Championship Fours were played today and it proved to be an interesting day of bowls.
The title of this Blog refers to the last end played in the first round between Neville Turnbull and Roy James’s teams. The latter were playing well and with just one end to go, were leading 16-9.
So seven points were needed by Nevill’s team to at least tie the last end which at least would give them a chance to draw the game. With only one bowl left, the team were holding 6, leaving the final responsibility to the skip. Up came Neville’s bowl; it looked good but just slipped past the jack…. but when it stopped, it fell back towards the Jack and was in the count – seven shots for the tie. Really quite remarkable.
An extra end had to be played and the decisive bowl was played by Barnaby Hamid. He sent up a narrow weighted bowl which took the Jack away from the opposition’s shot and remained as the winning bowl.
In two of my games, an end with a big score proved to be our undoing; in both cases we dropped a six and at the end of each of these games, we had lost by 1 point and consequently failed to reach post-section play.
In the Women’s Fours, three teams have qualified and tomorrow morning at 9.00am, Susan Boxall’s team will play Eileen Thorn’s team and the winner will then play Dianne Short’s four in the final.
Three more men’s games are to be played, necessitated by byes, and sees Roy James needing a win against Murray Griffin, Bill Clelland playing Fred Adams and Trevor Tuatara playing Ian Wenham. ( Fred has already qualified, but Murray and Ian have missed out and will be trying to get the other three teams joining them!!) The post section draw will then be made.
Hoping for a fine day and and enthusiastic audience.
Murray, still with his sore knee, about to deliver his bowl.