PAKENHAM BOWLS
SATURDAY
After last week’s good win against Mulgrave, Pakenham’s Division One players might have been forgiven for thinking that they had seen the last of their habit of losing close games by less than a handful of shots.
However, the gremlins returned on Saturday, this time in the shape of a three-shot loss at Keysborough.
The Lions got away to a steady start in that game and after the first twenty ends, with two up and two down, held a slender lead of one shot.
By the half-way mark, all four Pakenham rinks were in front and at 50 to 35 they had established an overall lead of 15 shots.
At the start of the business ends the Lions still led by 10 shots with two up, one down and one all square.
However, during the second half of the game Keysborough outscored their visitors (with the exception of ‘Foxy’s’ rink) to snatch victory on the final end, 84 shots to 81.
The better of Pakenham’s two winning rinks was Chris “Foxy” Fox (S), Glenn “Google” Bainbridge (3), Brian Norton (2) and Peter Bott (L).
They outscored their opponents at every stage of the game for a final score of 29 shots to 17,
The Ones will go into the Christmas break in sixth position on the ladder and will host Clayton Two (fifth) when play resumes on 20 January 2024.
Despite being weakened by the secondment of a number of its best players to fill temporary gaps in the top side, on paper at least, Pakenham Two’s home game against Parkdale, a team two rungs lower on the ladder, should have produced a win.
However, the visitors had obviously not read the script and were up and about and determined to upset the apple cart from the very first end.
Nevertheless, with two up and two down, the Lions held a one-shot lead after the first twenty ends.
The visitors then began to impose themselves on the game and by the half-way mark had their noses in front on all four rinks and held an overall lead of 41 shots to 27.
Although “Stormin” Norm Box’s rink staged a spirited fight back, the other three were outscored during the second half of the game and the Twos eventually lost with the overall score at 55 shots to 79.
Norm’s rink of Vince Bevilacqua (3), Rick Burns (2) and Mark “Lumpy” Dalton (L) finished with a very creditable 20 shots to 11.
The Twos now hold sixth position on the ladder, six points ahead of Beaumaris, four behind Parkdale and sit six points out of the four.
They will be away at Hampton Park (second) in round 10.
Pakenham Three (Div 5) has been travelling pretty well this season and leading into this round were sitting comfortably on the second top rung of the ladder.
But they received a rude awakening at Keysborough (sixth) on Saturday.
The Kookaburras took it right up to the Lions and by the completion of the first twenty ends both sides had two rinks up and the score stood at 19 shots apiece.
From that point the locals really applied the screws and reached the half-way point with all four rinks in front and an overall lead of 22 shots.
There was no easing of the pressure after the break and the Lions eventually returned home with zero Pennant points and a bruising 60 to 94 loss.
The Threes have now dropped to third position on the ladder, nine points ahead of Narre Warren and three behind Burden Park, now second.
They will host Burden Park in round 10.
Pakenham Four (Div 7) scored an upset win at home over clear ladder leaders, The Dandenong Club.
Despite one of Pakenham’s rinks being outscored ten shots to one over the first five ends, the other three more than covered for it and after the first twenty ends the Lions led by 19 shots to 16.
As the game approached its mid-way mark, the rink which had been lagging behind got its act into gear and by the time of the break was only one shot in arrears, while the other three were still in front and the overall lead had grown to 17 shots.
By the start of the business ends all four Pakenham rinks were ahead and the lead had grown to 26 shots.
The visitors then mounted a fight back, but to no avail, and when the dust settled the Lions had three rinks up and with the final score at 85 to 68, recorded a 17 shot win.
The best rink was Dave Wood (S), Kerry Lewis (3), Gary “Crow” Crowley (2) and Frank Webber (L).
Dave’s rink converted an early nine-shot deficit into a 32 to 18 win.
The Fours are now in fifth position on the ladder, five points behind Churchhill Waverley Golf and two ahead of Cranbourne RSL.
They will be away to Keysborough Four (second) next round.
MIDWEEK
Pakenham One (Div 1) always had the situation under control in their home game against Mulgrave Country Club One.
They led by 17 shots to eight with all three rinks up after the first 15 ends and had extended that score to 39 to 24 by the break.
At the start of the business ends the margin was still 15 shots, but the Lions really put the foot down from that point forward to finish 31 shots in front and collected maximum Pennant points.
Pakenham’s best rink with 29 to 13 was Glenn “Google” Bainbridge (S), Terry “TMac” McRedmond (3), Max Mannik (2) and Luis Aguilar (L).
The Ones hold third spot on the ladder, four points behind Keysborough and five ahead of Berwick.
Their next outing will be away at Burden Park (fifth).
Pakenham Two (Div 3) had a close tussle with Keysborough in a game where the Lions were always in front but one in which the margins were never entirely comfortable.
With the score at 16 shots to eight and all three Pakenham rinks in front, things appeared to be travelling nicely after the completion of the first 15 ends.
However, by the half way mark, one of the Lions rinks had dropped behind but overall, they still held a 13-shot lead.
By the start of the business ends it was still two up and one down, but by then the lead had been pulled back to 10 shots.
The locals fought hard over the final fifteen ends but it was not quite enough and the Lions returned home with a six-shot win and 14 Pennant points in the bank.
The better of Pakenham’s two winning rinks with 24 to 17 was Keith “Golden Arm” Archer (S), Mick Knight (3), Lynne Smith (2) and Wayne Oosthuizen (L).
The Twos are on top of the ladder, two points clear of Cardinia Waters and 16 ahead of Noble Park.
They will host Cardinia Waters in the last round before Christmas.
Pakenham Three (Div 5) was kept honest in its encounter at Berwick.
They got away to a good start and led by 18 shots to nine after the first fifteen ends with all three rinks up – however the margins on two of those rinks were just one shot and two shots respectively.
By the half-way mark the Lions had extended their lead to 13 shots and still had their noses in front on all three rinks.
After the break the Wickers pushed back hard but failed to make any real impression on the deficit until the game was almost over.
The final result was a seven-shot win to Pakenham with two winning rinks and one drawn.
Best rink with 19 shots to 14 was Bill Bosch (S), Lindsay Stevenson (3), Frank Grant (2) and Gail Bowman (L).
The Threes are very comfortable on top of the ladder, 19 points clear of Narre Warren and 38 clear of Cardinia Waters.
They will be at home to the Dandenong Club (sixth) in round nine.
HI-LO
The big winner for the last round before Christmas was Ian Kitt with number 44.
-Des Leigh-
