News Update
Marine Gardens update w/ending 6, September 2020
(September 06, 2020)Marine Gardens BC – Report w/e 06/09/20
Bank Holiday Monday 31/08 and Marine Gardens held its first fun drive of this disjointed COVID summer. 36 members played across two sessions; each comprising 3 x triples matches.
Plenty of good bowling and good humour was on display. A particularly welcome feature was that all the new recruits were on show, making new friends and adding to their bowling knowledge. It was a warm welcome to – Paul & Sandra Baker, June Chalkley, Heather Marsella, Brian & Pamela Williams, Valerie Conway, and Lawrence Bradley.
Thursday 3rd September and Marine Gardens hosted Worthing Pavilion. The equivalent match at Pavilion; played a few weeks previously, had finished as a draw. Such outcomes are exciting and rare. Long odds against a repeat – but the bowling fates had other plans!
On rink 2 John Eilbeck, Dave Muggeridge and ever-green skip Dennis Martin enjoyed a closely fought tussle with the visitors; led by expert coach Richard Calvert. The hosts were always a little behind and so it finished with Pavilion winning by 18 shots to 16.
On rink 6 the Marine trio of Leon White, Shaun Coppard and skip Ivan Godsmark performed well against quality opposition. They were 13 shots to 8 up after 14 ends, only to drop 5 shots on end 15. Undaunted they dug in to garner 3 shots across the last 2 ends and secure a win by the narrowest of margins: 16 shots to 15.
So, with 1 rink winning and 1 losing the outcome of the match rested on rink 4. Gerry Perch, Alan Paterson and veteran skip Mike Hitchin were behind for most of the afternoon, trailing by 16 shots to 7 after 15 ends. But some excellent bowling by the hosts saw them gather 4, 1 and then a terrific 5 shots on the final end to win by a single shot: 17 to 16.
So, after much quality bowls the visitors and hosts alike were left equal on shots, and equally dumbfounded at another draw!
Rink scores summarised below –
John Eilbeck, Dave Muggeridge & skip Dennis Martin – 16 shots lost to R Calvert 18 shots
Gerry Perch, Alan Paterson & skip Mike Hitchin – 17 shots beat K Chapman 16 shots
Leon White, Shaun Coppard & skip Ivan Godsmark – 16 shots beat G Ives 15 shots
Marine Gardens 49 shots drew with Worthing Pavilion 49 shots
Playing away to Tarring Priory the Marine Gardens trios were always likely to face an uphill struggle. So, it proved as the rinks skipped by Leon White and Mike Hitchin both lost by comfortable margins. However, there was a bright spot for the visitors; Len Tebby, Roy Mills and skip Ivan Godsmark winning by 25 shots to 14.
Rink score summarised below -
Dave Holden, Jenny Ashman & skip Leon White – 11 shots lost to K Brinsmead 21 shots
Dave Muggeridge, David Hughes & skip Mike Hitchin – 9 shots lost to A Messer 21 shots
Len Tebby, Roy Mills & skip Ivan Godsmark – 25 shots beat J Fairs 14 shots
Marine Gardens 45 shots lost to Tarring Priory 56 shots
Semi-final stage in the club comps and on 01/09 Mark Berriman played Dennis Martin in the 100-Up. Each player has 4 bowls, the closest to the jack scores 4 points, next closest 3 points then 2 and 1. First to reach 100 points wins. When players are evenly matched these games can take a while to conclude.
So, it proved on 1st September as veteran Dennis took on Mark; the latter in only his second year of bowling and his first of playing club comps. As the evening shadows lengthened Mark gained a lead and extended it to be 89 points to 71 ahead. A place in the finals looked likely, but Dennis never gives up and he struck back with 6, 10, 7 and 8 points over the last 4 ends.
So, it was Dennis who won, by 102 points to 98, but it was an enthralling battle, the type where the eventual loser gains reputation as much as the winner. Dennis is now in 2 finals, at the time of writing, but Mark will be there next summer.
