GETTING MY SHIT TOGETHER!

Thursday 9th May 2024

LEYLAND & DISTRICT LEAGUE DIV-3:

Victoria - Eagle Reds
v MARK DARCH W 21-10

Harry puts me on at number ten, just as deputising captain Steve Loynd did last week. But I think I might actually be ready for it now. Tonight's away win even eclipses the performance against Colin Rawlinson a few weeks ago.
Having weighed up my possible opponents, I knew full well Mark Darch had taken good wins against good players in Luke Howard of Hoole and Farington BC's John Frodsham, but my pre-match nervousness was in the perfect place.
One last wee, even though I didn't need it, and just a general underlying excitement to get on with the game. I seemed to ooze confidence and a belief in what I was doing for once. It's early days in this rich vein of form, but I've notched up a level and I kind of knew it was there but have only just started to tap in to the zone required.
I played a very solid game and only recall two - what you might say were disappointing woods - in the whole game, both on one end early on which was the only bad end between us and I even won that because at least my length was good. Other than that, I was there or there abouts, led strongly and picked out a winning bowl with my second a good few times. Despite not getting anything on the first couple of ends, I put a good run together and got probably seven or eight ahead, varying my lengths and places to go as I got a good feel for the green.
Seemingly in charge at this point, it was Mark who then shows his credentials playing straight peg up and down the front of the clubhouse and it's a long way lengthways on this big expanse of a green at Victoria. 
He's sending forty metre bowls and wrapping them close to the jack. I do well to remain unruffled, stick to the task and put a few in to save and limit the home bowler to mainly singles. Mark's totally nailed this mark now and I'm just waiting for either a mistake from my opponent, finding a world class winner or spending the rest of the game across there getting beaten up until he gets to twenty-one.
Suddenly though, a mistake. Mark was in a rhythm, but I felt he just rushed this end a little and sends the jack a bit lower, before his first bowl goes even lower and drifts down the gutter. I get a length first bowl, but two foot wide to the right and know full well this simply might not be good enough against this chap. I'm surprised then, when Mark sends his second a little deep and also short. This was a tide turning moment of the game. All I needed to do was send the same wood, but I tidied up the land for good measure and sent a cracker to assure myself of two. I knew straight away it felt good and walked up behind it, poker faced but buzzing inside of the chance to carry on where I Ieft off before Mark got me in to this trap.
I'm not just playing a good game, I'm thinking a good game too and my thoughts were let's get the f*ck out of here, win the next end with a good lead and then play across the middle of the green, which will make sure Mark is at least two ends from getting to play from that place he was thriving from.
I remember my previous visit to Victoria  playing against Glyn Andrews a couple of years ago, I didn't play too badly but only got nine. He finished me off across the narrower sided middle of the crown and that's where I found joy to punish Mark and see the game out from here. Even having the audacity to turn over peg to beat what looked a sure winner for Mark, it felt like a cockiness, but it was just confidence and what a difference that can make in this game.
Fortunate a couple of times when Mark sent a bit of weight but found gaps, I hear nineteen called by my scorer Terry (Tez scoring my game yet again, love it) and I'm just thinking let's go back that way again, keeping it simple and send a good lead. It was a good lead too and whilst my second one ran through eighteen inches, my opponent didn't quite match it and it's game.
I've gone away from home and on paper, looks like I've made moderate work of a win against a good player. I saw this one out as opposed to the game against Colin Rawlinson when I did the hard work and then almost let it slip.
I'm learning, I'm delivering much better bowls and with more consistency. I don't know what it is, but I just feel as though I know what I'm doing all of a sudden and also how to execute it.
Reigning in my new found satisfaction with my own game, I remind myself sternly that one is only as good as your next game.
Bring it on though.
Captain Harry Glynn was back and I think he enjoyed seeing me show a bit of potential. If he says I played well, I did. I told him, "I feel like I'm getting my shit together." He chuckled, and said "Good!".
Whilst my winning run continued, our team's sequence of successes finally came to an end. Jimmy Sloan was the only other winner on the night, but some good performances still and plenty of chalks on the board despite the overall loss.