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Monday 29th April 2024

CHORLEY &DISTRICT LEAGUE DIV-2: Eagle & Child 'A' - Hilltops 'B'

v ANDY ARROWSMITH L 13-21

Still not coming to terms with the condition of our home green, the plan was to play as straight and simple as possible in this first fixture of the Chorley league.
The Problem was, Andy Arrowsmith had the same idea and more importantly, the away player starts with the jack.
The aptly named Mr Arrowsmith continuously sent two woods as near as damn it to the target and a game has never got away from me so quickly. Five ends in and it's 0-10!
Seven ends in and mercifully I manage to count for second and slow the brutal barrage to 0-12. I don't feel like I've even been on the green very long and that the game is almost over!
It didn't help that I wasn't playing any better than my scatty pre-match practice, but that's to take nothing away from Andy's intense start to the game. Yet another left-hander I've faced this season and a crafty one, a good player who adapted quickly to the trials of our green and set an example that should stop me whinging about it and just get on with it.
Andy's game did break up a little bit and I also scored a few good ends at least, hearing I'd got double figures was a sense of relief. At 10-16, I send a good lead and Andy goes short twice to let me off for two.
At 12-16 suddenly I'm thinking I could give myself a chance. Feeling wild enough to round peg for the first time in the match, I thought I'd got another on the board but Andy's second bowl was just too good and order was restored from the Blackrod bowler. At all-but, my last bowl somehow found a small gap rather than smack the jack or his holding wood out but I doubt I could have held him off much longer anyway.
I suppose it could have been a lot worse and I did alright to salvage some respectability.
Despite being one of three players in the first four to be defeated, our other five players turned the match around in to our favour and although a depleted side compared to last year's promotion chasing squad, we start the season with a win. 

Team leavers are talisman Chris Miller, vastly experienced Kevin Bibby and Trevor Bibby, a threesome that are worth many wins a season between them. 

Whilst I will miss admiring the silky left handed bowling delivery and dry wit of Chris, and Kevin who I have got to know a little better over the Winter league, suffice to say that from a personal point of view I won't miss Trevor quite so much.  

I've got two more matches at the Eagle this week in the Leyland league with a catch-up match on Wednesday and at home again the following evening. 

The feeling of helplessness on home turf needs dealing with. Andy Arrowsmith was first hand evidence that good play is possible on there and so I've got to clear my head of negativity, be absolutely in the zone and be more aggressive early on if an opponent threatens to dominate.