YMGCR BOWLS CLUB
Weekend Pennant saw the A1’s play Myrtleford at home with the greens running a beautiful 16 seconds and with the home side winning 18/100 to 0/60. Jim Lefevre’s rink jumped out of the blocks with the Myrtleford rink not handling the quick green and YMGCR led 13/0 after 3 ends. Garry Sanders gave the side a great start and they were never threatened and cruised to a comfortable victory winning 35/14. Scotty Widdison’s rink had a battle and after 8 ends led 5/4 and that continued for the next 5 ends when Myrtleford hit the front, but the game was put to bed when YMGCR peeled off the next 4 ends to led 17/9. Scott ended up winning 22/12 but the high light of the day was when the crowd erupted when “Sugar” Ray Irvine did a wrong bias and it was quickly picked up by his team mates and the crowd gave the old boy a bit of stick. Julian Jones stepped into the skipper’s job for the first time in the A1’s and after a slow start, he then played a good second half and the rink won 23/15. Nothing could separate the two sides as the lead changed 8 times and after 16 ends the scores were level 15/15. Les Spencer had a fantastic game and YMGCR then won the last 5 ends to register a handy win 23/15. Rod Jones also had a tight game with both sides locked at 10/10 after 12 ends. YMGCR then got 10 shots in the next 4 ends and look home, but the Myrtleford team then peeled off the last 5 ends and went down 20/19. This now puts YMGCR 17 points clear on top of the ladder with next week’s game against arch rival heavy weight, Wodonga (who are second) at Wodonga the match of the season. We will now see how the new look team stacks up against last year’s runners up.
The A2’s played Club Mulwala on a beautiful Friday night at Club Mulwala and won 16/102 to 2/74. Going by the scores the game looked like an easy win…..but that was furthest from the truth as our cross the road rivals played a fantastic game and with 20 ends to go were only 1 shot down on the big score board. The big winners for the night were the rink of Neil Loveridge who won 34/10, with Peter Lidgerwood leading well the rink jumped out to a 12/1 led after 7 ends. The rink only lost 5 ends for the night and was always in control. Ray Brown’s rink got out to a 16/6 lead after 11 ends but the Mulwala rink got back in the game and after 17 ends trailed 18/15, with second Tony Durkin playing a super game as he put bowl after bowl in the head and with Col Withers also playing a solid game as a third (first time in the A2’s and it won’t be his last), YMGCR won 24/16. Rob Hummel was in a tight game all night and after 12 ends led 10/9. Mulwala then got a gap but Hummel’s rink got a 6 to draw level and it then went down to the line with YMGCR winning 22/20. Goudge’s rink was 6/2 up after 6 ends and they then lost 21 shots in 7 ends to trail 7/23. It was looking pretty grim for the rink but to their credit they dug deep and turned the game around and won 15 shots to came back with a serviceable result and they lost 22/28. That keeps us 2nd on the ladder and like the A1’s, we play Wodonga at home for a top of the table clash.
The A4’s travelled to Corowa RSL and lost 2/59 to 16/78. The stars were Bill Jenkins rink (would be Bill’s first game as skipper for a long time). Bill had a blinder and was well supported by Mary Essex, Ron Lamson and Lyn Baxter. They won 19/6 and lost only 6 ends. Bob Evans got out to a good lead and after 8 ends led 10/3, but like last week they got over run and lost 16/23. Ian Morffew was going ok, but they lost 7 out of 8 ends and as hard as they tried couldn’t make up the difference and went down 12/21. Doddy’s rink got off to a bad start when they were 1/12 down after 5 ends. They clawed their way back in the game when they got to 11/15 after 16 ends, but they ended up going down 12/22. They now drop down to 2nd on the ladder.
The mighty B2’s also went to Corowa RSL and came home with a fantastic win. They got the job done winning 12/55 to 2/46. Best rink this week was new skipper Gavin Borwick’s who have now won 3 out of 4 games and the one they lost was only by 2. They grabbed the lead after the 3rd end and were never headed and came away winning 21/13. Good to have the very reliable Billy Butterworth back after his illness and his rink won 19/16. In a tight game all day after the 12th end both sides were locked at 12/12 all. Jill Lamson lead very well and Chris Horne is improving every game and they were well backed up by Terry “Shagga” Baxter and they won 19/16. Neville Coleman’s rink had the epic game with both sides going shot for shot. The RSL boys got a 4 with 2 ends to go, but Niffty’s side didn’t throw in the towel and won the last 2 ends to just fall short 15/17. This was their first win for the year and I think it won’t be their last.
Midweek pennant had the A1’s travel to Wodonga and trailing most of the day, they hit the front for the first time in the game with a couple of ends to go and they won 11/57 to 3/55. Laureen Smith’s rink trailed 4/8 after 7 ends (the green was slow due to the amount of water put on overnight), but they came back with Spencer, G Sanders and Smithy getting the pace of the green and they were never headed again and won 22/17. Julian Jones rink were 5/6 down after 7 ends and they were in all sorts of trouble when they found themselves 6/17 after 15 ends. But they dug deep and won 5 of the last 6 ends and went down 16/19. But this then gave us a chance of an overall win and so it all came down to Anne Miles rink who still had 1 end to play. Anne was having her own troubles all day with both teams going shot for shot and it came down to the last end with Anne holding a 2 shot lead and with a 4 shot lead on the main score board they then played the conservative end and sacrificed the rink’s win for the big picture. They drew 19/19 all.
The A2’s played Moira at home and lost 2/49 to 12/63. The only joy for the day was Bob Evans rink who won 21/17. The game was tight all day, but they closed the game out by winning the last 3 ends. Allan Goudge trailed all day and they finally grabbed the lead on the 19th end only to drop two singles on the last 2 ends to lose 16/17. Danny McNeill’s rink was never in the game and they lost 12/29.
The A3 ‘s played Wangaratta at home and won 12/72 to 2/43 with the big winners being Ian Morffew’s rink of Ian Febey, Carolyn Boston and Dougie McTier. They only lost 4 ends for the game and dominated from start to finish and they won 30/8. Ian Price’s rink only dropped 5 ends and they had a mighty win 32/11. It’s good to see the new bowlers stepping up and adding more depth in the club (Ron Lamson, George Andreasen and Barb Tennyson). Gavin Borwick’s rink were always in trouble and lost 10/24.
This week “RINK OF THE WEEK” goes to Neil Loveridge, Robert Lidgerwood, Don Tipping and Peter Lidgerwood with a +22 shot win.
Wednesday social bowls had a very good field of 28 players and the winners were Billy Butterworth and Dougie McTier with 2 wins and +15. Runners up with 2 wins and +7 were Norm Windebank and Gavin Borwick. Lucky numbers were won by Norm Windebank and Cat. Jackpot was won by Norm Windebank (Norm had to have an armed escort from the club with all his winnings) and Gavin Borwick who shared it with Les Wilson and a visitor from Geelong, G Lamont.
On Friday our fab 3, Anne Miles, Laureen Smith and Claire Sanders and new ring player in Carla Miles (Anne’s baby) won the Aylean Baker Ladies 4’s tournament at Rutherglen.
On Sunday Anne Miles and Claire Sanders lost the O&M Ladies Pairs Final on the last end 13/14. Still the girls had another great tournament and are never far away….well done.