pleasure to play against.
Politely, Aaron said I played well and he tends to see the good stuff in others whilst being more critical of his own game. I've seen him play better of course, but he still landed some brilliant shots and particularly in the match against Steve and Mike which helped contain that formidable pairing for as long as we did.


THE ALAN HODSON(S) SHOW
I stuck around for another hour watching other matches and not for the first time at such events, the pairing of Alan Hodson Snr and Alan Hodson Jnr caught my full attention. Two very good bowlers, but also natural entertainers.
This father and son team are both boisterous on the green and the dialogue between them... you just couldn't write the script. Alan Jnr falls out and then makes up with his Dad almost every other end! It was so funny at times. Northern humour straight from the tap.
They just make me smile watching them and for that, brilliant characters of the game.

BIG IN SINGAPORE! 🇸🇬
In it's current guise as a blog, only six people had ever viewed these pages. This consisted of five people that I know personally and the brief curiosity of someone in Finland.
Last week, suddenly lots of views in one day and most of them from... Singapore?!
That trend has roughly continued for a week now, with daily views increasing and pretty much all of them traced from this tip of South East Asia.
A glitch in Blogger's statistical engines perhaps, or maybe somebody out there is actually reading these tedious accounts of middle-aged sporting endeavours?
Lawn bowls is definitely a thing over there, so a connection maybe. But still without official followers or comments logged, the sudden spike of views all the way from Singapore remains a mystery for now. 

LEVELLING UP

Thursday 31st August 2023
Leyland & District League Div-3: Eagle Reds 140-181 Farington Cons 'B'
v DAVE ARNOLD W 21-9

To coin some nonsense phraseology of a tired and delusional UK government, "levelling up" was what tonight's game was all about.
Michael Gove might have difficulty even convincing himself exactly what the hell he's doing to justify his absolute bollocks of a pop-up ministerial position, but my kind of levelling up intentions were crystal clear in our final Leyland league match.
A win would make it nine wins and nine losses to balance the books of a tough old season
Our captain Harry has taken the spotlight off me the last few weeks, putting me in the first four when I'm still fresh and I've put a couple of wins together to give me a chance of levelling up.
Sometimes when I practice on my own, I can't send a wrong bowl. I've always wondered why this never happens in a game but tonight was the night, for a while anyway!
Double figures were made without reply and I just couldn't seem to miss. My leads were spot on and this was the sort of intensity that I'm aiming for and particularly on home soil.
When I did finally roll a couple of short ones in front of our clubhouse, Harry was there to see them of course! Dave got in at last with two good woods, which seemed to settle him down having admitted he was dreading being beaten to nil. There wasn't much chance of that against me.
My game just wandered a bit from this point and I'm not sure why, but there were a sufficient amount of good woods left in me to see the game out comfortably.
Dave came back well and took the opportunity to show he's a steady bowler and also a gentleman, commending my early onslaught.
It was a good end to the season, finishing with three consecutive wins in this league  and "levelling up" well and truly accounted for.
There have been harsh lessons overall this term but I feel I am coming out of it for the better. Aside from a disappointing show at the Farington competition, I've not been bowling too badly in recent weeks. In addition, bar the odd isolated curse of frustration, I've managed to keep my head together which has definitely been part of the battle.
Against a good Farington Cons side that finished third, the team eeked out a decent result on the night with four winners and this was enough to escape the bottom spot despite having been wooden spoon favourites for some time.
I seem to give Steven Banks a mention on here from time to time, but Banksy scored a tremendous win against Peter Quinn. Victory for the well respected Farington bowler would have secured him the divisional Merit, but Banksy spoiled the party and reminded us all he's a player when his head's on it.
Many a grand gentleman in this Eagle Reds team (including Banksy, just about!) and no less a gentleman than Phil Donnelly, who had the usual whip-round to get a bit of summat for our non-playing captain Harry Glynn, as a thank you for enduring another season with us. 

HILLTOP BLUES

Monday 28th August 2023
Chorley & District League Div-2: Hilltops 'A' 151-134 Eagle & Child 'A'

v STUART UNSWORTH L 8-21 

The final match of the season in the Chorley league and another debut on a green I'd never played before. Saying that, this visit to Blackrod was a first for the whole team, with the exception of Kevin Bibby. Kevin's last visit though, was a rather hazy one over thirty years ago.
With the team still struggling for numbers, this was another game that I wasn't expecting to play and with promotion in the balance this evening. As many wins as possible required, against a side with a fine home record, but in danger of relegation themselves so plenty to play for.
In the face of a home bowler confident in his game and showing class that I was no match for, unlike last Friday's capitulation, at least managed to put up a fight in this match even if the score didn't suggest it.
I didn't play badly by any means, but too many times I lost out by not so much and the points began to take their toll.
I also felt I allowed the quick playing Stuart to dictate the pace a bit and when I did land one, didn't follow up with a lead bowl good enough to transfer pressure the other way.
The game slowly got away from me and when I did make a real mess of a couple ends, it was when Stuart was closing in on the target score and eventually it was shake hands time and I was thinking, how are these guys up the relegation creek with this mon in their team?
It's natural to look up on bowlsnet who you lost to and it turns out Stuart's been playing for the Hilltops 'A' team in Division One all season. Recruited for one night only here in the 'B' team to bolster their survival hopes.

A tough game and reasonable effort then, in the end. But nowhere near enough to get a crucial win for our team's ambitions.


PROMOTION HOPES AGONISINGLY RUN OUT OF STEAM

It was like teeth being pulled. Eagle & Child's grip on a top two spot finally faded in the very last moments of the season.
Injuries and absences depleted the team in the final quarter of the campaign, thus my continued selection during this time. Good experience for me, but not necessarily ideal for the team's aspirations.
Leading up to the last match at Hilltops, we were still hanging on to that second spot by a thread, despite a comfortable looking gap of nine points at one time.
We just had to better Mawdesley's visit to Croston Subs but even early on, there was a sense things weren't going to go our way.
Firstly, best player Chris Miller, our win banker after a great season across all leagues and chasing the divisional merit most unusually lets a good lead slip. Only his second defeat of an eighteen game season was most untimely.
Then our captain Steve Marginson made a recovery in his game going in to double figures, but his opponent ran out to win. Andy Vurley also succumbed to defeat, but Harry Derbyshire's reliably great form delivered at least one winner in the first four.
I then got tonked, but Jack Dickinson got back to winning ways to make it two victories on the night. That didn't feel enough though and so it was down to Nigel Tomlinson and Kevin Bibby who were both engaged in tight matches that looked to be going either way. Two wins here could still be enough.
Kevin didn't quite get the knocks in the last few ends and bowed out with eighteen on the card. Nige just wasn't winning the tight margins either in the closing stages and lost to nineteen.
There was already a feeling of resignation and soon enough we find out Mawdesley did enough and that's that. Successive promotions to the top flight not quite pulled off.
A great season in many ways, but with nothing to show for it despite hogging the top spots until this final week.
Our captain Steve will be very disappointed and looking to strengthen the squad further. Where that leaves me in this set up is simple. Settle down and play well enough or fill scorecards in every week. 

A SCORE OF SEVEN WAS FLATTERY

Friday 25th August 2023
FARINGTON OPEN SINGLES
1st Qualifying Round
At Farington Cons
v GAVIN PARKER (Heysham) L 7-21

There's no pretence that even a sniff of a chance against Gavin Parker was anything but improbable, but could I have played better? Definitely.
Everything flowed the previous night at Penwortham in the league, whereas too many mistakes were dropped against a chap of this calibre and right from two short woods on the very first end.
Practice went well, I was finding a length and was ready to get on with it, so the wait until sixth match on probably didn't help. Momentum compromised, after a second full day at work followed by a tight bowling window by night, the yawns set in and basically I was getting ready to crash for an hour or two than pick myself up to play bowls.
Now that's not to say I would have got much nearer to my opponent by any means, but I might have started better. I might have made a better account of myself. 
Leading off from winning the toss, lousy short woods presented an easy two for Gavin and an indicator that he might be in for a straight forward route to round two.
Six down before I got a score in, Gavin was finding very good length and I remember looking across at the scoreboard reading 2-11 and wincing a bit because although obviously outclassed, generally I just wasn't putting up woods good enough to have any remote chance of stopping the rot.
Gavin was a very good player and had a like for playing long to the edges of the green with almost unbeatable leads and when he did leave daylight and a chance to break, I didn't make it pay.
Even when I got the odd good shot in to score, my lead bowls were poor and I was a bit disappointed with myself. Against players well above my grade, if not even playing to my own standard, confidence leaks like a burst main. I forget the basics, everything goes wrong and somehow feels unnatural. This IS of course, experience!
I'd just won two consecutive ends for the first time in the match at 7-19, then a loss of concentration and I send the jack off. What a plonker.
Gavin sends a tricky round peg just over the crown and although my opponent's efforts weren't his best of the evening, I firstly went too narrow and then shot through too far. Game over, with Gavin then also progressing through the next round to make finals night.
The only positive to take from the match was the fact I know I can play a lot better than that on my day. In fact I did so only twenty-four hours earlier. Funny old game.

NEGATIVE ROGER, OVER AND OUT
Entering a few competitions as I have and with the intent to continue to do so, it's obvious that this is not deemed as normal behaviour from a bowler with only a hundred and odd games and three seasons under their belt.
But that's been my intention from the off, to put my head on the chopping block and broaden my crown green experiences.
I'm convinced this can only help make me a better player in the longer term. If it doesn't, nowt lost in trying. I'm not arsed about getting stuffed along the way, that's par for the course. I mean there have been some moments when I've wanted the ground to suck me up after sending terribly shite woods in an environment where that doesn't really happen (this night included) but it's about dealing with that discomfort, sucking it up and trying to do that little bit better next time. On the whole, I still find having a pop at competitions quite exciting so why wouldn't I carry on?
This black sheep mentality isn't quite understood though.
For example, with Roger Iddon, a member of three local clubs no less. I was acquainted with Roger well before I started bowling and he would never wish to insult me face to face, but Roger's most unusual silence said everything when he realised I was playing here. I wasn't exactly sunk by that, but it's not particularly encouraging either. I think there are a fair few Roger's out there who think I'm off my rocker. It's a strange game in which committing yourself well outside your comfort zone is dismissed by some, rather than condoned or even respected to a certain degree.

Here I am, giving it a go at the Farington Cons green having played less than half a dozen games on there. Roger's played on that green in teams for a good few years now and should I not be equally speechless as to why he doesn't enter himself? 

Not just Roger, but many more regular league bowlers should be supporting local competitions in my opinion, if only to help keep them going. I don't get it. 
Most likely it's the fear of getting a spanking like I got, or 'wasting' (rather than seeing it as a small investment in the game) an entry fee for a contest you're not going to win. But the way I see it is nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I think I'm getting a bit too bothered about what sideline folk think actually, because ultimately it doesn't matter. Especially if it's of a negative outlook. 

My clubmate Harry Derbyshire wasn't afraid to have a go though and his recent fine form continued, giving seasoned competition bowler Mick Prescott a real scare, leading throughout most of the match and 16-12 until a couple of stray woods let his opponent back in with Harry gallantly going down 17-21 in a very tight tussle.