Thursday 8th May 2025
LEYLAND LEAGUE DIV-1: Eagle Blue (172) 8-4 Frenchwood SC (161)
v STEVE EDWARDS W 21-14
We are an unassuming bunch in this team with aims no greater than staying up to reserve the right to play against the league's best again.
So six winners and the aggregate was a great result against this Frenchwood side stacked with top Preston bowlers.
My opponent probably doesn't remember, but we played each other at Lea in the Hugh Hornby Merit qualifiers three years ago and no surprises that I got my arse tanned 5-21. That wasn't the complete waste of time and a tenner that it might have seemed at the timè. It was an insight in to how Steve likes to play and subsequently a measuring stick of my improvement since and particularly more recently.
Up against those same mustard yellow 2.11 cannonballs, our green is running quick as an incredibly dry Spring has now warmed up significantly too.
The match started with some really close ends and neither player able to sustain a run with the jack. End for end the tightness continued but I seemed to be the one applying that bit more pressure and able to assert home advantage with some sound choices of jack placement and generally sending bowls on the right land at the right pace.
Strikes from Steve had venom and there were a few successful ones, but with a really well placed two trickling down to the pavilion to go all-but, finally he misses and I managed to wrap the game up two ends later. For me, a significant scalp beating this fella.
Unfortunately the game was marred by a bit of bad feeling. It started on an end fairly early on in the game when I thought I was maybe lying two on approach and shouted across to Steve "I think it's two...", but hadn't finished having a look or what I was saying either.
Before I had chance to express a change my mind, his second bowl is on it's way but then didn't make the trip.
I made a mistake, I was thinking aloud but I do think he didn't give me time to get closer and have a proper look.
My opponent walks up and gets arsey. I try to explain, but he's saying he would have played a different bowl.
This might sound rude, but with enough room for a length bowl on the right road to win the end, I'm not sure what the other shot choice could have been.
Steve's heckles were up and his already stern game face gurned in to that of a bulldog licking piss off a thistle. A few ends later, a rare bad end on a strange mark when I'm in but a yard off and this time I get ribbed for taking my overshot back bowl out just before his short second one had stopped. Strictly speaking not to the letter of the law, but it was never going to change the outcome.
It got a bit shirty between us then because I had already banked that he was sending his lead bowls before the jack had stopped and decided to sock that one back to him.
After another grumble about denying him momentum with the jack after waiting for another match obstructing my line, I couldn't possibly have done owt about that and he would have waited himself I'm sure.
I felt I was playing well enough, punching the weight and didn't need to employ gamesmanship. I'm not even that cunning, I was just concentrating on my bowling and managed to carry on with that despite the slightly contentious atmosphere.
It was a game to put down to experience and will definitely take Steve's gripes on board to avoid future flashpoints. It's the first time an opponent has implied I wasn't being honest so I certainly need to be absolutely certain and give full clarity before opening my mouth to give information.
Before I had chance to express a change my mind, his second bowl is on it's way but then didn't make the trip.
I made a mistake, I was thinking aloud but I do think he didn't give me time to get closer and have a proper look.
My opponent walks up and gets arsey. I try to explain, but he's saying he would have played a different bowl.
This might sound rude, but with enough room for a length bowl on the right road to win the end, I'm not sure what the other shot choice could have been.
Steve's heckles were up and his already stern game face gurned in to that of a bulldog licking piss off a thistle. A few ends later, a rare bad end on a strange mark when I'm in but a yard off and this time I get ribbed for taking my overshot back bowl out just before his short second one had stopped. Strictly speaking not to the letter of the law, but it was never going to change the outcome.
It got a bit shirty between us then because I had already banked that he was sending his lead bowls before the jack had stopped and decided to sock that one back to him.
After another grumble about denying him momentum with the jack after waiting for another match obstructing my line, I couldn't possibly have done owt about that and he would have waited himself I'm sure.
I felt I was playing well enough, punching the weight and didn't need to employ gamesmanship. I'm not even that cunning, I was just concentrating on my bowling and managed to carry on with that despite the slightly contentious atmosphere.
It was a game to put down to experience and will definitely take Steve's gripes on board to avoid future flashpoints. It's the first time an opponent has implied I wasn't being honest so I certainly need to be absolutely certain and give full clarity before opening my mouth to give information.
Apologising for my part in the misunderstanding as we left the green, Steve still couldn't quite accept my version of events. He did accept a handshake and offer of a beer though, so hopefully no grudges beared.
Life in Division One can get a bit tense.
Life in Division One can get a bit tense.
No comments:
Post a Comment