Sodden, sorry, saturated not to mention having frozen extremities; what a way to start bowling. Well, we didn’t start cos we couldn’t find the green under the snow & when it revealed itself eventually it didn’t look too good. Then, deus ex machina, onto the scene bounds Matt, with the all knowing Roy, to get mowing, spreading tonic with one of the new apprentices JH, to revitalise it. What a change within ten days or so. So, it looks as if, fingers crossed, the Autumn maintenance combined with the Bradwell (haven’t forgotten you Dave) expertise, the green’s going to be good.
With very little practice, if any, we set off in reasonable spirits for an away match against Furness Vale where the shelter from the sub-Arctic wind was meagre to say the least. Even having so many layers of clothes on didn’t give much protection from the icy blasts, especially for the delicate bowling extremities, aka fingers. Some were reduced to drinking Bovril which was a desperate measure indeed, given that it’s such a massive dietary insult. Eventually some of us retired to The Star bar for the inevitable post-mortem & to warm ourselves with cold beer & chilled lager whilst we mulled (ha ha) over the 119 – 151 defeat. Modesty prevents me from revealing who won the huge £4 kitty. Our next sally forth was to Fairfield where, in positively balmy weather conditions i.e. the wind was warmer but not exactly tropical, we WON, yes WON 148 – 124. Modesty yet again etc etc blah blah (who’s peaking too early? Ed.). One last result to report from our elegant & svelte correspondent (DC) on the Thurs. vets match away against Chatsworth where we won, allegedly on a technicality, by 2 points because the opposition didn’t field a full team. In reality we should’ve lost by 4 but we didn’t! Yes, I really don’t understand this either! Well, on the first day of retirement & qualifying as an OAP it’s time to sign off & spend some of that gold-plated local-government pension that you’ve read about in the scum-bag press on victuals & fine wines. DO NOT forget that Friday night is club night so see you on the green after 6p.m.
Griff – tidza.bowls@yahoo.co.uk