ME AND MR JONES

Thursday 9th August 2024

LEYLAND & DISTRICT LEAGUE DIV-3: Eagle Reds 167-181 Farington St Paul's
v MALCOLM JONES W 21-10

Farington St Paul's like to juggle the order of players and it's fair to say I wasn't expecting to get Malcolm at number ten.
Still a playing member at the Eagle in the veterans leagues, he nevertheless changed allegiances in the Leyland league this season. As a former teammate then, Malc often took an interest in my games and did his best to keep me calm when things weren't going my way. Bless him!
In his day, the tall frame of Malc was a player. Reaching the last eight of the Waterloo in the halcyon crown green days of the eighties amongst his accolades.
These days I get the feeling he's grateful just to be playing the game he loves and if he can win a few, it's a bonus.
It's fair to say Malcolm wasn't the toughest name on the St Paul's card by any stretch, but being drawn against Mr Jones didn't come without it's challenges.
Malcolm has a reputation for long drawn out matches, up to one hour forty minutes I seem to remember him once saying was his record for a singles game of 21-up. The slower player will always be able dictate the pace and I knew it was going to be difficult to get in to a rhythm against him.
It was close for a while and we got to 7-7 with neither of us keeping the block for more than an end.

Malc obviously knows the Eagle green well and turned over three or four times with good effect if my round pegging wasn't spot on. When leading out, Malc was having some joy sending straight peg marks of around twenty-two metres.
Stretching him out just three or four yards further on straight pegs seemed to be the key in running out to win. My opponent could reach up but his accuracy waned and some twos started to rack up on the scorecard.
Me and Mr Jones, well I would have preferred to play anyone else really. I wouldn't say we've got a thing going on, but I've got a soft spot for him.
Teamwise, Eagle Reds can't seem to get a win. Despite a narrow success at St Paul's earlier in the season, four winners on the night in the home return was never going to be enough.