v LEN RIDING L 18-21
Another bad start to a game manifested in to a bad mood and some old demons returned as frustration boiled over on what was always likely to be a slippery visit to Mawdesley. There are quite a few bowlers in the Mawdesley side who might not set the world alight on their travels, but really don't lose many at home and Len being one of them.
It was pretty clear from the off that a hard game was on the cards on an impeccable green that hides a multitude of ruses for it's visitors.
I just wasn't playing well in the beginning though, unable to send two decent bowls up. Opportunities were missed on the odd time Len's lead was beatable and when I did rectify it with my second bowl, Len always produced something even better.
Then I had a spell bowling short and lost my sense of length. On a couple of times when I did sneak in, I was surprised having sensed I had sent it too far. On this green, what looks like uphill is downhill and vice versa in places. It was starting to twist my melon and Len was running away with it.
The scores had trickled away to 7-18 as I got increasingly irritated with myself and the red mist returned for the first time in a while.
Although shaped and weighted more suitably for shot putt, I was thinking of slinging one of my bowls with an erratic discus style throw and absolutely bloody launch the thing over the fence.
But my hot head cooled right down at the incredible sight of a barn owl swooping through the light of a late sun on the meadow behind us.
The sight of this wonderful bird was just amazing and a welcome distraction that calmed me right down. I then knocked Len out to take the next end and then began to show some much better, much more consistent bowling.
I was playing for a bit of pride really until I overheard I'd got to fifteen. Then I could smell something more to keep me motivated. During this comeback, every point was hard earned. Len was such a nuisance, nothing I put up felt safe until his second bowl had stopped. We were now 17-19 and round pegging up and down in front of our visitors enclosure was working well, but eventually the other game still on had got in the way and besides, maybe it was time for a change before my luck ran out. I headed for a different corner, put two very reasonable woods up indeed but Len landed perfection with his second. Then the Mawdesley man leads out for the game with a near toucher. I've no choice but to have a pop. My first one wasn't near but gave me a good idea for my second strike which hit the target fully. Hoping to cannon the jack off, it turned out even better as it stayed on along with my bowl to go 18-20.
I played a short end down towards the clubhouse, my first bowl was pretty good and the long tapes were out, but 19.2m was just long enough. My second one is a little too strong and taps both my first and the jack to open up a target for Len who still has to send a bloody good bowl mind you.
But true to form throughout most of the match, he held his nerve and gently played the jack through with a great delivery.
I wasn't too deflated, I was in a much better place having at least given Len a game for a while and made the scoreline look much prettier. To even recover to a place where victory was thinkable was a triumph in itself.
Not many teams in this division will come away from Mawdesley with a whole lot of joy and with only two winners, we slipped to our first defeat of the season. With Shell Anderton out with knee trouble, it was a tough night and exposed perhaps a strength in depth of our squad that might just fall short for a more sustained promotion push. But for now we stay second placed and Hesketh Bank in third next week come to our place. That will give us a better idea I suspect.
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