Thursday 25th April 2024
LEYLAND & DISTRICT LEAGUE DIV-3: Farington St Paul's - Eagle Reds
v COLIN RAWLINSON W 21-20
I think it's fair to say that I was drawn against the opposition's best player, so it was as well that I came with a plan; to keep it simple and find the head space that served me well in that recent trophy winning practice match!
This was executed very well and I won the first six ends or so with the sort of lead bowling that I've been craving to produce. The level of intensity didn't wane much throughout the match and even when Colin did break my run, there wasn't much in it for a while and I'd sustained my lead with some very good bowling at times, notably when knocking the jack out with a bit of pace to deny Colin two to make two for myself.
Scoring again for me, Terry Grayston, who seems to be my personal card marker this season, asked me if I wanted to know (the score)... I was 18-9 up and in fairness there was nowt flukey about it.
However, perhaps I should have said "No thanks", to Tez. Thinking now that I just need to carry on what I'm doing to see the game out, from that moment Colin put the squeeze on me and found a mark to beat me up on. Although often good enough to save one, I just couldn't land something to match his efforts and the lead slowly drained as Colin found a renewed confidence with a long run in possession of the jack.
Despite Colin sapping the life out of my earlier good work, temperament remained pretty good for a change. Although it felt pressured because it was my game to lose having led handsomely, I was still playing quite well and that's all I need to do to keep the demons at bay.
The only time my discipline blipped was after the rather well worn mat slipped underneath my right foot for a second time in three ends and cost me another chance to save. Just for a fleeting moment, I was livid. Despite a splutter of expletives, hopefully not loud enough to offend the locals, it was channelled positively and geared me up to finally break Colin on the next end having just lost the lead at 18-19.
No surprises where Colin went next, but a surprise that he went a little tighter to the right than previous marks and even bigger surprises to see his lead fall short and off track and his second run a little far. A massive opportunity and siezed with a close first bowl which I tapped up with an identical second for a very big two. I could hear my captain Harry Glynn enjoying that one. 20-19.
After finally reassociating my right hand with that yellow block again, I mused, "I don't think I'm going to go over there finger peg", which got a little from my opponent and nearby scorers. Finally I was out of that trap and went back to where I began the game with a fairly uncomplicated short straight peg. I send a cracking lead and tap the jack, but not quite thick enough and so Colin could still see it. He sends a bloody belter, hits it thick and follows through by a foot. I didn't adjust well enough and fell short with my second, leaving Colin a chance for game but his second was also just short and so it went to the wire.
That twist suddenly switched my mindset. Having survived that scare, it was my game to win again.
Colin decides to play to his home gallery at the clubhouse end, round pegging over the the middle of the crown towards a perilous edge of the green.
Brave with his lead, that first bowl finds the slope and slowly drops off the green. A bit of experience came in to play here, as I aim to make sure I stay on and count, but get a real feel for it and what I might need to do to adjust. My land was spot on but it gave up a yard and a half short, then Colin has to pass mine with his second bowl and does so, running up just a couple of feet short.
Composure was everything now, as I tell myself, "Take your time Johnny Boy, hit that land again and give it a bit more ooof."
It felt good when it left my hand and flipping heck, it was perfect. Tapping the jack up and getting a vocal reaction from all watching. What a moment. A bit of fist pumping went on, but I couldn't help it. A big win and I played well.
It was a really good game and I would feel the same had I Iost, but winning makes it more memorable. One of the St Paul's players Peter Suart said he was distracted from his scoring duties elsewhere because he was too busy watching our game. A compliment indeed to Mr Rawlinson and I.
I thought I'd heard of Colin and seen him play, but just couldn't associate him with St Paul's, and that made sense as I'm later told he has transfered from Wymott, along with his wife Val who is no bowling slouch either.
It turned out to be a rare, but well earned away victory for our team. Of six winners, Arthur Parker came back brilliantly to beat Tony Peacock, who brutally kicked my arse here two years ago. Meanwhile new recruit Judith Farrell despatched very steady home bowler David Bridge.
THE MAJESTY OF ST PAUL'S
Farington St Paul's has not been a happy away trip as I have no doubt whinged about in previous reports.
It's a lovely set up and they're a nice bunch over there, but I've struggled on their green for reasons historically documented, but as soon as I saw it I knew I could play there this time.
I'd heard from that man Mr Suart again, who is a customer where I work, that much work had been done and that it was now in great condition. He's not wrong.
A fantastic job done there by Peter and the team to bring the green up to the standards of the rest of the facility.
Formerly one of my least favourite greens to play, now thinking it could be one of my favourites and particularly having now played one of my best away games there.
TOUGH GREEN, TOUGH DRAW, BUT GOOD EXPERIENCE
Saturday 27th April 2024
HESKETH ARMS SPRING DOUBLES
With STEVE MARGINSON
1st Round
v STUART HODSON & RAY BEVINGTON L 14-21 (Off 3-3)
Clubmate Steve asked me if I fancied a pop at this with him. It was a different green to play and only a fiver each to enter so why not?
It's a fairly small sized green with quite a pronounced crown and various other miniature crowns, gullies and channels to challenge us and on top of that, a few days without a proper deluge of rain and some strong Spring sunny spells meant it was running very quick. Exactly the opposite to what we've all been accustomed through Winter and this new season so far.
I'd heard of our opponents so I knew we were up against it, but we started quite well and there was not a lot in it going in to the teens at 12-13, and that despite conceding a very poor four from our point of view.
But once Stuart and Ray started trickling short round pegs towards the green edge, we were in trouble. They played these delicate marks very well, and whilst not perfect all the time and joining mine in the gutter occasionally, generally they were there or thereabouts. If we found land, we misjudged length and vice-versa.
The gulf in class and their previous experience on this green told in the end, but not before Margy landed a fantastic bowl to break them at all-but and knock us on for two.
Thinking we might still have a sniff here if we could get back to playing how the started the match, I then made a real hash of my lead and second bowl and disappointly allowed damage to be done that Steve couldn't this time rectify.
A good experience on a tricky green and no shame given that Stuart and Ray won a further three rounds to make it to a closely contested final, eventually beaten 18-21.
The only time my discipline blipped was after the rather well worn mat slipped underneath my right foot for a second time in three ends and cost me another chance to save. Just for a fleeting moment, I was livid. Despite a splutter of expletives, hopefully not loud enough to offend the locals, it was channelled positively and geared me up to finally break Colin on the next end having just lost the lead at 18-19.
No surprises where Colin went next, but a surprise that he went a little tighter to the right than previous marks and even bigger surprises to see his lead fall short and off track and his second run a little far. A massive opportunity and siezed with a close first bowl which I tapped up with an identical second for a very big two. I could hear my captain Harry Glynn enjoying that one. 20-19.
After finally reassociating my right hand with that yellow block again, I mused, "I don't think I'm going to go over there finger peg", which got a little from my opponent and nearby scorers. Finally I was out of that trap and went back to where I began the game with a fairly uncomplicated short straight peg. I send a cracking lead and tap the jack, but not quite thick enough and so Colin could still see it. He sends a bloody belter, hits it thick and follows through by a foot. I didn't adjust well enough and fell short with my second, leaving Colin a chance for game but his second was also just short and so it went to the wire.
That twist suddenly switched my mindset. Having survived that scare, it was my game to win again.
Colin decides to play to his home gallery at the clubhouse end, round pegging over the the middle of the crown towards a perilous edge of the green.
Brave with his lead, that first bowl finds the slope and slowly drops off the green. A bit of experience came in to play here, as I aim to make sure I stay on and count, but get a real feel for it and what I might need to do to adjust. My land was spot on but it gave up a yard and a half short, then Colin has to pass mine with his second bowl and does so, running up just a couple of feet short.
Composure was everything now, as I tell myself, "Take your time Johnny Boy, hit that land again and give it a bit more ooof."
It felt good when it left my hand and flipping heck, it was perfect. Tapping the jack up and getting a vocal reaction from all watching. What a moment. A bit of fist pumping went on, but I couldn't help it. A big win and I played well.
It was a really good game and I would feel the same had I Iost, but winning makes it more memorable. One of the St Paul's players Peter Suart said he was distracted from his scoring duties elsewhere because he was too busy watching our game. A compliment indeed to Mr Rawlinson and I.
I thought I'd heard of Colin and seen him play, but just couldn't associate him with St Paul's, and that made sense as I'm later told he has transfered from Wymott, along with his wife Val who is no bowling slouch either.
It turned out to be a rare, but well earned away victory for our team. Of six winners, Arthur Parker came back brilliantly to beat Tony Peacock, who brutally kicked my arse here two years ago. Meanwhile new recruit Judith Farrell despatched very steady home bowler David Bridge.
THE MAJESTY OF ST PAUL'S
Farington St Paul's has not been a happy away trip as I have no doubt whinged about in previous reports.
It's a lovely set up and they're a nice bunch over there, but I've struggled on their green for reasons historically documented, but as soon as I saw it I knew I could play there this time.
I'd heard from that man Mr Suart again, who is a customer where I work, that much work had been done and that it was now in great condition. He's not wrong.
A fantastic job done there by Peter and the team to bring the green up to the standards of the rest of the facility.
Formerly one of my least favourite greens to play, now thinking it could be one of my favourites and particularly having now played one of my best away games there.
TOUGH GREEN, TOUGH DRAW, BUT GOOD EXPERIENCE
Saturday 27th April 2024
HESKETH ARMS SPRING DOUBLES
With STEVE MARGINSON
1st Round
v STUART HODSON & RAY BEVINGTON L 14-21 (Off 3-3)
Clubmate Steve asked me if I fancied a pop at this with him. It was a different green to play and only a fiver each to enter so why not?
It's a fairly small sized green with quite a pronounced crown and various other miniature crowns, gullies and channels to challenge us and on top of that, a few days without a proper deluge of rain and some strong Spring sunny spells meant it was running very quick. Exactly the opposite to what we've all been accustomed through Winter and this new season so far.
I'd heard of our opponents so I knew we were up against it, but we started quite well and there was not a lot in it going in to the teens at 12-13, and that despite conceding a very poor four from our point of view.
But once Stuart and Ray started trickling short round pegs towards the green edge, we were in trouble. They played these delicate marks very well, and whilst not perfect all the time and joining mine in the gutter occasionally, generally they were there or thereabouts. If we found land, we misjudged length and vice-versa.
The gulf in class and their previous experience on this green told in the end, but not before Margy landed a fantastic bowl to break them at all-but and knock us on for two.
Thinking we might still have a sniff here if we could get back to playing how the started the match, I then made a real hash of my lead and second bowl and disappointly allowed damage to be done that Steve couldn't this time rectify.
A good experience on a tricky green and no shame given that Stuart and Ray won a further three rounds to make it to a closely contested final, eventually beaten 18-21.
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