Summer Bowls in Pendine
On a bright sunny June afternoon, with the odd smattering of lashing down rain, drizzle, wind and cold, Tenby made the quick dash east to coastal Pendine. One should mention the fact that it was Pendine who secured promotion to Division 1 last year, not Fishguard as incorrectly reported last week by yours truly - £1 fine. Again missing a few key players – this time Paul Diment and Pat Currie, who’s missed a few recent matches due to a nasty gash, to his thumb. Unfortunately there was a late drop out as well with Joe Richards putting work before bowls – a mature attitude, but nevertheless another quid in the offing! This left a late call up for Gerald Hewitt playing third to Peter Day.
Starting with that rink, the draw meant that they were playing Mal Evans. A difficult draw at the best of times and in fact as the match started out it looked like Peter would have his hands full, but again with a solid platform laid by Cameron White and good supporting play by Ben Simmons and Gerald, Peter built up a steady lead. This increased after half-time and in the end Peter and the boys won comfortably. Although this wasn’t without its talking points, all of them being attributed to Peter’s second. We all know that Ben’s a follower of fashion, with his fake tan, swanky clothes and Beiber hairstyle. What few people know (until now) is that Ben’s an aficionado of the old hair straighteners!! So when the rain came lashing down in the afternoon Peter looked around to find Ben huddled under an umbrella – why, to stop his hair going curly in the rain. Shocking! £1 please! As if matters weren’t bad enough he then turned up with no wets gear and when borrowing his captain’s he had the audacity to remark how big the clothes were on him. Now admittedly he could have fitted Cameron in the jacket with him, but would you really mention it to the one who gives out fines? No; another £2 please.
Thankfully on Wigan’s rink the lesson dished out from the Wednesday night was quickly forgotten. Dai Spencer playing on his favourite green put in his best performance of the season so far and set up a good platform. Sadly this wasn’t one of Cloaky’s better games, maybe the look father Nigel gave him for forgetting his playing shirt was weighing heavily on his mind, but this young star will quickly bounce back, as he did playing for the County the next day. Take it easy on him next time Nigel, at least he avoided the dreaded fine. Fortunately Jon Webb had one of his better games this year, maybe it’s coincidental that he and Dai play well in Pendine, or maybe they’re a pair of ‘slingers’. In any event the rink won by a solid 10 shots.
It wasn’t the same on rink 4 however. John Roberts this time had John Baggott moving up to third in the absence of Paul Diment and Luke Guymer coming back into the team playing with his left hand. We all know what a talented bowler Luke is, already a junior international for the last two years. But he’s been out with a broken knuckle for the last three weeks. Nevertheless in a County triples match earlier in the week Luke decided rather than giving the game away that he’d play left handed. Well, sadly for the rest of us mortals he’s almost as good with his left and he is with his right, not only giving Peter Day a decent game in the County match but he was good enough to play away to Pendine on the Saturday. Again he put in a fine performance, causing Luke Rees to comment, “He’s that good he could probably kick them up the green better than I can bowl them”. The Ronnie O’Sullivan of the bowls world – Luke Guymer. Still, before we cause his head to swell too much, let’s remind people that he and Ben Simmons have something in common with regard to their hair products.
On his rink all seemed to be going well against Mal Thomas, JR’s boys opening up a 20-9 lead. But it was at this mark that the wheels fell off the chariot a la the England rugby team of the late 90’s – choking at the final hurdle. With only 6 ends to go the rink managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, the coup de grace coming on the 20th end when they dropped a 7. Still – that rink carried the team only three days previously, just showing how fickle sport can be. Craig Guymer instead found himself in a good old scrap with former Tenby player Dai King-Thomas. Dai showing how canny he can be and how he’s worthy of his multiple league winners medals with the Tenby side of the 90’s. The game could literally have gone either-way right up until the last end when the Tenby side managed to hold out for a two shot victory. Again Craig was well supported by Randy & Janet, Luke Rees and Aaron Lloyd. The younger lads in the team showing that they can play equally as well away as they do at home; also showing what strength in depth there is in the First Team Squad.
On the fines front, there was a bumper afternoon had for the coffers, with £19 dished out in fines for various misdemeanours, including repeated lack of tie wearing, black socks, no blazers, lack of driving, unkempt appearances, telling-tales and the occasional inaccuracy in reporting – however the favourite of the day was definitely the wrong bias of our beloved County President. That coupled with dropping a 7 and losing over all meant that Helen Baggott had a sleepless night on ‘suicide-watch’ in deepest Llanteg last Saturday!! So, 7 down 9 to play; only a handful of dropped points and a Carruthers run in the offing. If only the weather would break to give Sutton Street time to dry out and quicken up in time for the big matches next Thursday at home to Pembroke Dock and Henleys from Monmouthshire, when a full squad should be available.