Ladywell played a friendly match at our green in Ladywell Fields against local rivals, Francis Drake, on Saturday 23rd July. And, despite losing narrowly on two of the three rinks, Ladywell gained the overall victory.
It was a hot and humid afternoon at the end of one of the hottest weeks on record, so the two captains agreed beforehand to play a shorter match than usual - 12 ends instead of 18, with no break and tea at the end.
Ladywell were fielding a number of new players and two - Marina Watson and Alvin Nelson - teamed up with Club Captain Phil Welch in the first match. The Ladywell team were slow to get into their stride and only picked up three shots in the opening six ends, so at the halfway point they were 9-3 down to the Francis Drake trio. But they got over their initial nerves and rallied well, gaining seven shots in the next four ends, so with two ends to play, they were leading 10-9. Unfortunately, the Francis Drake team gained two on the penultimate end to go 11-10 up and, despite some good shots from Ladywell on the last end, Francis Drake took the match 13-10.
The second match was also a close affair. And again, it was the Francis Drake team who started stronger, opening up a 6-1 lead after the third end. But the Ladywell triple of Nova Dobb, Terrie Sibley and Des Marrett came back well, scoring on the following five ends, to take a 10-6 lead with four ends to play. Francis Drake upped their game again, so with two ends to go, the scores were tied at 10-10. Ladywell gained the upper hand on the 11th end, so went into the final end with an 11-10 lead. But a two for Francis Drake on the last end meant they took the match by the tightest of margins - 12-11.
So the result of the overall match came down to the last rink to finish. And on this rink, the Ladywell team of Susan Levene, Kim Simmons and Mark Simmons took control on the second end and never let it go. Again it was the Francis Drake team who took a 1-0 lead on the first end, but Ladywell soon got into their stride and at the halfway point after six ends, they were leading 9-3. They extended their lead to 13-3 after nine ends, before the Francis Drake team rallied, pulling the score back to 13-7 with one end to go. But on the final end, Ladywell Skip Mark Simmons played three excellent woods to a jack that had been knocked into the ditch and Ladywell gained three shots, to win by 16-7.
This meant that the overall score was Ladywell 37, Francis Drake 32. Everyone agreed that it had been an excellent afternoon of bowls in hot temperatures. We look forward to our next match against a closest rivals!
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