FOR THE SAKE OF GOOD ORDER THESE REPORTS ARE NOW WRITTEN BY MARK PROSSER
Green was heavy, bumpy, most unhopwoodlike. Would that suit us though, given that we’ve progressed from a bunch of chuckers on a heavy Prestwich field to decentish bowlers on a green that runs well? Nobody was reminiscing about the bad old days with teary eyes so I’m guessing not. Certainly we wouldn’t have thought that it was to the homesters’ liking given their usual bowling nirvana.
So it seemed in the first game as Steve Blaymire took on Tom Mellor. Steve bowled steadily to forge ahead to 7-1 at the first check. More good bowls from Steve together with Tom struggling for a length saw the scores doubled at the next check with Steve opening up a 14-2 lead. Tom managed to put a couple of good ends in to stem the tide but by the next check Steve had put another two near the block to lead 17-6. Unfortunately that would be the last chalk Steve would score as Tom secretly nipped off the green and substituted himself for a bowler wearing a Tom Mellor suit. Said sub proceeded to bowl very well, using the changes in pace of the club-to-entrance corners to run out.
Captain Stu’s in fine form against this season, pitting himself yesterday against a self-confessed out of sorts Peter Burt. Stu had learned from his previous defeat, posting 8 twos, 3 of which were part of a timely 8 break to take him from 8 across to being four chalks from home. Six ends later, three winning ends each and Stuart was home, winning 21-12. Peter won’t bowl that badly very often, I’ve no doubt about that.
I’d arrived a couple of minutes after the match had started, so was pleased to see Tony Hardman already on the green. As much as I like the guy, there’s only so many times you can play one player in your life! Dave Palmer had the pleasure this time and soon found out what a tough cookie Tony can be. Every time Dave went in front he was pegged pack. 3-0, 3-4, 6-5, 6-8 and so on. After 20 ends, Tony was 14-12 in front and the game very much in the balance. So it remained for a further five ends, with the game tied at 16 across. Credit then to Mr Palmer, who played some quality bowls to run out in four ends at 21-16
“Young” Dean Richardson faced a bowler I’d not seen before in the form of Mike Fletcher. Dean’s not one to stand on ceremony and pushed ahead after an initial exchange. Putting in a break of eight, Dean surged into a 10-4 lead. Mike and Dean then played pass the mat for the next ten ends, both registering six chalks to take the score to 16-10. A rally from Mike brought him back to within one of Dean, who responded with three points to lie two short of home. Back came Mike with two of his own before Dean fell over the line a worthy 21-17 winner.
Last of the first half was Stafford Morley against Barry Howcroft, two bowlers not unfamiliar with the corners. A close game for much of the evening with both players clawing each other back before a four break from 13-11 up gave Barry some clear daylight. Stafford again battled back, this time to 15-18 before Barry closed out the game 21-15.
3-2 up in winners and eight up on the agg. A tight second half was in the offing.
First on and last off in the second half was Trevor Williams up against one of Hopwood’s old stages in the form of Stan Greenwood. A marathon ensured, with only a single brace scored in the first 20 ends. Stan broke that run with a brace at the next to pull back to within one chalk at 11-12 before Trevor responded with what would be the third and final double of the game to go 14-11 up before extending that lead to 16-12. Stan then seemed to just edge away, winning 9 ends on the trot. All singles, with some fortune at times and good bowling at others. Another set of wheels fell off as Stan ran out 21-16. 3-3, 3 in the agg.
Next on was yours truly against Brian Goodall, another of Hopwood’s seasoned campaigners. You could tell the green was heavy when I had to pull 40-yarder Brian for a short mark when hadn’t made 18 metres. Fair play to Brian, I played badly and gave bad ends away. Unfortunately I let the condition of the green get to me and he adapted better with what was now a common theme of an eight break taking him to 15-5 up. I responded with three decent ends to pull back to 9 before finding out that Brian was in no mood to lose his length and let me back into the game. Having more hits than Elvis didn’t help my cause – only line tonight as length and luck deserted me, leaving Brian a comfortable 21-11 win. 3-4, 7 down on the agg
Up stepped our new recruit Graham Harrison against Brian Hardman, another tough block to face on Hopwood. Graham gave as good as he got, his Patricroft Park days serving him well under the green conditions as he held on to Brian’s coat tails, never letting him get more than three chalks ahead, finding himself only 8-9 down after the opening exchanges. Break of the night then went in – Graham notched 10 without reply before trading ends with Brian to chalk up an excellent 21-13. A good steadier of a win for Graham, which also took us level on games and 1 up on the agg.
Frank Heselwood arrived late, feeling out of sorts and drew Colin Palmer. Colin put in two after two for the first fifteen ends with some excellent bowls to blast clear at 17-5 (yes, there was an eight break!). Frank replied with two singles, Colin got back in and so it wandered on, with Colin playing wood of the night to lick a two inch bowl and stand his own on the jack, pegging in at the death. Frank notched his second two of the night in response to Colin reaching allbut, before Colin closed out the game 21-10. 5-4 on games, 12 up in the agg.
That left Geoff Hilton to reach double figures against Stuart Rand to secure another good away win. The game started like many of the others with neither playing wanting to surge ahead, exchanging the lead several times by the time Geoff reach 7-4. Surprise, surprise, another 8 break, this time from Stuart. However, Geoff responded well, replying with a 7 break of his own to regain the lead. Another 3 chalks from Stuart changed the lead again before Geoff once again returned the favour to lead 18-15. A brace from Stuart left us wondering if the lead would change again but it wasn’t to be as three singles saw Geoff home 21-17.
A 12-4 win for Prestwich, another good result and a surge away from the wrong half of the table.
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