With Prestwich BC Being the current cup holders, indeed unbeaten in the last two years and tonights game a rerun of the 2009 final and the hanicap favouring the cons nerves were tingling
Prestwich BC A (8) Prestwich Cons B (40)
Venue: Hollinhurst
Weather: Sunny but not warm
Green: Lush, heavy, good condition
Dave Palmer 21 Terry Newnes 7 – Awesome bowling from Palmer senior, free for the shackles of paternal instinct worrying about Palmer junior. Dave strode out to a 6-2 lead, which went along to 10-7 with both players bowling well. Dave upped a gear to stand two within a foot on nearly full corners and didn’t look back, running out in style.
Steve Blaymire 21 Frank Smith 9 – A worrying first end for Steve going two down but it only proved a minor setback. Steve went in front and never lost the lead again despite being pegged back a few times. Like Dave, he finally upped it a notch with an 11 break to run out from 10-9 in front
Dave Bellis 21 Eric Taylor 10 – Another pairing following a similar theme. Two down first end, took the lead and didn’t lose it. Eric made the mistake of having a chat with Steve Blaymire part way through; the walking rulebook shock Eric’s concentration and from 10-6 up, Dave pushed on to 16-6. Eric grabbed a brace before another four from Dave saw him nearly home. Two uncharacteristic no balls from Mr Bellis gifted Eric another brace before Dave made amends to get home.
35 chalks back from the first three games off. Handicap wiped out. Was that the easy or the hard bit though?
Geoff Hilton 21 Roland Barnacott 16 – Geoff drew the perennial old-stage Roland, who it’s a pleasure to have as a team mate (albeit nearly 10 years ago now!). In the words of yorkie, this game truly was a pleasure to watch. Both players played excellently, with neither conceding more than three ends in a row. After getting to ten ends level at six across Geoff pushed ahead, only to be pegged back again and again. Overall, though, Geoff had the better of the exchanges in the latter stages, taking two or three chalks at a time to Roland’s one. Never one to go down without a fight, Barney took three chalks at 20-13 down to bring an excellent game to a close.
Trevor Williams 16 Arthur Yardley 21 – Another good battle this one and a longun at 32 ends. There was never more than four in the game all the way through and the lead changed five times before Arthur finally got a hold of the game in the second half. Both players won 16 ends but the five pairs for Arthur saw him home.
So, at the break it was as you were two games earlier with a 3 point advantage to Prestwich BC A at half time.
Gareth Martin 21 Dave Colbourne 8 – match 6 saw a lad lacking confidence take on one of the more experienced bowlers at the Cons. From the ends I saw, the score clearing reflecting it, there was no confidence lacking last night. End after end of solid leading saw Gareth put two seven breaks in to get to 10-2 up and 17-4 up. He then matched Dave end for end to run out a comfortable winner.
16 clear, four games left….
Peter Robinson 14 Brian Seel 21 – Welcome to the first team Peter. Obviously wary of Peter’s unknown ability (he’d bowled a while ago and was getting back into it) I didn’t know how this would turn out. Early wariness was allayed as he looked to be bowling with confidence and was leading 7-6 when I went on. This was the start of a nine break that took him to 14-6 in front. Only Peter or Brian knows what happened next as either Peter collapsed or Brian went up two gears as Peter failed to score again.
9 clear, three games left….
Stuart Cameron 21 Rick Kellett 5 – Cometh the hour, cometh the captain. Captain’s innings required and duly delivered. The five-end checks went 8-1, 14-3, 19-5 and that was it. Two more ends as eight twos to one took PBC A 25 clear with two games left….
Chad Sproston 11 Ronnie Brundrett 21 – A returning Chad set off well enough, wrapping them on a mark across the crown to drag out a 9-2 lead after eight ends. Ronnie wasn’t for giving up though and got in with a two before launching Chad in the corners to push ahead 13-9. Chad then got in with two of his own but by his own admission his lack of practice was showing as Ronnie grabbed the block back and lumped him back into the corners for a game-finishing eight-break. Chad didn’t declare that it was the worst he’d ever played. We now have a happy Chad on our hands and sunny weather round the corner. Like a beaten United, the next game he plays won’t take long.
PBC A 15 clear with one game left.
Mark Prosser 21 Roland Eaton 12 – Saving the best till last, Cons put Roland Eaton on at number ten against our vice-captain. After a solid couple of ends, the game descended into a furthest away competition which I was happy to be losing. After ten ends, I’d struggled to a 12-3 lead without either of us bowling well. Roland then responded, pulling the game back to 12-14 behind. Turns out I’m made of sterner stuff these days as I started to get them near, running out with a classy 7 break after a distincly average earlier 14 (barring a couple that Dave Bellis told me off for….).
Prestwich BC A win by 188-130 on the night, 196-170 with the handicaps.
Post match drinks in the New Bay after, cracking pint in there and friendly folk to boot.
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